Round 2 - Ed

Things are beginning to really get into gear lately. Pre-Enrollment talks, purchase of books and stationary, over-sleeping....slowly but surely, i am re-aligning myself to Uni-life. This mainly manifests itself as me literally throwing myself at a brand new task/job.

With luck, and a little persuasion, you could soon be talking to the new Multi-Media Editor for The Wire (for those who missed that update, the Wire is the student newspaper here at Bournemouth). With the print version of the Wire struggling last year, and the website being all but neglected, "the management" feel some changes were in order, primarily expansion and concentration onto the alternative medias. This will mean more focus on the website, and more focus on things like blogs and podcasts, which is where i come in to manage it all. I'll admit, I'm pretty excited.

I've recently held a kind of fascination with podcasts, and have always wanted to get into the field somehow, especially audio ones as it links closely with radio, which i love. I've already come up with several ideas of how the podcasts will play out, so i hope to get stuck in asap.

On a negative note, I've received my timetable for this year. Utter shit. Not one day off. 7 o'clock finish on Thursdays. Awkward times, and worst of all, late afternoon finish on Wednesdays! Everyone is supposed to have Wednesday afternoons off, but we don't. Suffice to say i am very vexed. Oh well, maybe ill do something trendy and blog about it....

Requiem

You know, it's only just sunk in: I have come to the end of my first year at university..... now how did that happen?

I swear it was only yesterday that moved in to Hurn House, and saw Andy there with his tin'o'beans, which he never finished, to my knowledge . That week was the only week in where i have gone out every night, no idea how i managed. Then again, the alternative was to just crawl up into a corner and cry until the reality of my new surroundings sunk in.

University.....Its been an odd experience. Undoubtedly the best year of my life....yet strangely disappointing. I guess i expected too much, of it and myself. Some things don't change i guess.

My hats off to everyone who made it such an amazing experience. If your not sure who you are, don't worry, taking the time to actually spend time with me was enough, so thank you. Bring on the second year.

You knock one down....

I had my first exam yesterday, it was...interesting. I say interesting, what i really mean is that it was a disaster. I didn't finish either of the questions, and i was actually struck by writers block half way through the second one - basically a case of "Oh fuck, i have no idea where I'm going with this". Oh well, re-sits in August.

Very brief update today, as writers block has once again struck me. And I'm slightly drunk. And its 2:14 in the morning. I'm sure you'll live.

Ciao.

Poker Face

The amount of poker I've played recently is rather disturbing. The amount of money I have potentially lost had those chips been worth real money is even more so. But it is such a fun game.

I first got taught how to play it properly a couple of weeks ago, by a good American friend of mine. Yes i know, it's hard to believe, but contrary to popular belief, some Americans are decent, and she is one of them. I so kicked her ass.

Then came this Thursday just gone. I went to a little get together with some friends down the road - mini-house party style. There was alcohol, there was truth or dare games (which generally ended in all of us Irish Jigging in the street), and then there was Poker! My American friend put my kicking her ass down to beginners luck, so this was the ultimate rematch of sorts. She wiped the floor with me. Although, to be fair, there was like 6 other people i had to keep and eye on as well, but she was wiping the floor with all of them. I went bust 3 times, and each time, i asked her, "Feeling Generous Whitney?". Which of course, she was, bless her.

After i busted for the 4th, and final time, it was a bout 1:30 AM, there were only a few of us left, and i had an exam that day. So i said my goodbyes, went up the road back to my own house, with the firm and square intention of getting into bed, and going to sleep. Then i realised my house mates were also playing poker, so i decided to muck in with them. Oh dear. It was about several hands, no busts and a few pints of water later, that i realised it was 5AM, that i still had an exam that day (along with a 9AM lecture), and that it was unlikely i was going to get any sleep. So i started giggling.

Finally finished at about 6:30, went to sleep and missed my 9AM lecture, went and did my exam (Fail) and went to another house party that night. Which also involved Poker. I know what your thinking, and yes, i do want my own poker set. I'm not an addict though.

P.s. The picture - I am aware it is from the wrong game. Allow it. Also, I'll see if i can make the updates slightly more regular. Sorry.

Guess whose back, back again....

