University of Aberdeen Blog

Hello everyone!

Okay, let me introduce myself. My name is Kristina and I am a third year student in the University of Aberdeen, studying French Language and International Relations. The interesting fact about me is that I am originally from Siberia (Yes, that’s right, Siberia!), but before you say it, no I am not use to this cold weather. But I do like snowy weather, it does remind me of home, also it means that we will have white Christmas this year!

Last year I spent my year abroad in one of the most beautiful cities in France, Lyon. It was amazing! I had time to travel and learn more about French culture and its history. It was truly a great experience. Although, I did miss my University, especially life on the campus where everything was nearby and all my friends were there. I was glad to be back at the University and very lucky to get a job as a student ambassador. The University’s Open Day and Freshers’ Week were a great way to meet a lot of interesting people.

Although it was great to be back in Aberdeen and I was very happy to begin my third year of University, I found myself slightly lost, because of the amount of work I had to complete by this Christmas. Temporarily my address changed to the Queen Mother Library! But I have managed to survive and achieve good marks. Now I can relax and enjoy my holidays in sunny Gran Canaria, thanks to my parents! I do hope all of you manage to get home in time for Christmas without any delays!

Enjoy your time by the warm fire in the company of your family and friends. Have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year! I am looking forward to meeting many of you at the University’s Applicant Days.

See you in 2011!

Kristina

Hey Everyone,

My name is Ashley and I am new to the townhouse team here at the University of Aberdeen so starting my very first blog J I suppose the first thing you would like to know is “who am I?” Well I am a Scottish student originally from Arbroath (it’s about an hour south of Aberdeen). I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Aberdeen in the summer last year, in BSc (Hons) Geography and Geoscience (technically its geography and geology…yes, I like rocks). I am currently doing my postgraduate degree here as well in Environmental Science. I didn’t want to leave the University when I finished as it is such a friendly place and like its own little village within a city.

My course is quite difficult with lots of assessments to do but on the plus side I don’t get any exams in January. I think its kind of a reward for doing so many assessments throughout the year, which I prefer to exams anyway. The courses are a lot more interesting than I first thought they were and are also really varied, i’m doing microbiology courses…I haven’t done any form of biology since Standard Grades (and that was a few years ago) but the lectures are really good for helping when you don’t quite know what is going on. One of the really interesting things about my course was the number of international students in my class. My class is made up of approximately 20 students, only 3 of which are from the UK, the rest are from Nigeria, India and China, so there is a good cultural variation and everyone is from different backgrounds too.

At the moment the classes are all wrapping up for the Christmas holidays with all classes finishing tomorrow for a 3 week break. It is also looking very Christmassy around campus. The Christmas lights are up on Elphinstone and the Christmas tree is covered in lights. The snow also began again overnight so the roads were a little slippy for getting into University this morning but thankfully the gritters have been out clearing the road. It has been snowing quite heavily all day so I am not looking forward to brushing all the snow off my car when I head home this evening. I must admit though, I am really looking forward to playing in the snow like a little child when I go home this Christmas…there is a child in everyone wanting to play in snow J

As most of you probably know there was a webchat last night for prospective students. Do not worry if you missed it, there will be another one in early January to answer any questions you have. For those of you applying for undergraduate degrees through UCAS the deadline is the 15^th of January so make sure you get them in soon. I am currently applying for PhDs with their deadlines being the 13^th of January so I know how you all feel, making sure you put down the right information and that your personal statement looks amazing.

You will be hearing from me again in the New Year when all the festivities are over and I’ll be giving you information about anything exciting that happened over the holiday and if we all survived the snow.

Merry Christmas

Ashley

Upon awaking that day three weeks ago to find that it had snowed I was thrilled! I turn into a small child when it snows and want to play, building snowmen and having snowball fights! And this I did. For many days, however, the fun is over. The snow turned to 2 inches of solid ice on the pavements and walking anywhere became treacherous. But I can happily say that I awoke this morning to (mostly) thawed pavements and slightly safer walking conditions. It hasn’t just been the snow that’s been bothering me. It has also been absolutely freezing. The day I awoke and checked the temperature before leaving bed to find that it was -15° I almost cried. And then pressed snooze.

Yes winter is most definitely upon us and I use this as an opportunity to stay in my pyjamas and furry slippers and only leave my lovely warm bed if I really have to. When you throw in the fact that I have had a really bad cold this means that I have only once ventured into town to attempt any Christmas shopping. And that was yesterday. And I can honestly say, never again! I spent 2 hours in crowded, overheated shops before heading home and getting online. I managed to buy all of the needed Christmas presents within an hour, from my bed, and they will be delivered, already gift wrapped to my parents’ house ready for my arrival next week. That also means that I have more space in my suitcase for clothes!

