Hey everyone,

So this week, we are halfway through term! Honestly, I do not know where the times goes!

On the academic front, I have made my decisions on my coursework essay titles. For my module on international trade, I will be writing about Canada’s trading patterns – so what does Canada export and import and to who? This is all using the theories and models we have learnt so far, so this will be a good challenge in applying what I have been learning about. For my other two modules – public economics and elections, voters and political parties, i will be writing about voting behaviour. I find it really interesting how a subject, such as voting behvaiour, has been taken up by economics as well as politics. It shows just how interlinked and complementary the two subjects can be.

Outside of coursework and dissertation work, this weekend (15-17th February) is a big date in the swimming and water polo calendar. It is the British University and College Sport Long Course Championships. This is where we swim in an Olympic size (50m) swimming pool. I shall be swimming in the 50m and 100m breaststroke. I love it when weekends like this come around because it is a chance to put all that training to work and show the rest of the country what Lancaster can do.

Also, next week is the first ever Lancaster University Politics Society Ball. The executive committee and I are so excited about this because it has been an aspiration of the society for some time, and who doesn’t love the chance to get glamourous for the evening?

That’s about it for my mid-term update. Hope everything is going well for you all.

Speak soon,

Orla.

Hey guys,

Hope everything is going great! Times flies by here in Lancaster. I cannot believe it is week 5 already, I have been so busy I just realised we are halfway through the term. There is quite a lot of work to be done: this is usually the time when I start my essays, thinking about which questions I am going to answer and how. I don’t have an essay for Economics, just another presentation on Education and student achievement. In my Africa module, I am torn between writing about the relationship between the instance of Structural Adjustment Programmes and the Politics of Aid in the continent, or about the role that contemporary China is playing in the development Sub-Saharan region. Finally, for my Continental Philosophy module, my essay will be about Nietzsche’s method in his Genealogy of Morals, I think I can write quite a lot about it.

At the same time, we recently had elections in the Philosophy Society and I got elected again to be on the exec. This means that I will have to help the new members coordinate the events and start thinking about some new things we could do. I have a couple of ideas that I’m really excited for, so I hope they work out in the end!

 

By the way, don’t forget we have another Visit Day this Saturday, I’d encourage you to come see Lancaster and get a taste of life around here (I just hope it won’t rain). See you guys around!

Guillermo

Hi everyone,

I thought I’d drop in and let you know what’s been going on in my world recently. 

So, it’s Week 5; that means we’re half way through the term already … and deadlines are approaching quickly. The time goes incredibly fast here, which is why it is important to check in and reflect every now and then about how far you’ve come. I have three deadlines coming up for the end of term, two on the 22nd of March, and one on the 18th. I really would like to start at least summarising some of the topics I have covered in the past weeks as they’re still fresh in my mind, as well as pursue some secondary reading to supplement my summaries. Whether or not this gets done this week is really a different story – I have lots of dissertation work to be doing at the same time, on top of readings for my courses; so finding time is somewhat challenging (definitely not as bad when following a schedule, though!)

Last weekend I went back home, there was snow in Liverpool and I was really worried I wouldn’t get home – three flights before me were delayed two hours, but I got lucky! All went smoothly. When I was home I got a chance to catch up with all my friends which was awesome, and spent some time with my mum too, as she took time off work. Like I’ve mentioned before, I think it’s really important to take time to recoup at University: if you can get home every 5 weeks or so it really helps to break up term time into manageable chunks. If you can’t – definitely make an effort to socialise with your friends – social time is just as important as study, and that correct balance is so important to strike. 

This weekend I saw a friend, we made sweet potato and chickpea curry, and I must say, it was pretty impressive. My cooking has definitely improved since going vegetarian. For anyone that is coming to university without much in the way of cooking skills, I’d definitely suggest trying to expand your set when you get here; making meals as a group is a good way to start. 

I also made chocolate-chip [avocado…] protein cookies:

avocado… sounds tasty…right? Credit goes to https://ifoodreal.com/chocolate-protein-cookies/ for the completely vegan recipe. I found this recipe online whilst looking for a healthy cookie alternative for a particular cookie monster, I wanted to try the recipe out for myself before sharing them with him.

Coming up this weekend is another applicant visit day – I hope to meet some of you there! 

Catch up with you all soon,

Ellie 

Hi Everyone!

I hope you are all well, and you are enjoying the cold weather and maybe some snow as well. Being my last term, it’s the most difficult and busiest one with even more readings, presentations and work to do than before, not to mention the dissertation…That means I spend most of my time in the library, trying to compete with the time and get as much work done as it’s possible a day. Thankfully, having amazing modules with great people and lecturers this term makes it all worthwhile and more enjoyable. I have three modules this term as well, plus the dissertation that is due the last day of April.

