Lancaster

What Makes Philosophy So Special?

/ Amy Hobbs

I would assume that if you’re reading this then you’re applying to Lancaster to study Philosophy, or are at least interested in it? But what is it about the course, specifically at Lancaster, that makes people like it so much and want to stick with it? I even know some people who changed their major because they enjoyed doing Philosophy so much as a minor in their first year! Here are some factors that I feel make the course so wonderful and appealing. Of course, it may be a possibility that I am slightly biased…

The work itself; there really isn’t much else like it. Philosophy is analytical and rigorous, and although it can be very challenging at times, there will always be something that you can take out of a lecture or seminar that resonates with you. I think it is quite rare to be able to say that you relate to a university course on a personal level; especially when talking about your own morals, values and beliefs. I think that the constant possibility of showing up to a Philosophy lecture and leaving with a completely different perspective on an issue that you already thought you had set opinions in is intriguing and exciting. It’s definitely one of the factors that keeps me engaged and wanting to learn more.

The fact that Philosophy allows for your own values and opinions to shine through in your work (to an extent, of course) is something else about the course that I think students really appreciate. Of course you have to learn the theory and the technicalities that come with it, but essay questions always allow for a degree of your own interpretation. The important part is being able to be analytical and think critically of the arguments that you are writing about. Your own interpretation can always play a role in the essays as long as you do this, and support your assertions with academic sources!

The development of yourself and your knowledge. It is easy to feel disheartened sometimes when you are confronted with a reading or lecture that you don’t fully understand, but you have to remember not to panic. Philosophy seminars are incredibly enlightening, people make fantastic points all the time and the lecturers and tutors are very supportive. The more seminars you go to, the clearer the things that once puzzled you become. This only gets better with time. I can tell you from my own experience currently being a third year student, that Philosophy seminars only become more and more enjoyable.

This leads me on to another factor; the class sizes. When it comes to the amount of students on the course in general, Philosophy is usually one of the smaller courses. It depends on people’s learning styles; some people may like having busy lectures and larger seminars, but I really believe that smaller class sizes is what allows Philosophy students to really shine and flourish. Especially in the second and third years, I think my largest seminar group over the past two years has been around 13-14 people, my smallest was 6! For me, I really appreciate the small class sizes as I think it allows everybody to have a voice. Debate and reasoned argument are a central part of Philosophy and smaller seminar groups not only allow for everyone to be heard, but it also allows support from fellow classmates.

This takes me to the inspiration I had to make this particular post. During my seminars that I’ve been attending this week, there has been almost a shift in atmosphere amongst us students. Everyone has been chatting and laughing together, and just making being in to lectures and seminars an enjoyable experience in general. I feel like this really reflects a special type of comradery and sense of community that is present in Philosophy that I can’t imagine finding anywhere else. Everybody; students and lecturers alike, wants to see you succeed and develop within the discipline. It really is a fantastic feeling!

On another note, an update on me; the workload has really upped this week- lots of presentations and essays to prepare for! It’s all about time management, I have two essays to hand in by the beginning of the final week of term so I am spending week 6 (this week) and week 7 discussing the essay questions with my lecturers, doing all of the readings that I need to do and making thorough essay plans, that way I can spend weeks 8 and 9 working solidly on writing them. Weeks 9 and 10 for me will be used to discuss, read for, and plan my extended essays for my special subjects that are due for January.

Applying to graduate jobs is also a huge part of third year, particularly in first term. These past couple of weeks I have been applying to some of the schemes that I am most interested in. That means writing a lot of answers to competency questions, completing countless online assessments, and doing a lot of nervous waiting for updates on my application progress. I will be going down to London at the beginning of December to attend the assessment centre for one of the schemes I have applied for. I’m extremely nervous, but no matter the outcome I will have gained valuable experience and be able to develop my interview and assessment centre techniques. Despite the hectic and challenging nature of this week, I managed to take this weekend to go home and visit family and friends. It’s always such a lovely feeling after being away for 6 weeks! It was a great weekend of relaxation but now it’s back to work, wish me luck!

New Term, New Modules

/ Pietro

Hello!

