Hi all!

I have been very quiet for a while, and now that the summer holidays are here for a lot of you, I thought it was high time that I checked in again!

I thought I would ramble a little about something that I – evidently – have struggled with for a long time; routines.

One of the most noticeable things about coming to University is that your time is yours to manage. This is a liberating thing, and it means that you are able to organise the way you work, cook, rest and see friends in a way that is totally your own. But it also means that things get forgotten, missed or ignored all together. Like the appointment you’ve been meaning to make with the dentist, or the important email you still haven’t send yet, or the blog post you keep forgetting to write in the midst of coursework.

I find that I have particular trouble with this, especially when I have lots of meetings to go to, which knock me off of a stable timetable. You guys might be feeling this too, as long sunny days bleed into one another over the summer break.

These last few months I have been trying something new. I have been keeping a Research Journal. Much like a bullet journal, I set out my plans for each month, followed by to-do lists, travel schedules and notes about how things are going; what has helped me stay on top of work, what I have found challenging and advice to my future self about silly things that I may have (or usually have not) done. By doing this, I am able to see in one place all of the resources I need help me improve – in this case – my research, and staying on top of work.

I have friends who do this to keep on track of self care, recipes and lifestyle things, and health. These diaries can help to organically and holistically help you identify hurdles and change your routines to deal with anything that comes your way; and you get to be creative!

So, how about on the run up to coming to university, keep a note book handy. Note down those things that you are looking forward to, worried about, need to remember or want to do more of in the future. And then use those to help you keep on top of that niggly thing that you find more difficult; perhaps keeping to helpful routines.

Perhaps this might include a timetable – like the ones we all got in secondary school – or systems for keeping on top of grocery shopping and society commitments. Whatever it is, be creative and inventive in the ways that you organise yourself and your time, and explore new ways of taking advantage of the opportunities that come your way in the next few months! And it’s ok, you don’t have to be good at routines, graceful disorganisation is also a very valid way of being!

I hope you are all well and enjoying your summer, how ever you find yourselves and your schedules, and I will (hopefully) write soon with another ramble. Here is a picture of Lumpy on a train, on the way to Durham where I stayed for a few days recently, doing fieldwork for my Dissertation. He really likes the view!

 

Kenneth and Lumpy

 

Hi guys,

The last few months for me have been very busy. I’ve have been applying for some funding for my PhD next year, and away in London for a Cyber Security competition. Lumpy has been staying at home keeping an eye on my house and reminding me that I need to sleep in the evenings and write during the day… not the other way around!

The last few months have also seen our first Offer Holder Visit days! These days are an opportunity to see the campus again, learn more about what studying in PPR might be like, and to meet some of the awesome staff and students here!

There are 3 more Visit Days coming up, so sign up for one of those if you can; they really are very helpful!

I went to an offer holder day this time 3 years ago, and it was a really great day! I got to remind myself of what the campus looked like, and think more clearly about what it might be like to actually live here. It helped to ground me in the knowledge that the place where I would study was also somewhere I liked to walk around, and felt safe in.

Talking about the course defiantly filled me with a feeling of wonder and excitement that had stuck around to this day. I was able to see that I really would be learning about topics that I loved, and had the opportunity to learn about others that I had never encountered before. I also realised that I would be able to still learn a little about History, without having to do an entire History Course. This helped my transition to university a lot, as I didn’t quite feel ready to end my formal study of history, but I also didn’t want to do it as my degree – doing it as a minor helped patch this discomfort.

 

Hi everyone!

I have recently embarked on the best part of university life… moving house! But Lumpy and I are back now and ready to get writing!

A few of you will have received your offer letters for Lancaster by now, so I thought I would tell you the story of how I got to Lancaster; buckle up, it’s a bumpy ride!

This time 4 years ago I received 4 letters; 1 from Cambridge, 1 from Durham, 1 from Bath and 1 from Lancaster. They were all acceptance letters, other than the one from Cambridge. Honestly, I was annoyed. but also excited because I now had the chance to choose which university to put as my firm choice…

Rather embarrassingly, I chose Durham. My main reason for doing this was that it meant I could have access to the theological college there, and could live in Durham Castle… aka Hogwarts.

Lancaster, instead, was my second choice. I loved the course, the people and the campus, but Durham was, well Durham. I was bamboozled by the ancient chapels…

Thankfully, fate intervened. I didn’t quite get the grades I needed to go to Durham. I was crushed, not least because my exam results were not what I expected. Instead, I had two weeks in which to totally reassess my plans for October, to rent accommodation, and to make contact with my new course mates.

It was difficult and unsettling having to switch plans and expectations. But once I got here I realised that it was far better than Durham ever could have been. Everyone was friendly and accepting of me and my oddness, the course was rich and engaging and the tutors were wonderful. I had accidently ended up in just the right place.

So, as the fan cliché goes… I never got my acceptance letter to Hogwarts… and I am glad! Lancaster is far better!

Congratulations on your offer letters! Think carefully about your choices, get in touch if you have questions, and enjoy the opportunities you have over the next few weeks; to think about and explore the universities you might go to… And remember, Lancaster is pretty great!

Kenneth and Lumpy (the Heffalump)

Hi Everybody!

My name is Kenneth, and I am this year’s mentor for those of you applying to study Religious Studies & EPR here at Lancaster

So, I thought it was about time I introduced myself, and said a little bit about this blog.

I’m currently a Master’s Student, reading for a degree in Religion and Conflict. I also studied at Lancaster for my undergraduate degree, which was in International Relations and Religious Diversity. So, I’ve been here a while…

This year I will be mentoring any RS students starting their degree here in Sept 2019. So, keep an eye on this blog. Every week or so I will be posting a short post about what it is like to be an undergraduate student in the PPR department like, what you might want to bring with you, what a lecture is, and what is Fresher’s Week like!

I would also like to introduce our mascot, Lumpy! 

As you can probably tell from his name, Lumpy is a Heffalump teddy…

This year he will be following me around, helping me document what university life is like. So, keep an eye out for him around social media and open days, he is rather mischievous! He mostly hangs out on my twitter (@kenarchy97) but will also feature on this blog and our Instagram account which will be coming soon! 

So yeah, that is us. I am really looking forward to getting to know you all and to help you prepare for coming to Lancaster!! Next week, I’ll be writing a short blog about what my first week at Lancaster university was like.

Best wishes!!

Kenneth and Lumpy