Month: March 2018

Hobbling my way to the end of term

/ Mackenzie

Hi again! I’ve been pretty quiet with these blogs recently, but there’s been a lot going on!

Uni life has taken a bit of an unexpected turn recently. I landed a dodgy somersault in training at the end of February which has resulted in a dislocated and seriously fractured ankle, 9 pins to hold it together and 6-8 weeks in a cast. I’m nearly three weeks into the healing period and it’s getting much easier, although there is a lot more to an injury like this than I initially planned for! Everyday activities such as making food and general household chores, showering and even going up and down the stairs to the bathroom has required more planning, so I’ve been very lucky to return home until I’m allowed to put weight on my ankle again, and until I get better at using crutches.

At the minute, progress on essays has been painfully slow with the setbacks this injury has given me. I can no longer access the library, where I am at my most productive, and the concoction of painkillers I have been given aren’t exactly great for maintaining concentration! However, the department has been really supportive – I’ve been given extensions on my deadlines to make up for time that has been lost, and lecturers have been in contact over email so I’ve still been able to get the support I need, despite being away from Lancaster.

In terms of going back to the Trampolining Club, I’m still very uncertain at the minute. I’m aiming to be back in Lancaster full time by the end of April, so I’ll still be able to support them at Roses despite not being able to compete. If I stay for the MA Religious Studies then I might try getting back into it next year once I’m fully healed, although this might be an opportunity to expand my society horizons and see what else is out there!

That’s all from me for now, stay tuned for incredibly exciting recovery updates and hopefully the next part of this blog will have more to talk about!

Updates on my Lent Term

/ Pietro

Hi folks,

Second term is passing very quickly, and we’re approaching week 18 already! In the past few weeks I’ve received conditional offers for two of the graduate programmes in philosophy that I submitted an application for back in mid-December. I’m very happy about this, and I have to say thank you to some of my lecturers, who helped me figuring out which courses to apply for, and how to submit a strong application. This is one of the things that I like most about the PPR Department here at Lancaster: the staff is very supportive, and able to help you a great deal if you just ask. By the end of your third year, you can truly get to know some academics from the department and form good relationships with them.

Having received some good news, I decided to concede myself a few days off and went climbing in Warton (a place close to Carnforth, 10 minutes by train from Lancaster) with some friends– the weather was exceptionally good for end of February standards (it was some 5-6 days before blizzards hit the country, just in time)! We’re also planning a trip to the climbing wall in Kendal, which is supposed to be one of the best in the UK. Hopefully next week.

Week 10 is week of deadlines, so I’ll have to do some more work before a well-deserved Easter holiday. The essay I’m working on at the moment is for my Logic and Language module, and it’s about modal logic. Roughly speaking, modal logic deals with how to analyse arguments that incorporate notions of necessity and possibility. It’s a very intriguing topic, but also quite technical and difficult to get your head around, so it will require some serious concentration!

On March 17, we’re having our last Applicants Visit Day. If you haven’t had the opportunity to come already, book a place for that day if you can.

Hope to see some of you there!

New Modules, Essay Results And More!

/ Lewis

Since my last post things in Lancaster have changed quite a lot, which is unsurprising given that it is now a new term and so I now have different modules. This term I only have two so that I can also focus on job applications (more on that below). Specifically, I am currently studying a module on the Middle East, which is really interesting as it is being taught by a lecturer whose previous job involved him serving as a diplomat to Saudi Arabia, meaning he is able to offer a different insight to most others. In addition to this, I am also covering a module on the practical element of foreign policy and diplomacy, which has so far involved me learning more about both nuclear weapons and climate change and the international politics surrounding both of these. The modules themselves have been really interesting and I am looking forwards to writing my essays for them, which I am now beginning to draft.

Speaking of essays, I have also recently received my essays from last term, and am pleased to report that I am currently on 68%, which is close to the 70% that I need for a distinction (the highest grade at Master’s level) overall. The feedback I got on the essays has also been really helpful and allowed me to understand what else I will need to do to improve with my next few essays, which should hopefully mean that my grade goes up this time as well.

On the job front, I have also been using the fact that I have one less module this term to focus more on my job hunt, and I have so far identified several jobs that I am interested in and am set to apply for once I have a few details clarified. I have also used this time to improve my CV with the help of the careers team, which I am optimistic will help me significantly.

Finally, things are also going on very well with my flat as well. We are actually planning a trip to the Lake District soon, which is something that has been on my list of things to do since I have come to Lancaster but which I have never really gotten around to until recently.