Time to get you updated on my second term here at Lancaster. Other than working on my dissertation, this Lent term I’ll be taking three new modules: Logic and Language, Aesthetics, and History of Twentieth Century Philosophy.

The Logic and Language module explores some key techniques in logic which allow you to assess arguments and distinguish valid from invalid ones. I’m looking forward to approaching the material from this course because I think that being able to evaluate arguments is a skill everyone should aim at developing. Logic is generally associated with philosophy and mathematics, but in fact any academic discipline is one way or another engaged in the practice of making good arguments and providing reasons for or against certain claims. Outside of academia, too, people make arguments all the time: public debates, including political debates, are just one notable example.

The second module I mentioned is Aesthetics, which addresses questions to do with beauty, art, and their value and significance. I’m looking forward to learn more about this stuff as well, because I’ve always been interested in the way people disagree about matters of “taste”. Yesterday night, for example, I went to the cinema here at Lancaster with a couple of friends: when one of them told me he found the film brilliant, I couldn’t believe it. I had found it extremely dull and poor. Was one of us right in our different assessment of the film, or was it all just a matter of subjective opinion? In the next few weeks, I’ll grapple with questions of this kind and try to get an understanding of what aesthetic judgements might amount to.

The last module I’ll be taking is History of Twentieth Century Philosophy. I’ve picked this one because I hope it will give me a better idea of the context in which some philosophers I’ve already studied produced their work, and also an understanding of the origins of contemporary philosophy.

As you see there’s quite a lot of work ahead of me, but, after all, that’s the very last bit of my degree, so I’d better get the most out of it!

Starting essays already!?!?

/ Emily Siddall

Introducing me

I’m Emily, I’m 21 years old, and am currently a Masters student studying LLM International Law and International Relations. On this blog I’m going to give you a bit of an insight into what it is like to be a student in the PPR department, and what normal days/weeks look like as a student at Lancaster University. But first, I thought it would be wise to let you know a little bit about me. I studied my undergraduate degree in Politics and International Relations here at Lancaster, and have decided to stay here for my masters as I really enjoyed my time here and didn’t quite want to leave! I’ve played college netball for Bowland throughout at my time at uni, held numerous part time jobs, and also been lucky enough to have three internships during my time here at Lancaster so far. During my spare time, I enjoy going to the  pub with friends, often entailing a few pints and a game of pool, so, this year joining the college pool team was a must (mainly because it’s the perfect excuse for a pub trip).

But now onto the important stuff, a day in the life of a student…

This week I have to say is one of the quieter ones, focusing on starting planning for my essays. For my masters there are no exams, instead 3 x 5,000 word essays are the assignments for my first term. 5,000 sounds a lot right? Well, after a few years of studying your chosen subject, it becomes very easy to reach if not go over a word limit of 5,000, so don’t be put off by that. For my PPR modules, you get to choose my own questions to focus on, which is great as it gives you such flexibility to focus on areas that you have been interested in previously. I have always been interested in social media and its effects on politics, and the Iraq war and the motives behind it have long since been an intrigue of mine. So I have managed to worm these two subjects into each of my essays, the first essay being of the effects of social media on diplomatic practice, and the second being on whether realism can accurately explain the invasion of Iraq. Pretty cool eh? Well, the nerd in me sure thinks so.

Besides essay planning, of course there’s lectures and seminars I have to attend. My current timetable this term I must admit is very quiet, requiring lots of self-study, reading plenty of books and articles, and frequent study trips to the library or computer rooms on campus. Fun right?! Well, 7 hours of lectures/seminars a week isn’t actually all too bad, and I really like this method of study, as it allows me to work at my own pace and use the lectures to clarify my understanding of the weekly readings I have to do. What’s even better, is that I love my subject, so spending time studying for the most part is very rewarding.

Life at Lancaster however, isn’t all about studying, and luckily for Lancaster students there is plenty to do both on and off campus. This week, I have a netball match on Wednesday, a competitive pool game this evening, and plans to go on a night out at the weekend. In between this, I often find myself catching up with friends for coffee (or my preferred drink from costa, a hot chocolate) or watching an episode of two from a good TV show on Netflix to unwind after a long day of studying. Fitting in time to do the things you enjoy in between the time you spend studying is key for providing yourself with a break from your studies, as managing your time effectively is one of the biggest things you’ll learn at university, even though after three years I still haven’t yet mastered this skill!