It’s quite hard to believe that term ends on Friday as it’s seems like no time at all since term began. However all of my work has been done for each course and the final week seems to be a bit of a wind down whilst beginning to prepare for exams. One of the major decisions we have to make is whether or not to bring my books home with me for Christmas in order to revise, or simply wait until I get back to Aberdeen. I have in the past taken all of my notes and books home with me and not done a single piece of revision, however as this is my final year, I really should be a little more prepared as these grades will determine my class of degree. But I’ve still got a week before I have to decide if I want to sacrifice shoe space for books, and that week will no doubt be spent eating mince pies and drinking mulled wine.

But for now, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

Normally, as a student ambassador I give campus tours to prospective students, answer phone calls, reply to email enquiries, and send out prospectuses. It is a very enjoyable part-time student job to have, but some aspects of it can become a bit tedious now and then. However, the tedium is balanced by the fact that I get to meet some pretty interesting people. One such meeting happened earlier this month; when I was asked to give a campus tour to a former alumnus of the University who was a student here back in the late 1950’s. The people accompanying him on the campus tour were the descendants of another alumnus from back in the early 1920’s. It was fascinating to show them around campus and to find out from them just how much the University has changed and grown over the past decades.

Then on Saturday, 13^th November, I took part in a completely different walk down memory lane. One of my work colleagues organised a ghost tour around King’s College campus for our work department and I, along with some friends and fellow student ambassadors, got to play the part of some of the ghosts. I do not want to give away too much, but I was a “loupin’ monk” looking for Bishop Elphinstone, the founder of our University. We had about thirty people on the walk and it was a huge success. The weather played along nicely, and the campus is really beautiful after dark, when all the ancient buildings are nicely illuminated. It really helped bring the ghost stories alive. While it is not a regular event (yet), I am hoping that I will get another chance to reprise the role before leaving Aberdeen.

Until the next time, be well in all things.

David

Here in Aberdeen, we celebrate a Winter Festival which starts on the 5^th of November, or Bonfire Night for those of you that aren’t too great with the date (I always forget the date and then am petrified when the fireworks go off!). The start of the Winter Festival makes it oh so clear just how soon Christmas is….it is in fact 6 weeks today! And that’s when I start to panic. This year however, I have decided to buy no gifts, which not only saves money but all that time and effort dragging around the shops where I invariably find lots of things that I like but nothing for friends and family. No, this year I am making all of my gifts and so my family had better watch out for their waistlines. The only arts or crafts that I attempt are calorific tempting morsels of truffles, tablets and fudge. Or cake! Luckily for me, Aberdeen has some fantastic shops that have everything I could ever need to make these gifts look thoughtful and not cheap!!

Shopping for Christmas themed wrappings, jars and boxes is so much better now that winter is really on the way. Although we had our first flurries of snow several weeks ago, I only really see it as wintery when the clocks change and it starts to go dark at 4 in the afternoon. For some bizarre reason, I much prefer shopping when it’s dark. Maybe so I can’t see the massive amount that I am spending! We have late night shopping on a Thursday, but Union Square is open until 8 every night, and as well as shops, contains a cinema and a variety of restaurants which are open quite late so you really can make an evening of it.

As for now I have to head off. The department is being given a guided ghost walk around Aberdeen this evening, and as one of the ghosts, need much more practice to even come close to slightly scary!

I don’t know what it is about November, but it always seems to be the month where my calendar starts to fill up and I tend to be running frantically from building to building. It may sound a tad stressful, but once it all gets going it’s actually quite good fun.

The month started with the last of the Halloween parties and the monthly AUSA council meeting. I sit on the Societies Union Committee, which is responsible for promoting societies and their social events, sorting out the distribution of money to different societies and giving advice, support and training to any society which needs it.  The council meeting itself was quite good fun, especially as Soc Union managed to get a few policies approved so our President was quite happy.

This week has involved the odd late night spent working on an important section of my project. I tend to have meetings with both my supervisors every week and twice a month I have to update them with the progress I have made so far. This week it is the research questions aspect of my project, and so far they seem to be shaping up quite nicely, though I think I have a fair bit to do before I can let my supervisors see them.    

And finally the last important date in my diary is Scottish Mental Health Research Network conference down in Glasgow, where there will be a lot of talks linked to my project and hopefully will be a good opportunity to network. I’m actually a bit nervous as I have never been to a conference before, and have never had to spend an entire day wandering around in a suit, but I have a feeling that this is the sleep deprivation talking.  

