Without a doubt, the first couple of paragraphs for this week’s post must be given over to talking about the charity showcase I was involved in on Friday evening. Each year the Lancaster Ballroom Dance Society, in collaboration with LUDANS (the main dance society) and factions of ULMS (our music society) including Big Band, Big Orchestra and Choir, put on a showcase for charity. This year funds raised went towards Cancer Research, which I’m sure is an important charity for many involved. If somebody asked me to describe Friday in one word it would be awesome. Now, I don’t mean that in the conventional sense – amazing, brilliant, wonderful (even though it was all of those things too), but I mean it really was awe worthy. The amount of talent that took to that floor and to that stage was incredible. I’m so pleased and very privileged to have been a part of it. The fact that the entire thing, from the choreography, musical arrangements and conducting all the way down to the filming, sound, tech and lighting, is student led is absolutely wonderful!

They decided to do a Strictly Come Dancing take on the event this year and it was so good! It seemed that one member of the ballroom society was paired up with another student and collaborated a routine! It was so, so, so good! The winners performed a rumba and it was stunning – they had some really beautiful lifts in there, which for somebody who potentially hadn’t danced before was so impressive! There were musical interludes too, and it reminded me how much I enjoy watching live music! The Big Band were insanely good, plus they played a couple of Disney pieces: always a winner with me! In the second half we did a compilation of songs from Wicked, which was the little section I was involved in! Singing is something that really makes me smile and just being involved made me so happy; I really hope there are more concerts like that one! Working alongside these students makes me feel like I’m part of a bigger community and people really get along well too. Watching the last waltz from the balcony in the Great Hall, as the audience joined in on the floor and the music from Big Orchestra seemed to fill up the room, I just had this smiley feeling…it was just wonderful…*sigh*

Friday evening was a great way to round off a rather hectic working week! Three essays takes a lot of research, guys! However, going to speak to my seminar tutor for history put my mind at rest somewhat (okay, so I’m still panicking a little bit, but at least I know I’m panicking along the right track…). If I can offer potential students a tip, it is definitely worth going to ask questions and to talk things over – if it’s to yourself or with a tutor. I had quite a lot of thoughts whirring around in my brain and I just needed to focus them a little bit! Now armed with a focussed plan (hopefully…), copious amounts of tea and a packet of ginger nuts this weekend and next week will bring hours of essay writing. Three, two, one…GO! In a fortnight’s time, when they’re all handed in (eek!) I will probably be one of the most elated people on the planet!

After rigorous planning and navigating the online article store and library it was time for a little break, I thought. Friday afternoon here in Lancaster was beautiful, my dad would probably describe it as ‘crisp’ I decided, just for half an hour, that I would sit outside in Alexandra Square and enjoy the sunshine.  (I actually planned this week’s blog whilst I was sitting there, but it was a change from the library, my bedroom or the study zone, as lovely as those places can be for working). I swear a little bit of sunshine can make me feel so much better!

Aside from essays, (aargh!) we have been asked to choose our options for the next history module this week. There were some really interesting topics to choose from, including Satanic Witchcraft in Lancashire, (so the Pendle Witch Trials, cool huh?), the Partition of India and The Myth of the American West. I was a little bit torn, if I’m honest. Each seemed interesting and there were options there that I’d never looked at before. However, I didn’t want to go into it with my eyes closed, if that makes sense. It’s all very well reading a brief, but I wanted to make sure that I was going to enjoy the module. One of the beauties of uni is tailoring your own course and I don’t want this to be a wrong fit (do you see what I did there?!). After seeking a little bit of guidance I think I’ve chosen my top three! Fingers crossed I’ll be studying The Myth of the American West later on this term.

Right, let’s make some headway with these essays! Notes ready, laptop on, kettle boiled, biscuits open – FOCUS!

Thank you for reading – have a lovely week!

History Hugs,

Eleanor :0)

The title for this week’s post is inspired by a very popular student saying! There are so many things that I’ve come to appreciate more since we’ve been here, and as sad as it sounds it can quite often make my day. This week, weirdly, there have been several occasions where these moments have really made me smile. I thought it’d be something worth blogging about because in everyday life quirks of being a student may be a little trivial, but honestly it’s the little things like this that really count!