I hope this provides you with some insight into my life at Lancaster, and please keep your eyes posted on this blog for more updates from myself and other students! If you have any comments or questions, feel free to comment on my post.

 

A Week Of Top Tips

/ Amy Hobbs

Over half way through first term already! Time is definitely not slowing down for anyone and essay deadlines are already looming.

An update on me for this week:

My two regular modules are progressing nicely; we are already onto our second thinker in Continental Philosophy- Foucault and his ideas on disciplinary and regulatory power, how they appear to organisations and institutions and how this affects who we are. Darwinism is also moving swiftly, we are now looking at Evolutionary Psychology – the theory that the traits we have as humans are products of evolution that can be traced back all the way to the Stone Age. We will also be looking at the moral controversies and scientific criticisms that this theory faces. The essay deadlines for these modules are slowly creeping up, so my essay plans are taking shape. It may seem very early for me to start planning two essays that are due five weeks from now, but it is definitely necessary (especially in philosophy)! Secondary readings are just as important as primary readings, not just for your grade, but for your understanding of the subject. There are so many great resources out there, and Lancaster is lucky to have so many of them on the library system. Talking to lecturers is also a must during essay time! It may seem daunting at first, but (in my experience) the philosophy lecturers are all friendly, encouraging and very helpful. In fact, they insist that you talk to them as much as you need! Speaking of which; I am also meeting with my dissertation supervisor next week to discuss my plan and how I can begin writing the actual thing! It’s all becoming very real.

Three Things I’ve Taken From This Week:

  • Make a schedule. This does depend on how you work in a lot of cases, but trust me, it’s very likely that you will need one! It’s always good to be able to see what you need to get done, right in front of you, instead of having it playing on your mind all week. I’m really appreciating the weekly schedules I’ve been making so far, and there’s no better feeling than being able to check something off your list- one step closer to free time!
  • Ask questions. This applies particularly to seminars. Lecturers- believe it or not- do notice who engages and who doesn’t, and making an effort to take part in discussions really helps with learning the material. Often, one comment can spark a conversation or debate that will be useful for understanding the material when it comes to essay writing and revision period. You can’t lose.
  • Don’t be afraid to be ‘wrong’. This is one that I am guilty of. There is nothing worse than having a gut feeling about an answer to a question, staying quiet out of self-doubt, then someone else saying the same thing and being right. Take the risk! Even if it turns out the answer wasn’t quite what the lecturer wanted, you won’t be ridiculed for it. Instead, they will offer you some constructive criticism and tell you how to get to the correct answer next time, so you won’t make the same mistake again in your essays where it counts.

I did my presentation of the primary reading in Popular Music and Philosophy this week and lived to tell the tale! I talked about ‘The Value Problem in Cultural Studies‘ by Simon Frith. I highly recommend it, it’s a really interesting read and has actually taught me how to argue more effectively when it comes to different stances on art! I feel that the presentation itself went really well, and it seemed to be well-received by everyone. Presentations at university level really aren’t as scary as you might think. One of the many plus sides of being at university is being around people that are passionate about the same things as you, so everyone is respectful and engaged in what you have to say. (It also helps that everyone is a bit older too!) My presentation in Feminist Philosophy is coming up next week on Luce Irigaray and the relationship between women and nature. These presentations really require you to read the texts in depth and think critically about them- what philosophy is all about! I’m definitely getting some great material out of them for my essays.