So fellow readers, as you can see life has become quite busy, so this blog post will be my last as a student ambassador. I have had an amazing three years working for the department and meeting new students, and will miss typing away about the random things I have been up to. But like they say, when one door closes another opens, so let’s see what happens next J

Nooreen

As you are no doubt aware yesterday was Halloween, which means that the streets of Aberdeen were overrun with ghouls, vampires, Lady Gagas, and many other assorted monsters. Having such a large student population, the scariest day of the year is always a fun time around here. There are always many events on, catering to everyone’s tastes and moods. This year I decided to take things slow and not head out into town. I spent the evening in with some good friends, pizza, and music. This was a wise decision, as I had work today and a meeting with my supervisor. Nonetheless, I am feeling rather tired which is apparently due to my body adjusting to the clocks changing. Or so I have been told. Anyways, that is about all I have time for today. Once I am fully awake again, I will write more. Until the next time, be well in all things.

David

In a frantic day, I am taking this rare chance to have a snack and update my blog. I must say, it really is a frantic time of year. During the October school holidays, we have lots of people coming to visit and so we do a lot of campus tours. If you wish to organise one, please visit: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/undergraduate/open-days.php it’s also a busy time of year academically. As well having to study for the courses I am doing this semester, we are also having to try and finalise our dissertation topics and begin all of our research. I decided to write on the Reformation and although I am having a little trouble trying to focus, I think that it will be on the Dissolution of Monasteries in Northern England. My sneaky inclusion of Northern England means that for any research trips, I will (hopefully) be able to stay at home. I am planning on going home during reading week to do some preliminary research and indulge in some home cooking…..not that I don’t enjoy cooking myself.

Due to the pressures of time, I have become an expert in making meals quickly, but when I have a little more time, I love to bake. Being involved in society fundraising is a fantastic opportunity to arrange bake-sales and other events that encourage indulgent baking time. The Catholic Society, of which I am former treasurer is set to hold it’s second bring a dish night of the term. The first was a great success with people making a whole range of national dishes – and there were lots of scrumptious puddings too! (I will be making much cake for this event!) We then went on to play board games which when combined with wine become much more fun! I really have never played a game of Articulate like it! Events like this really open you up to all of the different cultures at the University, not just with food, but also the different approaches to games. We currently have about 20% International students from around 120 different nationalities, and so if you are an International student considering attending Aberdeen, you can feel safe in the knowledge that you would not be the only one. More information for International Students can be found on our website at: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/international/index.php

But as for now, time really has caught up with me and I have to get back to my work, or my lecturers will be rather unimpressed with my lack of reading!

Today fellow readers I am writing my blog from my new office, yes that is right I am officially a registered Postgraduate student doing an MPhil in Mental Health with a view to convert my project into a PhD. It has been a busy couple of weeks trying to adapt to a new style of learning, sorting out paperwork and trying to read through the mountain of background reading I have to do, but all in all I absolutely love it.

My typical day at the moment involves getting to my office at 9am, and after sifting through my unread emails and making a cup of tea I tend to make a start on my reading for the day. As it is only the first month of my project, background reading takes up most of my day, but there are the occasional departmental meetings, a couple of lectures and a weekly meeting with my supervisor that I have to prepare for. Most research students also get given special research notebooks that are filled in with all your ideas and plans for your project, and eventually go on to become the book that contains all your results and methodology. So by the time my brain begins to throb from all the new terms and theories I’ve had to learn, its 6pm and time to head home to relax. However I have made the effort to get involved in student activities so that my life does not end up revolving around my research. I am back on the Societies Union Committee for the AUSA and also plan to get involved in the new AU Psychiatric Society, who have a screening of Shutter Island next week and a talk on the media and mental health.

So, as you may have gathered my life as a postgrad is very different from my undergraduate degree. It does take a while to get used (especially having to wake up at half seven every morning), but the thing that makes it easier is that I am reading and researching a topic that I am really interested in, so while sitting in an office for about 8 or 9 hours reading may sound tedious, time just flies past because I enjoy it. However dear readers, I have a 150 page document to get through by the end of today and an important meeting tomorrow to prepare for, so goodbye for now and hope you’ve all been enjoying your half-term holidays.

Nooreen   

Last week was my ninth Freshers’ Week as a student at the University of Aberdeen and as far as Freshers’ Weeks go it was pretty quiet and relaxing. I did not really attend any of the myriad events aimed at new students, not because they are not fun, but more because of “been there, done that”. I spent most of the week catching up with friends returning from their summer breaks and getting everything sorted for my last year at university. I did bump into some people I gave campus tours to, which is always good fun, and I did sign up to a number of societies. The highlight of the week for me was the weekend, which included a good friend’s birthday party, a visit from two of my sisters, and the first official meeting of one of my societies.

As befits everyone’s post Freshers’ Week mood, the new term is starting on a grey and chilly Monday morning. For me the week ahead will consist mostly of gym trips, research, work, and introductory meetings of a number of societies I signed up, as well as catching up with some friends I have not had the chance to see yet. Speaking of going to the gym, I think I will keep this blog entry short and head over to the Aberdeen Sports Village now to get my body into shape for the week ahead. Until the next time, be well in all things

David