So, here we go! You know you’re a student when:

• You get way too excited about free laundry!
• I have never, in my entire life, been so excited to do my washing! We found on Friday evening that the washing machines in County laundrette weren’t working properly – meaning that they weren’t charging! My friend and I were just sitting down to watch a film when our flatmate came in yelling about free washing; I don’t think I’ve seen people run so fast to collect their laundry baskets. Admittedly, it was nearing 11 o’clock on a Friday evening, so we needn’t have rushed – most people were getting ready to go out on the town! Not us, though! House 105 turned into what looked like Widow Twankey’s laundrette! It was just so great (reading this back for editing, I can’t help thinking that I need to get some new hobbies…) but it was crazy that it was all free – what a bargain! I saved just over £10, which means more money for cake ingredients!
• You get lost in the library
• This week I spent around an hour looking for a book in the library. AN HOUR! I really do not know how I managed to do that! I’m currently researching for a history essay on Modern France and when I popped to the library I expected the books I’d researched to be in the History section, but I realised they were actually in the section for modern art and engineering. It did mean that I was able to go into the bit of the library that reminds me of Harry Potter because it’s underground and the bookshelves are like vaults; we have to turn a wheel to open them and the shelves move – just like magic (well, maybe not magic – but in my own little world it’s pretty cool). But, I found myself feeling very, very lost! I could only keep pacing up and down, up and down but with no such luck! When I returned the next day though for another go – there it was, right there…in the modern languages section. (Note to self: learn to differentiate between +V and V) While I did laugh at myself I couldn’t help but feel a bit stupid. I told my flatmate and she said that she’d done the same thing. So, getting lost is perhaps commonplace for students!

• You attend a careers meeting and find out about jobs you didn’t even know existed
• You may remember last week, that I said I was to attend a careers in museums meeting. Well, I did and it was fantastic! We had a PHD candidate from the History Department come and give a chat to a few of us and I never realised the variety of positions within the museum sector. There are curators, specialists, documenters, roles is display and interpretation, publicity, education co-ordinators – even careers in artefact conservation and archive work! I really had no idea how broad the options were. I realised as the talk went on that opportunities like this are invaluable. We have somebody with genuine experience and interest in the subject giving us advice on the next steps. I really enjoyed hearing about some of her experiences and what a variety of these roles will entail. We were even given some tips on routes into these positions and how to make headway from now on in. It seems really scary to be thinking about careers at the moment, because it feels like I’ve only just arrived at uni. However, it’s best to start getting some ideas together, I think – I wouldn’t have even considered display and interpretation had it not been for this meeting. Sometimes it’s worth going – there were some real gems of information there!
• You are insanely happy to hear the Skype ringtone  (Okay, so this may not be one that only applies to students, but this is definitely worth mentioning) This week I had a call from my friend who is working as a dancer on a cruise ship, travelling around the South American coastline and all the way down to Antarctica. (Amazing!) I was just sitting at my desk doing some notes for philosophy and my laptop began to sing the ringtone – I had to do a double take! It was so, so, so lovely to speak to him and hear what he’s been up to! It was so weird to see him sitting in a bar in Argentina in the sun and to look out the window in my room at uni and see it snowing, but I had such a fab chat! I’ve known him for a long, long time and it just seems so strange that I’m at uni and he’s off travelling the world. It was the cutest and I’m really looking forward to hearing more of his stories! I’m not sure if it’s because I’m away from home, or because I’m actually at uni, or even if it’s because I haven’t spoken to him in so long, but hearing from old friends (even if it’s just a text from my bestie living at home) is just the best thing ever. I’m sure it’s not just a student thing, but a phone call in the middle of some critical thinking formula can just make your day so much better.

So, there you have it! 4 things that are sure indicators of student-y-ness! To some,these may only be small things, but the small things sure make the biggest difference!.

I’m tackling three essay plans next week, so I’ll let you know how I get on with those in the next post!

hope you’ve had a lovely week! Thank you for reading.

History Hugs,Eleanor :0)

Before I begin this week’s post, I’d like to say ‘Good Luck!’ to all 2015 Lancaster applicants! I hear that your deadline was the 15^th, so I wish you all the very best with your applications – hopefully we’ll see you here in September!

Well, what quiet week it’s been up here in Lancaster!