Three quick tips for presentations:

  1. Don’t include things that you don’t understand! It seems self explanatory, but you’d be surprised how many people include quotes and ideas that they think are useful but don’t understand- this makes them stumble over their words and get nervous. If you don’t understand something, go and learn about it from other sources, or pose it as a question! That way, you can get input from the lecturer and your course-mates, and spark a discussion at the same time.
  2. Prepare what you want to say. Whether this means writing out a script or simply having buzz-words, knowing what you want to get across is key. Preparing this way will help you articulate your points more effectively, be able to formulate relevant, cohesive arguments, and make it easier for everyone else to follow. Don’t ‘wing it’- it definitely takes the pressure off!
  3. Take it slow. This is a tip that I have had to remind myself again and again. If you’re a nervous talker like me, presentations become a race to get to the end, but because you’re going so fast, you hit bumps and end up stumbling along the way. If you find yourself rushing and tripping over your words, just take a breath and collect your thoughts, even shuffle through your notes if you need to. Nobody will be pressuring you to keep up your speed. The more you practice, the easier this will get and eventually you’ll find your stride.

On a less work-related note: alongside reading for my dissertation and presentation preparation, my housemates and I are planning on having a ‘pizza and movie night’ this weekend! It’s all about balance and allowing for taking some time for yourself. Appreciate the friends you make at university, you’re all going through similar situations and you’ll need each other so you can take your minds off work every once in a while. So, that should be a nice break from university work- even if it is just for an evening!

It’s (almost) Christmas!

/ Amy Hobbs

It’s finally here! The coveted end of term!

This has definitely been one of the most intense, hectic semesters I’ve ever had during my time here- but by far one of the most fulfilling!

On the 1st of December I went down to London to take part in an assessment centre for a graduate-job that I applied for. It was a nerve-wracking and emotionally draining day, but the whole experience was fantastic overall! Both the assessors and the other applicants were so friendly, and the activities that we had to do throughout the day (while challenging) were surprisingly enjoyable! I think the reason that I was a little nervous was because I was really passionate about getting a place on the programme. But that passion must have showed, because I got an offer!! The work didn’t stop there though; I’ve had to do a lot of subsequent work and assessments to secure my place. So, balancing all of that along with my uni essays has been challenging to say the least.

That didn’t stop the flow of university work though, so I’ve definitely had to prioritise and get myself organised over these past 10 weeks (my experiences and helpful advice can be found previous posts!). I had two essay deadlines for the end of this term, which I count myself lucky for, as some of my friends have had as many as four! Nevertheless, they have still been a lot of work.

For Continental Philosophy, I wrote about Friedrich Nietzsche’s Genealogy of Morals and his account of the origins of morality as we know it, suffering and blame, and the creation of guilt. I spent a lot of time reading the Genealogy and using other sources to try to formulate my own interpretation of Nietzsche’s work whilst remaining close to what he wanted to argue. It took a lot of work as anyone who has read Nietzsche will know some of his work can be a little ‘out there’ at times! Despite this, I still found him really engaging and, as exaggerated as some of his rhetoric can be, I found myself considering his account and seeing and making links between his history of morality and my own experience and thoughts on morality in modern day. This is one of my favourite things in philosophy; the fact that the material you study can end up in you really questioning your views about the world, and even end up changing them!

In Darwinism and Philosophy I chose to write about whether thinking about evolution can help us to understand human psychology. This is a big topic with some quite technical language so it required a lot of concentration on my part. However, this has been, by far, one of my favourite essays that I have had to write in the whole time I’ve been here! I find the theory around the topic fascinating! I would definitely recommend reading into the topic if you have a combined interest in philosophy and psychology. I focused on Evolutionary Psychology, sociobiology and the criticisms of each (one of which is called ‘The Flintstones Fallacy’- who said philosophy can’t be fun?!). I initially thought I was going to argue that thinking about evolution could further our understanding of human psychology, but after going through my sources critically, I ended up arguing the opposite stance! That’s something else I like about philosophy; you think you know what your opinions are on something and that you’ll stick by them, but reading such engaging literature and talking to people with all kinds of different opinions really influences you to be open to changing your mind. Of course, I’m in my third year so I’ve had the past two years to get used to the course, but no matter what year you are in, please try to stick with the course! I find it quite humorous actually, back in first year I was struggling to make the 1500 word count, but now in third year I’m going way over my 3000 word count and having to cut my essays down! My point is; the course may seem difficult at times, but there will come a point where everything falls into place, and there are always people you can talk to if you’re really struggling to get some support.

