For Easter Holiday, I have a plan of travelling. I would like to travel around the world during college period as I would not have available chance and time after graduating from university and starting to work. We decide to go to Italy. I must complaint about the Italian visa. It is especially inconvenient. We must plan the whole journey by booking the flights and hotels in advance, which I reluctantly accept. The first incontinent point is that the online application form can be completed only by computer with Windows 10 System, which means none of us could use our own Apple computer and have to go to library. Secondly, the website of the online application form is designed without humanization. Most of us have to complete the form at least twice as there is a bug on the page. We could not successfully continue to next section from time to time. On the day of going to the Italian National Visa Centre (23^rd), the centre is quite small and a lot of people were waiting. Only two staff handled with Italian visa. To be on the safe side, we arrive 20 minutes before appointment time. Then we waited for about another 2 hours and 40 minutes and heard our number. And my nightmare came. The staff told me that only current amount statement can be accepted. I was shocked as the number shown in my account statement is only about 100 pounds, which is abusively not enough for my expenditure in Italy. Most money is put on my saving account, which is my habit. I tried to negotiate with him about whether I could transfer the money immediately from my saving account to current account and print it out and I could be the last one. And it failed. I need to go for reapplying an appointment, which means I have to waste one more day.

After coming out of the Visa Centre, it was around half past four in the afternoon. All of us were starved. We decided to have a lovely ‘lunch’ to reward ourselves. Due to our special lunch time, the meal came very rapidly. The lobster roll was totally fantastic, which made my mood better to some extent. We were so hungry that none of us remember to take the picture. Haha. I asked for an alcohol drink as well since I was so upset. It was my first time to request actively for the alcohol.  A day is wasted for applying the visa and on 24^th I had a coursework deadline which I had not prepared it completely yet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After returning home, I made another appointment for Italian visa immediately. OMG, the earliest available day is the 17^th of March and my flight is on the 30^th. It is so hurried, isn’t it? Anyway, I had a try. Then, I began to focus on my coursework. I finished it at 8 o’clock in the morning of Wednesday (24^th). However, I still attended all the lectures and tutorials. I was moved by my passion for study, which was such a ridiculous lie. The truth is all of them would have a test during the following weeks. If I was absent, it may cause difficulties for my revision. My average aggregation score is not allowed me to make any mistakes.

Week 9 Already?!

 

Wow, week 9 of Lent term, next week I’ll be having my final ever lectures, apart from revision sessions in April and it’s scary, really really scary. University is such a scary concept when you are first arriving, but leaving is even scarier! It’s at this time I’ve started to reflect on my time at Lancaster and I realised it’s been the best four years of my life.

 

I was so nervous when I first came to University, lacking in confidence and feeling very homesick and now I’m president of a Gospel Choir, have been travelling round Europe and have loads of amazing friends. I’m so amazed at how far I’ve come but the most important thing I’ve learnt, although very cheesy, is you can do anything if you believe in yourself!

 

You have to make the most of your time at University because it’ll be over before you know it. 3/4 years seems like ages but in reality it flies by, mostly because it’s so much fun. The work is tough, you are getting a degree, but if you match this with days out, societies, socials and chilled nights with friends, the work isn’t half as bad!

 

As I mentioned above I went inter railing this past summer with my best friend and it was awesome. I couldn’t believe that I had the confidence to navigate round Europe but I’m so glad we did. The things we saw and experienced were fantastic and I would never have done anything like that if I hadn’t come to Uni here. The main reason we could do the trip, as well as saving for it, is due to the great holidays you get over summer. You need to take advantage of these as in most jobs you don’t get that kind of time off, at least not for a while anyway, so make the most of it while you can.

 

This year we are going round the parts of Europe we missed last time and we are also going to America for a week. I am so excited and know we will make so many more memories that I’ll never forget! That’s what’s really important, making memories, as they are the things that you’ll carry with you and shape your life!

 

I’ve also finally accepted that graduation is this year so I’ve started looking for an outfit, which is almost as stressful as the exams to enable me to graduate haha! Knowing that the pictures from the day will be distributed around my various family members piles on the pressure to find that perfect dress! I also received an email about the final year yearbook so if you haven’t done your profile you need to as the deadline is coming up and it will be a great thing to take away with you for the future.

 

Revision, the phrase everyone dreads, but it’s inevitable. It’s important you tackle revision head on and don’t shy away, wasting time and then realise you’re too late and your exams are upon you. Exam timetables are out now, which gives the perfect opportunity to plan out your revision schedule over Easter. If you do a lot of work over the ‘holidays’ you’ll feel so much better when you come back to Uni in the final run up to your exams, no matter what year you’re in.  Also, the benefit of doing it over Easter is you’ll have lots of chocolate to keep you going and whatever you gave up for Lent!

 

This is also a great time to brush up in your exam technique. Practice questions and exercises under time pressure and make sure you write answers out fully. I don’t know about you guys, but my wrists get really tired when it’s exam seasons and it’s because I do a lot more typing and a lot less writing by hand these days. You don’t want you illegible writing to cost you marks or your tired wrist to slow you down, so get practicing!

 

Ask questions as soon as possible. As soon as you have queries ask your lecturers so you can get them cleared up and understood as soon as possible. It’s important you understand your subject matter but also that you have time to talk through problems as there is bound to be a mad rush and large queues as exam season loom nearer and nearer.

 

I hope this blog has been interesting and helped where possible, but also that it’s hopefully inspired you to do something different, challenging and amazing this summer!

 

Thanks again for reading, speak soon, JenJ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The overall image of this week for me was dropping from heaven to hell.  How happy the heaven was, how terrible the hell was. On last Saturday, I went to Molly’s to celebrate the Valentine’s Day with my flatmates in advance although none of us have the boyfriend. However, it does not affect our good mood.  The weather was so pleasant. It felt especially warm and happy when the winter sun was shining on us. We talked a lot and ate a lot. The pork ribs were so amazing. Meats were tender and the sauce was declivous. The homemade soup of mushroom was my favourite as well. The pureed soup with fresh garlic bread was a perfect match.

On Sunday, a big surprise came to me. I received a bunch of red roses elaborately wrapped with decorative paper and bows. When I opened my bedroom door in that morning, it appeared besides my feet. At that moment, I was totally shocked. After a while, I guessed this must be a hoax. Finally, I knew the gift was from my girlfriend who are in Los Angles now. She asked my roommate to book it for me.  I was greatly touched by receiving flowers from her, which is even more than receiving the gift from my boyfriend if I have a boyfriend.

The lucky days were over and the bad days were coming. On Monday, I checked the email. Several coursework marks came together, which was for Ac.F 212, Econ 207 and Econ 212.OMG. My average aggregation score dropped dramatically, which is  from  the edge of the first degree to the  edge of the upper second degree. I could not image what my score would be at the end of Year 2. I had 8 exams needed to be taken at the end. Each course has a mountain of work load of 10 weeks’ lectures and tutorials ( or workshops). How I can  cope with them! I even could not deal with 5 weeks’ contents. I became  depressed. However, the days still have to continue to go on whether it is full of sunshine or haze in the way of life. On Tuesday, there was a test needed to be prepared for. I should work harder than before to push the average aggregation score up during the following tests.

I heard an interesting story from the Internet. That is if you manually setting the date of your iPhone or iPad to 1 January 1970, the electronic facilities will get permanently stuck while trying to boot back up if it’s switched off. At first, I thought it was just a joke. However, one of my friends tried and his iPhone 6 was dead now, just like a brick. Later, it comes to the official news. Never look for trouble, or you will be in trouble, the fact tells us. Haha.