There are times at uni when things are just very quiet and quite relaxing too. Even looking out onto Lancaster Square it’s very subdued and tranquil, often I can hear a game of Frisbee or people chatting, but all I hear is my radio and the wind (which is quite nice, actually). There’s still much work to be doing beyond scheduled classes, of course, and there are still society meetings, but this week has just been very calm. It may have something to do with how chilly it is up here – perhaps everyone is just hiding away next to their heaters, wearing fluffy socks and slurping a hot chocolate.

It doesn’t feel like I’ve been overly busy this week, although I’ve had a fair bit of reading to do and I have been doing a little bit of research for the Lancaster Award too. I’ve been looking at some careers workshops and I can’t get over how many skills potential employers are looking for – it’s scary! However, I’m sure the award will offer me the chance to explore them a little further. I was able to sign up for a workshop about CV writing and opportunities for teacher training, as well as one with a head buyer from Waterstone’s to have a chat about what it’s like to start working in publishing and another about how to get involved in museum and archive work. There are so many talks and they’re so diverse, offering me plenty of opportunity to expand my career aspirations. So I’m looking forward to those! But, the future is yet to come and while it’s good to be prepared, we’ll live in the moment for now; this is uni after all!

And being at uni means working hard, but taking some time to socialise when there’s some free time. I’ve had some lovely outings with my friends this week! I went to see Into the Woods on Wednesday and it was AMAZING! I had such a good night and I was pleased to share it with my friends – we’ve been looking at the soundtrack ever since! Friday saw a trip to the Chinese restaurant in town, which we have lovingly re-named ‘dip dip’, and again I had a wonderful evening – there was so much food; we ate like queens! While going out to the clubs is really fun (Saturday night was hilarious!) I love just spending a relaxing evening with lovely company having a chat (or a sing-a-long)! We were hoping to go for a country walk on Sunday too, but it was just so grey and so cold! I doubt the lovely scenery around Lancaster would have been visible through the rain! Maybe next week it’ll be time to dust off the walking boots!

Alongside outings with my flatmates I’ve had a really great time at my society meetings this week! With a new term comes new projects! At choir we’re looking at some new, more modern, material, including a medley from the musical Wicked (one of my absolute faves!) ready for a charity showcase in February. It seems everyone’s looking forward to that and it’s something different than before! We’re also looking at Royals by Lorde, but a choir version, and it sounds so, so, so good! (If I do say so myself) I can’t wait to perform it – it gives us a bit more freedom than some of the classical pieces we’ve done before!

We’re really making headway with our house now too! We’re looking at leases and tenancy agreements at the moment, which makes me feel rather grown up – but I’m just excited to make cake in the new kitchen and to make my room all pretty when we move in in September. Legality is one thing, but cake is something way more important! We’ve been talking about having a house meal every couple of weeks and a monthly movie night in on a Friday too, and it’s all so exciting! Eek!

It’s been nice to have a relatively quiet week this week, I’ve had some time to go out and enjoy some social time after the Christmas. However, next week I think I’ll hit the books in the library and get ahead with some essay planning (very exciting, I know!)! I’ve some of those career meetings next week too, which should be cool – so I’ll let you know how I get on there! I should be a connoisseur of CVs and an expert in interview technique in no time…hopefully!

Thank you for reading, guys! Hopefully I’ll have something a little more exciting to report next week!
Have a lovely week!

History Hugs,

Eleanor :0)

Happy New Year everyone! (I’m not too sure if it’s a little late to be saying that, but seeing as this is the first post of the year it seemed an apt salutation!) I hope you all had a lovely Christmas, full of smiles and other wonderful things! I trust you’re all refreshed, relaxed and ready to take on 2015!

It was absolutely fab to have a break, even though I enjoyed my first term so much! I don’t think I’ve slept so much in my entire life – I mean if I wasn’t at work or the library, with my friends and family or eating I’m pretty certain I was asleep! It was like I turned into a little hedgehog! I’ve been told, though, that this was a pretty normal habit – most of my housemates seemed to do the same! Being home was really odd to begin with, but as soon as I went back to my job in the shop it was like I’d never been away! As sad as this sounds (and please feel free to guffaw and giggle) I love my job and it was so fun to be back, everybody is so lovely and there was a constant supply of cake (yay!). The Christmassy vibe in retail is something to behold, I’ve never seen so many smiley people, stressed people or novelty Christmas jumpers in my life and it was amazing! I also had a really relaxed time with my family and friends. After being here for 11 weeks it was just the best thing ever to have a cuddle from my grandparents and my best friend and spend some quality time with my mum and dad. I’m sure for any potential students reading this you’ll know the feeling too when you get to uni!