As for my social life; it has been quite lacking of late! I think that is understandable though. This weekend my housemates and I are making up for it my doing a ‘Secret Santa’, watching Christmas films together, and going for the traditional end-of-term-celebratory drinks in the pub! It’s going to be great to spend time with everyone without deadlines being on everyone’s mind!

The Christmas break is going to be different for me, as I have two 5000 word essay due in for the first day back in January. So, I’m actually remaining in Lancaster for an extra week after term officially ends to work on those. One is for Feminist Philosophy in which I will be discussing and evaluating Simone de Beauvoir’s account of women’s oppression. The second is in Popular Music and Philosophy: I want to write about value judgements and authenticity in music alongside how music forms our identity. I’m not too sure where I want to take my argument yet, so I’m going in for an essay consultation tomorrow! I also have to write an abstract for my dissertation in which I will be doing a critical reading of Thomas Kuhn’s; ‘The Structure of Scientific Revolutions’, drawing moral parallels to his arguments, and assessing what this means for moral progress.

Even though there is work to be done, I’m still going to make sure I have at least a small break and visit home and spend Christmas and New Years with my family and friends! It’s going to be great to get into the festive spirit, not think about uni for a few days, and eat lots of food and not have to buy it for myself for a little while. Sometimes you just need some good old home comforts!

 

The Importance of Balance

/ Amy Hobbs

Just over 2 weeks left of this term until we break for Christmas, the time has really flown by!

The workload is definitely in full force now, and it’s evident across the whole uni. The library is busy with people from 9am to 5pm,  study areas are always buzzing with students; all of us working to make our deadlines. I myself have 2 essays to hand in by the beginning of the final week of term and though that may not sound like much, there is still a lot of work that has to go into it.

In Continental Philosophy I am writing my essay on Nietzsche and his ideas about guilt- where it comes from, how our conscience is formed, and making a critique of this account. For Darwinism I am writing about Evolutionary Psychology and how the process of evolution can help us to understand human traits, characteristics and behaviour.

So much planning goes into Philosophy essays, especially at university level and it’s important to have a clear schedule of what you want to get done, and when you need to have it done for. It’s important to understand that everyone works in different ways, and what seems to work for others may not necessarily work for you- so it’s good to try to really understand how you work best and finesse your technique to make it the best that it can be. This is how I personally find to be the best way to work for myself:

  1. Choose my essay questions for each module. I find that doing this as soon as possible really helps. Sometimes that means choosing a question that appeals to me straight away, and other times this means waiting until I’ve had a few more lectures so I can make a more informed decision if I am not too sure. Having my essay questions picked out as early as I can allows me to start collecting my thoughts and making brief notes from the get-go.
  2. Draw up an initial plan and line of argument. I do this by going through lecture and seminar notes that I have taken, as well as re-reading the primary readings set by the lecturer. This way I can form a basic framework to base my essay on.
  3. Read, read, read. After putting together an initial framework, I can then read with direction- making sure that what I am reading is relevant and allowing me to read critically in accordance with my argument, instead of ‘reading into the blue’. Also, doing reading outside the primary reading list really demonstrates your knowledge and passion for the subject to your lecturer, and so makes you essay unique and different from everyone else’s!
  4. After reading for each of my essays and picking out quotes and ideas and making notes on them, I then create a more formal plan. This is where I will detail the structure I want my essay to follow by using subheadings, and write under each one what I will include in the section, in the order I want it to appear in the final draft.
  5. The most important step: I talk to my lecturers. I take my plan with me as a guide to follow for points of discussion and ask about the structure of my essay, and if I am generally going in the right direction to answer the question. Obviously there is only so much that the lecturers can say when helping you, but I always come away from talking to them with new ideas for my essay that I may have missed or not thought of initially. I then add these into my formal plan.

I then sit down to write my final drafts. Typically I do the 5 steps above in weeks 6 and 7 of the term, which leaves me with 2 weeks to write the final versions with everything ready and on-hand. (However, this can change based on how many essays I have to hand in at a given time).