I’m taking the US Foreign Policy since 1945 in which I was always very interested; therefore I had high expectations that were fortunately, exceeded. The lectures are not only lectures where we sit and listen but there is usually a group discussion at the end of each one where we discuss interesting questions on the topic. The seminars are very organized; we have debates that most of the times end in slightly heated but very interesting discussions that give me something to think about after the seminar. Another module that I am taking is Contemporary Issues in Human Rights which brings a bit of law into my political understanding of the world. This week we had a particularly interesting topic as we talked about a specific case about child detention in relation to the European Convention which gave us a deeper understanding of how human rights courts deal with different cases, how the legal process goes and what obstacles the lawyers might face during the process. My third module is on Islamic Politics which is a very small class that I find better and more effective. As I have always been very interested in the religion itself and wanted to know more about how it works and its relationship with the West, I really enjoy it.

As far as my non-academic life is concerned, I have been really focused on studying, so it is quite similar every day; I spend it with my flatmates when we talk, have fun, play pool or go out for a drink in the evening which is really nice after a long and busy day. We also enjoy different events such as free cake and coffee or free breakfast organized by the colleges which is a nice way to start the day or to take a break from studying in the middle of the day. I worked on the Applicant Visit Day on Saturday (I hope that if any of you attended, enjoyed it) which was great. It was really nice to talk to students and their parents, sharing my experiences and helping them decide whether coming to Lancaster University is the right choice for them. Next week should be a lot of fun as my sister is coming to visit me for a few days that I am very excited about. I cannot wait to show her what a student life looks like at a University in the United Kingdom. So stay tuned!

Until then, have a great weekend!

Zsofi

Hey guys!

 

Hope everything is going well. Life here in Lancaster is pretty quiet for now, as the workload is not too stressful for now. Apart from a presentation for Economic Policy next week, the readings and dissertation work are the only important things I have to keep up with. I’m pretty happy with the modules so far – the Africa and Global Politics one is showing me how little I actually knew about the continent and its history, so I’m really excited to learn more!

Last weekend we had our first Open Day of the term! It was pretty good to see you guys around, and if you haven’t been able yet to come see us, remember that the next one is on the 16th of February, so make sure to come if you have a chance! The people who came were very interested in both the university and in the Lancaster life, and I hope we were able to share our enthusiasm with them. By the way, remember that if you have any doubts about university in general, you can email your admissions mentor to ask them about it. They will be happy to help you in any way they can.

 

I’ll keep in touch as to how the term goes by. See you guys around!

Guillermo

It may only be week 3, but it is about this point in the term that I like to take a moment and pause and think about what lies ahead.

This term is already super important because it is my last proper term as a Lancaster undergraduate (where does the time go?!) and it’s time to consider what essays and assessments are on the horizon. I have three essays and a presentation to complete this term, alongside my dissertation. With roughly half of my dissertation completed, I am feeling relatively calm about the looming assessments.

Term 2 also has a couple of other major events on the calendar. Firstly, the British University and College Sports Long Course Swimming Championships are happening in mid-February in Sheffield. I can’t believe this is the third time I will be competing in this competition – I still remember doing it for the first time. The feeling of representing Lancaster University never gets old!! Secondly, the Politics Society is hosting their first ever ball this term! I can’t wait to bring this event to our members because it has been in the pipeline for so long, and let’s be honest, who doesn’t love the chance to dress up and be a bit fancy?!

Whilst I have been thinking about what is to come in the final months of my Lancaster undergraduate career, I had the pleasure of helping some potential Lancaster undergraduates at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Applicant Visit day last week. These events are some of my favourites, as it feels like only yesterday I was in their shoes. I also love being able to promote the university and the department and help the students in making one of, if not the biggest decision, of their lives.

I hope you are all doing well and maybe I might see you at an applicant visit day real soon.

All the best,

Orla

Hey guys!

 

After a pretty uneventful Christmas vacation, here we go again, ready for the new term. I’m pretty excited, because the new modules I’m taking seem really interesting. I only have one Economics module this term, Economic Policy, which I believe will tackle important questions that affect current governments in the world. In Politics I have chosen Africa and Global Politics, which explores the historical development of Africa in in the global system, from colonialism to the present day, and will tackle issues as important as the debt crisis and the role China is playing in the region.

Finally, and for this one I am particularly excited, in Philosophy, I’ll be taking Continental Philosophy, in which we will study the writings of three of the most important philosophers of contemporary history: Friedrich Nietzsche, Michel Foucault and Hannah Arendt. I’m a personal fan of all of them, especially Nietzsche and Arendt, so I cannot wait to start with the discussions and readings. Moreover, it might help me on my dissertation about Arendt’s thought, which is going pretty good. I’m really proud of the work I’ve been doing with it, it has allowed me to do my own research on a topic that I find incredibly interesting and that I hope will make for an interesting read.

 

I’ll keep you posted on how things go. By the way, this term the university will be having a series of open days to those interested in joining Lancaster, so I hope to see you guys if you come visit!

See you around,

Guillermo

Hello Everyone!

Firstly I wanted to say thank you to everyone who came to our applicant visit day on Saturday, it was truly wonderful to meet all of you and learn a little bit more about the future students of PPR here at Lancaster. If you didn’t make it this time around, there is lots of information available online in terms of course prospectus, accommodation, years abroad, and so on; most of which can be found here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/ppr/.