But, we’re back! It’s been such a busy week! Even though it’s first week things are full steam ahead! I have vowed this year to be a little more structured with my routine and I’ll be honest with you… as hard as I’ve tried this week it’s been tricky to stick to a regime. It’s been a case of getting settled back in to the uni lifestyle and trying to hear everyone’s Christmas and New Year stories whilst trying to get my head around new course material, which I’ll come to in the next paragraph! So, we’ll begin the routine in the upcoming weeks…hopefully! No, seriously, I’m sure it’d be good to be a little more structured, I’ve been told by so many people, so I should probably take their advice!

So! New Year, new course material, new challenges! We’ve moved on to the Modern period in history this week and I have been looking forward to this since I applied to Lancaster! The fact that these somewhat recent (depending on what your conception of ‘recent’ is) events have made such a valuable contribution to the shaping of today’s society is something really important to me. I love to see how the development of societal systems has impacted today’s class structures and the way that revolution has broken and re-built a nation and its civilisation and how this is a part of history’s advancement……. Having read that back for editing, I do apologise; I’m digressing with my little ponderings! Anyway, the upcoming material for history this term looks great! I was becoming quite fond of some earlier periods, having branched out into the Medieval and Early Modern eras last term, especially looking at how religion played its part in history, but I cannot wait to get into the depths of this historical period! (Okay, I will stop rambling now. Promise!)

EPR and Philosophy both have some thought-provoking content this term too! We’re looking at critical thinking in philosophy and it is proving a challenge, especially as I’m still adjusting from Christmas mode! We’re given exercises to do in our seminars and it is the weirdest thing to see how other people’s logic works in comparison to my own: we can be given the same question and come up with totally different answers. I look forward to a good brain workout this term! We’re covering science and religion in EPR for first few weeks of term and it’s something that I’ve never looked at in detail before. So with a little more knowledge, I look forward to participating in those debates!

Aside from the goings on in my course we’ve had quite a bit going on in the Land of House 105! My flatmates and I have had a lovely week of catching up and hearing each other’s stories from the holiday. We’re planning some outings for this term already! We’re hoping to go and see Into the Woods and go for Chinese food afterwards next week! Perhaps the biggest event for me in the house this week, though, has to be the fact that my friends and I now have a lovely little flat for next year! I felt so grown up contacting the landlord (who, I must add, is really sweet!) and saying that we’d like to take the flat. I’m sure, for those of you reading planning on uni, you will get the same enjoyment of going to viewing after viewing and finally finding ‘the one’! I’m so, so excited, partly because it has a gorgeous little kitchen with big windows and a nice high ceiling (You must think I’m very strange!) but it’s right in the centre of town and is just so cute! There’s only one word to sum up my happiness: YAY!

So, that’s Week 1 of Lent Term! I still can’t believe, even though I’m sitting in my room in halls with my radio on, surrounded by files and looking out on to the campus, that I’ve done a whole term at uni and I’m now taking on another 10 weeks of lectures, seminars and new memories. It’s going so quickly but, as I said in my very first post, uni is an open book and I can’t wait to fill its metaphorical pages with more essays, lecture notes and memories! Lent Term here we come!

Thank you for reading, guys! I hope you have a lovely week!

History Hugs,

Eleanor :0)

So, this is it! The end of Michaelmas Term – wow! It’s been an eventful 10 weeks: 4 essay deadlines, 3 new courses, 2 (maybe more) sleepless nights and countless memories with new friends! This term has been one of the biggest challenges I’ve ever taken on; it’s been like climbing a mountain – the slog was hard, but worth every moment because the view of what uni has to offer is pretty amazing from where I’m standing.