This can seem like an extremely daunting task and this is where the importance of balance comes in. I’m human, I need time to take a break and not think about writing essays for a little while, so I make sure to follow a set schedule throughout the week. During the 2 weeks that I am writing the final drafts of my essays I usually head to campus at 9am, no matter what my timetable is and I work on my essays at the times of the day that I have no scheduled classes.

Of course, I take breaks- grab some food, perhaps meet up with a friend for half an hour, take a short walk etc. but I remain on campus until 6pm. This may seem like an unbearably long day, but there are more hours in the day than you sometimes realise! When I arrive home after 6pm, I know that I have done enough work on my essay for that day and so I can allow myself to do my readings for my seminars, or simply switch off, relax and not think about uni-related work for the evening. I also find that if I put the most effort I can into writing my essays during the week, that I am able to take Saturday evenings and Sunday off completely!

This is why it is important to have a schedule and remain balanced. University wouldn’t be an enjoyable experience if you were working at full speed 24/7. Just this weekend I was able to take Sunday off and spend time with my family at a ‘Winter Wonderland’ park. I was able to see my younger sister and we had all sorts of Christmas-themed fun like: ice skating, a woodland walk, and enjoying an awesome hot chocolate! Everyone needs time to switch off and almost have a ‘reset’, that way you can return to work-mode and get things done more efficiently and effectively when you need to!

About Me

/ Amy Hobbs

My name is Amy and I’m a third year Philosophy (BA hons) student here at Lancaster. Hopefully these blog posts will allow you to get a feel of what life is like for typical student at the university. I will be keeping you up to date with how my course is progressing this year and with what I’ve generally been getting up to as a student.

It may only be week 4 of this term, but the work is already on a steady increase. That’s what comes with attending a ‘Top 10’ university I suppose! As I am a Single Honours student, my days are filled with philosophy modules. This term I am taking; Continental Philosophy, Darwinism and Philosophy, Philosophy and Popular Music, and Feminist Philosophy. Two of these are standard modules and two are special subjects; which I’ll explain later!

Right now in Continental Philosophy we are studying Nietzsche and his ideas about morality; where it came from and why what is ‘moral’ changes so much, the use of punishment, and the emergence of guilt and the conscience. His work is very different to the usual analytical-style readings that I have gotten used to over the past couple of years, and while it can be difficult to understand at times, I’m enjoying the challenge and it is quite a refreshing change. His work is going to be the subject of my essay at the end of this term.

As for Darwinism, we are currently understanding the theory of evolution and looking at some key thinkers surrounding the topic. For example; Dawkins and the ‘Selfish Gene’. Along with genetics we are questioning how important environmental factors are in evolution, as well as questioning whether the claim that the traits that we possess now ‘must be a product of evolution’, and so ‘must have a meaning for being there’. Right now we are just laying the groundwork for further philosophical discussion in the coming weeks- more of that to follow!

As for the special subjects, these are basically 2 hour seminars, once a week, and they are student-led. This means that, while there is a lecturer present to help and guide the discussion, it is basically down to us to start up conversation and encourage debate. Generally, the way this is done is by allocating each student (or group of students) one of the weekly readings of their choice. Then we have to create our own presentation and a handout of what we have read in which we; summarise and explain the reading, extract the key features of the arguments from the author, and identify questions that will lead to further discussion among the group. Don’t worry though, these are not assessed- but they really help with communication skills, and we can use the material that we come up with in our essays due next term, which is great!

Philosophy and Popular Music is the first of the  special subjects that I am taking, and by far the most different module to everything that I have studied during my time here. As of now, we are looking at the evaluation and aesthetic values of popular music with questions such as; ‘Is popular music standardised?’ ‘What implications does standardisation have on the value of popular music?’ In my second special subject; Feminist Philosophy, we are currently focusing on the work of Beauvoir in relation to the origins and solution to the oppression of women. For example; the idea that women are The Other, and the influence of biology in gender politics. Each of these have a 5000 word essay due for the first day back after Christmas.

