Only one week to go! This term feels like it’s been going on forever, but when I get a grasp of time I have to realise that it’s only been ten weeks! However, next week is the last leg, a chance to tie up all the loose ends and get ready for Christmas! This week, though, has been a little strange – there have been lots of Christmassy goings on, and I have still had quite a bit to do but it’s been a relatively quiet week.
I have written a ridiculous amount of to-do lists over the past 7 days – “TO DO: reading, buy secret Santa gift, buy this, buy that, read this book, review this text, check these books from the library, go and speak to tutor, washing, ironing, meeting at this time, choir rehearsal…’ you get the gist! There have been so many little tasks that I’ve had to do over the last seven days and sometimes it’s been so hard to keep on top of things! But, you guys aren’t really interested in that – I just thought it would be worth mentioning this to show that while the week has been relatively quiet for me, in terms of deadlines, I have still had a constant stream of things on the agenda- but then who doesn’t here at uni, or in the run-up to Christmas?!
I’d really like to shed light on one of these items though – I attended a meeting with the Department of Education regarding the RS A-level reform to be instigated in the next couple of years. When offered the opportunity to go along I couldn’t get my name down fast enough! The shaping of the curriculum is something I feel very strongly about, due to the fact that, as an A-level student, it was the content and structure of my course that helped me decide what I was really interested in and what I would like to read here at Lancaster. If there are any current A-level students reading, or even GCSE, I hope you’ll sympathise with this: the way that the course is shaped, its content and the means that your teacher uses to convey the specification is something that really, really matters. I was surprised to learn that consultations like this are discussed in universities, and more so that they involve the students – but in retrospect, I guess it’s vital to get to know how recent students have received the course up to now. The meeting was so interesting, (excuse me for rambling!) and I couldn’t get over the diverse views people held on how the A-level should be structured. Should it be taught using only the 6 major religions? Should we discuss more than 1 faith? Where should science take a place? Why are ethics being taught in a philosophical sense, as opposed to a religious one? So many questions were raised and it really provoked me to consider that these tiny details could be the difference between somebody enrolling on a course and really enjoying it, or failing to meet their expectations of the specification. I thought that this was something worth discussing here on this blog, as I wanted to show you that there are so many chances here for you to get involved in these innovative discussion that have the potential to be really influential in the long run!
Sorry, I will stop my rambling about the serious stuff now and get back to the smiley issue of CHRISTMAS! I am so, so excited! There was a Christmas market in the square this Friday and it was so wonderful! So many people were out and it was a really lovely way to get everybody into the festive mood. I was really excited to see the variety of stalls they had too, including an entire stall dedicated to Christmas jumpers, a cupcake stall and vintage clothing! I actually bought a shawl for the County Winter Ball that’s coming up next week, and I was so pleased to find exactly what I needed! Markets really are goldmines! The smell of mulled-wine and hot chocolate filled the air and a little frost had dusted the square, so it felt extra Christmassy – plus there were loads of Christmas songs and a giant reindeer and inflatable snowman!
It’s clear that a lot of my flat mates are really looking forward to going home next week! While we have our Christmas agenda here, of roast dinner, Secret Santa and, of course, our ball (eek!) people are preparing to go home and enjoy their Christmas break! Having Skyped my grandparents this week, counted the sleeps with my mum and dad and sorted my hours out for work when I’m home I must say that I’m looking forward to going back too! I can’t wait to see my friends either, even though my flatmates and I have already been discussing FaceTime arrangements for the holidays!
As the end of term draws nearer and nearer and the doors on the advent calendar are opened it’s so great to see everyone embracing the Christmas cheer! Deadlines and exams seem a world away at the moment, although I am looking forward to tackling some essay plans this week at my own pace and dressed in my Christmas slippers and jumper!
Have a lovely week, everyone! Thank you for reading!
History Hugs,
Eleanor :0)