 Our house has had such a beautiful Christmassy week! On Tuesday we had our Winter Ball for our college and it was honestly, as tacky as this sounds, magical! Amazingly, our college hired a couple of giant tipis for the venue this year, adorned with fairy lights, faux furs and Christmassy candles! Even though it was absolutely freezing and miserable outside, (I’m talking hail) it was so cosy because it was fitted with heaters; it was so funny to see people gathered next to the hot air! It was a really great opportunity to get glammed up – there was so much sparkle and loads of beautiful shoes! I think our house had a lovely time; a few of my flatmates have still had coursework and exams this week, but the ball was a good way to unwind for the evening and take in a little bit of the atmosphere. We were served a three course meal (fancy, I know!) and then we were treated with live music and some dancing. Our house actually met up with our Freshers Reps whilst we were there too, so we had chance to chat to them about how term was going and what we’ve all been up to – they were so lovely and were really interested in what we’d been up to. I had such a beautiful evening and it really put me in the Christmas mood. Going to my Winter Ball is something I’ll only get to experience a few times, so I’ve got my name down for next year’s occasion too!

 As soon as the ball was over, I could tell that everybody was feeling a little more Christmassy! We’ve put some decorations up in our social area and everybody seems so excited at the prospect of going home – myself included! I’ve been texting my friends and my mum and dad counting the sleeps until I can see them! I’ve also been texting everybody to arrange plans; we even have a reunion at school, so I’ll get to see everyone from sixth form! YAY! As the Christmas vibe grew and grew, we were all getting ready for our Secret Santa ceremony on Thursday evening!

Speaking of which, Thursday was a hectic day! If you remember, last week I was telling you about all my to-do lists? I had a ridiculously lengthy one for this Thursday! But, I think I got there…eventually. It was House 105’s Christmas Day in the evening and I felt like I do at home: slightly panicked, but we pulled it off, I think! We had a whole feast of Christmassy activities for the evening and I think everyone has such a great time. It is evenings like this that remind why I came to uni (aside from getting my degree!); as we were sitting around our cardboard Christmas tree having devoured Christmas pizza (I will explain why we didn’t have a roast dinner in the next paragraph!) it felt like we had known each other for ages – I don’t think people could help but smile. We all opened our Secret Santa presents and then had a little jamming session, as one of our flatmates is amazing at guitar! Christmas isn’t Christmas without a bit of a sing-song!

 It’s actually ‘a bit of a sing-song’ that meant we couldn’t have our Christmas dinner! It was the ULMS Christmas Concert in Lancaster’s rather stunning cathedral this week! I cannot get over the talent in this place! All the orchestras and weird and wonderful instruments and all the singers – it’s all student led (incredible!) and I think the audience enjoyed it! We sang some lovely songs in choir this term and I really enjoyed performing – it’s been a long time since I’ve had a proper sing and a cathedral is a pretty awesome place to do it, don’t you think? Some of my friends from our house even came along to support me and listen to all the festive music! They’re so great and I’m so grateful that they came – I think we kicked off our festive proceedings with a bang (and a crash of symbols!)

 As term draws to a close, I have to say that I’m really looking forward to having a good rest for a few days when I go home, but I can’t wait to see everybody or go to go back to work – it’s going to be so great! However, I am looking forward to what’s to come next term! I have some pretty interesting essay titles, from what I gather – so I’ll have a good look at those (hopefully using new stationery!) Of course, I’m going to miss my housemates – but we’ve got FaceTime schedules sorted already!

 So, I will finish as I began – this is it, this is the end of term! I really hope you’ve enjoyed reading the posts and that you’ve picked up some hints, or even if you’ve just enjoyed my little ramblings! Thank you so much for popping back to have a read of what I’ve been up to; I promise to return in 2015 for some more tales! I hope you all have a lovely, festive, cheery Christmas full of smiles!

See you in 2015!

Huge Christmassy History Hugs,

Eleanor :0)

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)

Happy December! I can’t believe that the Christmas month has come around so quickly! It doesn’t seem like yesterday when I was writing my first (ridiculously long) post about Freshers Week! As the end of term approaches it’s been time for a little bit of Christmassy fun this week in my flat! Coursework deadlines await me next term, so I’m trying to focus on getting everything together before the Christmas break – but having a little fun in the process too!