Alongside all of this, I have been working on readings in preparation for my dissertation, but I have also managed to keep up with activities outside of studying. This past weekend I attended a 4 hour self-defence class with Just Play- a group that organises sporting events and taster sessions for anyone with (usually) any ability! It was a great session that I got to experience with one of my close friends, the session leaders were really supportive, and we both actually learned a lot! It was also Halloween this past weekend, so the community spirit within the university was at an all time high- definitely one of the most fun holidays to celebrate here in Lancaster!

New Ways of Thinking

/ Harriotte Preston

When I decided to take my place at Lancaster University it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I know many people find it hard to decide what to major in and take as your degree, because it is a decision that will impact on your life.  However, I soon realized that I wanted to take Design; as I wanted to work in a creative industry.  I wanted the commercial side of it, where I could explore areas of product design, graphic design, advertising and many more areas that I had not even thought of yet.  This was important to me, I wanted to be challenged, and pushed into directions I did not even know existed. Fortunately, in my first week at Lancaster this soon became very apparent that I had made the right decision.

New ways of thinking

‘Good and Bad Ideas’ was the title of a Design workshop, it was one of the first that we had. The idea behind it was to make you look at Idea Generation in a new light.

This was fascinating, as most people take coming up with ideas for granted, thinking it’s easy and sticking to their methods of generation. However, we explore new techniques which takes you beyond the initial thought. One of the most creative yet challenging tasks was coming up with the worst ideas you could think of. It’s important to look at bad ideas, as identifying problems is as important as solving them.

We worked in groups of five in the workshop, so ideas were being generated fast. It was fun!  The things people think of when doing the opposite to normal is amazing, gone are the restrictions that you imply when using other techniques, as feasibility and such go out of the window.

Why did we do this?

You may be thinking what is the point of this?  Well really it’s to turn the worst idea that was thought of into the best idea. Ambitious, yes, and we were all a little perplexed at how this happened and how in the world we were meant to do this, but bit by bit you strip the idea down to reach the fundamentals. Surprisingly, it quickly becomes an amazing idea that you would not have considered before. It was also amazing to see how everyone in the group was completely involved.

Creativity existed in abundance, something that was so inspiring to be around. Now I am not saying it was easy because it was not. But it gives you a feel of what working to a deadline and client brief feels like, in a group of people that don’t know each other, then having to create a well thought out idea. I came out of this workshop happy knowing that I made the right choice and that I was so excited to start on the next tasks. But not only that, before this, I would never have looked at a brief that asked for the best idea and approached it by starting with the worst. It gave me a new mindset of sorts, freeing me from the restrictions on my creativity that I had previously placed there.

Societies: By Becky and Katie

/ Katie Work

Hello!

This week, we thought we’d talk about all the amazing societies you can take part in while at university. It’s only at uni that you’ll have the opportunity to try out almost any sport/hobby you can think of, so if there’s anything you fancy having a go at, now is the time.

It might be the case that you already have something you’re interested in (perhaps you’re on your sixth form’s hockey team) and you would like to pursue it in uni. Joining the society means that you’ll instantly gain friends with the same interests as you. It may be that ages ago you tried something out as a one off and you enjoyed it and would like to give it a go again. Or, of course, you may have never tried something out and you just fancied it. The great thing about societies is that you can pretty much turn up with no experience. Never be put off joining something because you feel that everyone else will be some kind of expert- we guarantee,  anything that’s even remotely unusual (i.e. not football/netball) , most people will join as complete beginners.

During Freshers’ week, you’ll have the chance to go to the Freshers’ fair, in which all the societies and extra curricular activities have stands set up and you can walk through, see what sparks your interest, and talk to existing members of the club to see if it’s something you’d be interested in. Our advice here is: sign up to anything and everything! There is no harm in putting your name down so they can email you to let you know when the first session/meeting is. That way, you can go away and think about the societies you want to dedicate your time to.

Some examples of the kind of things you can get involved in is: pretty much any sport you can think of, a range of martial arts clubs, charities, performance based societies, subject based societies, debating, even board gaming, the list goes on and on. Lancaster’s collegiate system also means that there are numerous teams for certain sports. For each of the 9 colleges, there are several football and netball teams, as well as a bar sports team. These teams then compete between colleges which means that there is a healthy rivalry, which is always fun, and great for college pride.