Well, I'm back at university. Not sure how i feel about that. Happy, of course, i do like it here, I've missed all my course mate, and to be honest I'm glad to be getting on with it all.....yet, there is always something, right at the back of my mind, that feels like it wants to cry. Leaving home when you've just gotten used to being back is also a bit of a pain.

First day back wasn't all song and joy either, couldn't get a news story for my assessed package. No one wants to go on camera these days.

I would say more, but its quarter to one. This was just to let you know that i haven't forgotten you guys. Ciao. No picture this time either I'm afraid.

University: First contact

By Joe Robinson

Expect anything. This would be the first piece of advice I would give to any prospective Uni student; expect anything. Other tips would be; stay calm, open up, make friends, get to know your flat mates, your local area…and spend the first couple of weeks drunk, it helps pass the time.

No matter what people say, nothing can quite prepare you for university life, no matter how many you talks you have, how much advice you get, workshops, even visits can’t quite prepare you for the real thing, it’s one of those things you just need to go out and do. So expect anything, because for the first time in your life, you are on you are truly on your own, independent, by ya onesies, alone, and do you know what? It can be scary. I was scared, but I did the only thing you can do; bite the bullet and made some new friends. Because the worst possible thing you can do is end up being a recluse, it doesn’t help you or anyone else, and trust me, it’s the worst feeling in the world.

I would be lying to you if I said my time here has been perfect, because it hasn’t. As the saying goes, “shit happens”, and it happened to me. My first accommodation was Halls of Residence, and these particular halls were unique, as they were basically flats consisting of 18 people. Now, do you really expect to throw 18 random people together and hope that they all get along? It doesn’t work. By the time I got to Christmas, I had moved out. Now I’m living with 3 guys, and I’m having the time of my life, all is well. But don’t let my little episode put you off, as I said, expect anything. Despite my troubles in the first term, I still had fun, because there is more to Uni then your flat mates; there’s you’re course-mates, your course itself, other friends that you make during your time. Here’s another tip for you: when you have chosen which universities you want to go to, see if they have a forum somewhere, where new students can meet each other and talk. I met some of my greatest friends here on the SUBU forums. Try it.

Another key issue is money; money makes the world go round, it makes YOUR world go round when you’re a student. So start saving. Now. I mean it. The more you go into Uni with, the easier it will be on you. A job is also helpful, but don’t go nuts. I had to quit my job because I didn’t have any time to myself, but I could quit, because I had been smart with my money. Don’t wait until you get to Uni to find a job though, because that’s just stupid. If you have a job with a retail chain, see if there’s a local unit, and get a transfer. It’s what I did. You’ll probably get told to budget, my response to that is, if you can be bothered, do it, if you can’t (like me) just be sensible. Keep an eye on your money reserves; try not to buy unnecessary things. If you must have the latest Muse album, try and find it cheap.

What else? Eating is essential, I recommend you eat at least once a day, otherwise you might die. Knowing how to cook one or two meals also helps, as you can take turns with your housemates and cook for each other, although not everyone is into that, so don’t be put off if you’re cooking for yourself most of the time. Whilst at Uni, you may get struck by random bouts of Nostalgia. As I type this out to you, I’m looking at an Optimus Prime Transformer figure I bought. Don’t worry, it happens. Don’t be put off if your room is small/grimy/depressing. If it’s liveable, you’re ok. A car is not always essential. It depends on your circumstances. I happened to take my car, but now that I’ve quit my job, I don’t use it as much as I used to. Waste of Money? Maybe, but I can afford it, so I’d rather have it around.

Some final thoughts for you: If you thought you were smart before, prepare for a shock. Remember your now entering a selective environment. The people around you are there because they are just as smart, or smarter, then you are. Don’t be put off. Do your best. Remember, they wanted you there. Missing the occasional lecture will happen, but don’t make a habit out of it. Strangely enough, you WON’T get a degree by not going to lectures. Last but not least, enjoy yourself. Don’t do anything you don’t want to do, don’t hang around with people your uncomfortable with, and don’t bite off more then you can chew. Remember, you’re there for you, no-one else. (Although for god’s sake, PLEASE work hard at your degree, you're there for that too.)