Our house has really been getting into the Christmas Spirit – we’ve planned a Christmas meal and a Secret Santa ready for the end of term – I’m so excited! It’s so clear that everybody is getting ready for the vacation and the holiday period – a few of my flatmates have bought advent calendars and there are so many decorations pinned up around campus: from snowflakes and tinsel to fully decorated trees; it’s so great! A few of us also watched Frozen this weekend, eek!  It’s little things like this that really make me think about the friends I’ve made here – just being able to chill and watch a film is something totally invaluable; we all get on so well!

Speaking of Christmas spirit, we’re all buzzing at choir too because we have a concert coming up soon, at the cathedral! Annoyingly I’d missed a few rehearsals because of my horrible cold, but to return to Christmas songs was wonderful! We’re looking at some really lovely pieces, including ‘Carol of the Bells’ and ‘A Swinging Christmas’, as well as an ‘alternative’ piece: the Russian Dance from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker – it has no words, just lots of ‘la, la, las’ which is proving a challenge, but I’m sure it’ll be beautiful when it’s polished! I’m looking forward to the concert so much! It’s a little nostalgic, I guess, because we used to have a choir service when I was at secondary school!

I had my last coursework deadline of the term this week! I’m still in a little bit of shock that I’ve actually submitted essays at uni – at uni, people! I know it may sound a little strange, but just the fact that I’m looking at all this material and trying to compose a real argument, without the constraints of A-level marking criteria, seems a little unreal! For any prospective students reading this, you’ll understand what I mean! I’ve spoken of expectations before and handing these essays in is a way of trying to meet the expectations we’ve set ourselves. It’s been the chance for me to make an impression and I really want it to be good! It’s so hard to explain! Aside from this, though, all the essays are handed in….YAY! And breathe! There’s still a lot of work for me to be doing in preparation for next term, and this is certainly no time to stop, especially because I’d like to have a little time off in the vacation, so I’ll be heading off to the library this week to get in some preparation for next term’s assignments!

However, I did take a little time this weekend to visit lovely Liverpool! It was an opportunity for me to see some family and have a quick catch-up on my flying visit, as well as to visit the Andy Warhol exhibition at the Liverpool Tate. The exhibition was amazing – it was the weirdest thing ever to see these iconic prints and sculptures in real life! What was even weirder was realising that I’m only just over an hour away from there! My geography isn’t the best, hence why I chose History, but I couldn’t get over how close it actually was! For any budding shopaholics Liverpool is definitely worth that hour’s trip! It was so great to see some family there; we went for breakfast and had a proper catch-up! The Albert Dock has been renovated since I last visited and it is wonderful! Liverpool One is adorned with Christmas decorations at the moment and it is stunning – I don’t think my photos do it any justice! Hopefully I’ll be able to make a return trip in the future – just taking a day like that away from it all gives a little breathing space from uni life.
As Christmas approaches it’s important that I keep my focus so I can have as much fun in the break as possible – so I think I’ll stay cosy in the library for these next few days! I hope I’ll be able to brush off the Christmas jumper a few times though when I’m not studying!

Thank you for reading, guys – have a lovely Christmassy week!

History Hugs,

Eleanor :0)

After, as what you may have gathered, was a stressful fortnight last time this week has been about taking some time to prioritise and regroup.

Submitting my coursework was weirdly nerve wracking! It’s funny because all the hard work was done and it became simply about pressing print and posting the essay through a little slot into a box…how hard could it be?! Yet, it was also one of the most satisfying moments – I’ve actually completed a university essay, eek! The work doesn’t stop there though! I’m still to craft a history essay on the role of the medieval clergy, but hopefully I’ll get that same sense of satisfaction!

It’s reached a time for reflection, and I don’t mean it in the sense of a plenary or that horrible task of evaluating what we’ve done. Just taking the time to think that there are better things to be doing here at uni than worrying…(I have literally just laughed at myself for writing that, because I know that I will, along with many other students, continue to worry about my work while I’m here!) However, there definitely are better things to be doing than worrying all the time. I have been sitting at my desk for hours thinking ‘HELP!’, but this week with my coursework submitted it’s clear that nothing is impossible. Upon reflection, I think it’s about setting aside time slots for working, eating, socialising and sleeping (!) – It’s easy to sit behind this computer screen and say that that’s exactly what I’m going to adopt from now on, but, of course, I know that this simply isn’t the case – but I have realised that I do need to take time to make sure I am doing all these things in a better proportion than I have been over the last fortnight!