Another great opportunity that you can get involved with in societies is becoming part of the exec. If you find that you really enjoy being involved in your society, you may want to have some responsibility. There are a number of roles on the exec, and these can vary depending on your society. For example, sports may need equipment/safety roles. Not only is this a great way to really engage with your society, but it also boosts the CV, and if you can do this by doing something you enjoy, it’s surely worth it!

Something else that is very important to societies, as most will tell you, are the socials. This is usually when you really get to know your fellow members, and will help you to become good friends with them. Socials can involve bar crawls and nights out in clubs, as well as pizza nights in, fancy Christmas meals and film marathons. Be sure to get involved with socials, even if you’re a bit nervous about not knowing anyone there, all the freshers will be the same and existing members will be aware of this and do everything they can to get you to know one another.

University is the only time you can try out such a range of different activities, so give it a go! You never know what hidden talent you could uncover!

Becky and Katie x

Lancaster’s Nightlife: Becky and Katie

/ Katie Work

Hello!

Since over the past few weeks, we’ve been talking a lot about the academic side of uni, we thought that this week, we’d discuss a more light-hearted topic and talk about Lancaster’s nightlife! Lancaster doesn’t have the best reputation for a good night out. For both of us, when we first said we were going to Lancaster, people’s responses were “the nightlife is going to be rubbish!” However, this isn’t really the case.

In freshers’ week going out is a big thing (although, if you are not a big drinker or don’t really like going out, there is still stuff to do!). Firstly, there are nine bars on campus (one in each college) most of which also have pool tables etc and are a good place to hang out. This means that for a good night, out you don’t even have to venture off campus into town – we both have had some good nights staying on campus!

If you do decide to go out, pre-drinks will probably be the biggest event – flats come together and it becomes a big mixture of people who you live with, friends of friends and also people from your course. Guarantee you will play some games which always end up being funny and a great way of getting conversations going and meeting people. In first year you will have freshers reps (second or third year students) who look after your flat on nights out. They will all be really lovely and will look out for you / stick with you when you go out.

The most popular place to go in Lancaster as a student is Sugarhouse – the club run by the student union. You can’t really describe a night out in sugar until you go but; cheesy music, cheap drinks and loads of people are a guaranteed. There are Sugarbuses that run from campus to the club and also back home, so you never need to worry about getting there or back or paying for taxis because these busses are free and reliable.

There are other clubs too, such as Hustle (lovably horrendous), Dalton rooms and a number of bars ranging from Spoons (cheap for a pre-drink) or Study Rooms (bit more sophisticated with really good cocktails). As a student town new bars and clubs are always opening up. Lancaster is tiny and it can’t be compared to anywhere such as London or Manchester for a night out, BUT, as long as you go out with the right people you will have a good time.

We know that this probably sounds a bit daunting and that you will get lost / not have a good time but we guarantee, once you know your way around and where you like to go, you will have a really good time. Your student reps will help you by showing you around the campus bars and clubs and pubs in town, for example, in the form of a bar crawl! It’s also cheap which is obviously no bad thing. (If you’re from down south guarantee you will never have had such a cheap night out before!)

One thing that we found different about uni is how often you can go out in the week, rather than just the weekend. Who knew it was okay to go out on a school night?! The biggest night out of the week is normally Sugarhouse on Wednesdays; this inevitably means that it becomes socially acceptable to turn up to your Thursday 9am hungover, possibly looking and feeling a little worse-for-wear. Thankfully, many of the bars on campus serve some good hangover food. Fylde bar is a personal favourite of ours for its chip butties and a brew.

If you do fancy a change of scene and perhaps a bigger city for a day out/night out, Manchester is hour’s train ride away, and Leeds isn’t too far either. This means that even though you may be going to a campus university, this does not mean you don’t have access to cities and the outside world.

Basically, ignore the rumours that Lancaster has no nightlife and rest assured that you will have a good time. Ask most people, some of the funniest stories you’ll have from uni are from nights out, either at pre-drinks or that one drink that turned into twenty.

Becky and Katie x