I also really look forward to welcoming all other students joining us for our visit days in the upcoming weeks. Thank you to all who got involved, and for your stimulating questions; hopefully we managed to do a good job of answering them, but if you didn’t manage to get your question in, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. 

So – a little update on what I’ve been up to so far in the past week. I’ve mostly been working on my dissertation this week, as I’ve set up a meeting with my advisor for Tuesday. I think I was right – taking a break away from it over the Christmas period really has given me a fresh perspective, and consequently, I’ve found a new enjoyment in working on it. I had the opportunity to do this because I was organised when I was told to be! If there is any advice I can give you with regards to the dissertation, it is start early: even if this is reading and acquiring general knowledge. The sooner you start, the better position you will be in to manage your workload. Currently, I have around 9000 words, so the bulk of the essay is there, but my attention is now directed at organising it coherently, as well as adding critical analysis where this is due. 

My other modules are really quite enjoyable so far, I am particularly enjoying Reading Political Theory, as the focus of this course is to pursue a closer reading of Rawls’ Theory of Justice – as I mentioned in the last blog, I really enjoy his Politics, and since I took Modern Political Thought last year, I feel like I have somewhat of a head start, having studied some of his works then.

In Aesthetics, we have discussed what constitutes an aesthetic experience. Such a phenomenon is very difficult to describe: but as an example, one can think of the chills you get when hearing a beautiful piece of music. In simpler terms, aesthetic experiences seem to move us in a way that non-aesthetic experiences do not. This might be compared to when we say “I like X”, and “X is beautiful”: the latter seems to have some normative force – we believe others ought to think it beautiful too; it moves us in a way that simply liking something doesn’t. So in one sense, it seems as though our aesthetic judgements are about the properties of some object, an artwork, for example, and on the other, about our subjective experience of encountering the object and how this makes us feel. Things get a little confusing when we consider the fact that we can call something beautiful and yet have no aesthetic experience whilst doing so. This is to say that aesthetic properties, whatever they may be, supervene on non-aesthetic properties (the former are reliant on the existence of the latter.)

So, we are debating whether beauty can be an objective property, or whether beauty can only ever be “in the eye of the beholder.” What is so interesting about this question is that there is such a wide agreement in general as to what is considered beautiful; yet, at the same time, taste varies so widely. Hume’s “Of the Standard of Taste” addresses some of these early issues. I think Hume’s project is to argue that, where there is widespread convergence about beauty, one might be able to say that this suggests beauty exists objectively: think of timeless pieces of art and why such pieces are still widely popular today. 

I think one of the general comparisons here is between colour, and our perception of it: think here of Locke’s primary and secondary qualities. This is one of the first things you will encounter on Phil100 if you are a philosophy major and might be useful to get a head start if you haven’t heard of it before: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/real-essence/. The essential idea is that we don’t really “see” red, but we do reach broad convergence on objects which are deemed red: given that we aren’t colourblind. What if we are sentiment-blind? Perhaps if colour judgments have objective validity, then as do aesthetic judgments, given we have an enough refined or appropriately good faculty of sentiment judgment. Nonetheless, what explains your love for heavy metal and mine for underground hip-hop? 

That’s all today folks, 

Ellie 

Hi Guys,

I hope everyone is well, and all of you had a great Christmas period. It’s a quick stop in for me – just to update you all on what I will be up to this term. 

Today I had three deadlines, of a total of 14,000 words which I had been working on over Christmas. I feel a great amount of relief to have them in, as I felt as though I didn’t really stop over Christmas. I didn’t get much opportunity to work on my dissertation, but I feel like I’m in a relatively good place with it at the moment so I’m not too worried. Plus – having taken a break from it might (hopefully) give me a fresh perspective. 

Nonetheless, I’m really excited to start some new modules this term. These are:- 

• Philosophical Questions in the Study of Politics and Economics 
• Aesthetics
• Reading Political Theory

My first choice was inspired by the Economics for the Real World module I took last year, and really enjoyed. Prior to this module even the word economics made me cringe – I wouldn’t have dared pretend I knew anything about it. Professor May made a seemingly impenetrable subject exciting to learn about. I would highly recommend this module if you are offered it in second year. My motivation for taking that module was simply because I knew nothing about the subject, and was curious. Don’t be afraid to try new things, even if you think you aren’t “good enough” for them – you might find something you are passionate about. 

Aesthetics I have never studied, and am curious about, I’ll keep you updated on whatever it is I am working on. 

As for Reading Political Theory, we are reading Rawls’s Theory of Justice. I just received my copy in the mail today – it is vast to say the least. Anyway, I’m really rather looking forward to tackling it, as I have always enjoyed implementing Rawls’s ideas into my essays: I’d say he was one of the first to spark my interest in politics. We’re also studying Young’s Politics of Difference, frankly, I’m not entirely sure of Young’s political position, but I believe her ideas are feminist in orientation. Feminist philosophy is a module I regret not taking last term, so I am really happy that I can at least explore some feminist thought this term. 

That’s all for now: I will catch up with you guys very soon, I hope everyone has a great week. 

Ellie 

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)