Reflection often comes at the end of a task, so I look forward to beginning a new one! This week in two of my subjects, History and Philosophy, we have started to look at a new topic area! It’s been really thought-provoking to see how differently lecturers handle the material and take the classes and it’s really stimulating to have to adapt to their style. I’m really enjoying the material so far. In history we’ve moved towards a period that I’m more interested in, possibly because the sources are more accessible, but it has been really interesting to see how things have developed and shaped in society due to the medieval period that I was studying beforehand – it’s aiding us to mould an appreciation for where we are now.

There has been a world beyond the lecture theatre and my desk this week though! My friends and I have started the search for a house, ready for second year (already, I know!). It’s like being on Location, Location, Location! Aside from the house hunt, one of my other highlights this week has to be that we had a house roast dinner on Sunday! I know it’s trivial to be telling you about what I’ve had for tea, but it was so lovely to sit down with a few of us having cooked! It was genuinely so, so lovely – I can’t quite express it, but if you’re thinking of coming to uni, having a housemate roast dinner should definitely be on your list of things to do in first year!

I hope you guys have all had a lovely week and that you enjoyed reading a slightly more chilled out post this time around!

History Hugs,

Eleanor :0)

  I cried this fortnight, guys. As the deadlines have loomed and will continue to for the rest of this term, it would be a huge, albeit slightly reassuring, lie to tell you that I’ve had an easy ride this time around.

But, please don’t take this negatively. Sometimes we need not look into a journal or library book to be taught a lesson, but rather take the time to look at ourselves as people. Coursework is never going to be easy on the first try – I mean there’s totally different style, the expectations are new and, of course, the content is going to be challenging but even when it seems tough, it’s not impossible. I promised you in the last post that I would fill you in on how I was dealing with the coursework, so here goes… deep breath! As I sat down at my desk to tackle my work I felt like I was taking on the world, even though it was only 2 essays. I felt as if I was climbing a mountain that became steeper and steeper but became taller and taller with every new journal I found and every new book I consulted until I realised that I was lost – it was time to put down the pick-axe (well, pencil) and give up. I delved through texts, referred to my study questions and still felt trapped. This may sound over-dramatic and narrative but, essays are difficult, as I’m sure other types of study are too – but we only make our lives more difficult with the pressure we put on ourselves as students, as I said last time. In this whirl of confusion I had to call one of the only people I know who can put my mind at ease: my mum. I write this in retrospect, as a little tip for potential and current students, but the reassurance from the people you care about is invaluable – even if you take only one thing from it. The one lesson I took from my pep talk was to ‘be brave’ – there are things in this crazy world of university that will throw you, but we can face these battles by not being afraid to get stuff wrong, to take risks, or to ask the questions we think are silly. We can only let the fear of striking out keeping us from playing the game (that is one of my favourite quotations of all time and one that is certainly worth remembering).

With the kind words of my mum, alongside the fact that I was going to see her and my dad at the weekend at the front of my mind I managed to get over the mountain. I know it sounds trivial to be saying how difficult the coursework is; you are bound to hear it over and over again, but I guess to be told directly from this experience that getting worried does happen and there are ways to combat it, can be beneficial! At least I hope it is!

Coursework and stresses aside, this past fortnight has been eventful and my flatmates have made sure that I wasn’t tied to my desk all the time! With it being fireworks night, the uni put on an amazing display right outside where I live which was fantastic! I loved bonfire night so much, everybody wrapped up really warm with hats and gloves and they all looked so cosy! I think everybody had a really lovely time – it was great to take some time to chill with a toffee apple and some hot chocolate underneath the stars (and the Catherine Wheels!)

It was also lovely to see my mum and dad – I don’t think I realised how much I’d missed them until they visited, plus, we make cake and cake always makes everything better! (New students will definitely find this out!)

So, if I’ve learnt one thing this fortnight, it would be to take on each challenge as it comes. It may be a struggle and it may cause stress or worry, but just remember that there’s always someone to talk to and there will always be cake…

Thank you for reading, guys! I apologise for the lateness, but I promise to be better for the rest of term!

History Hugs,

Eleanor :0)