Radio Silence, Third year sucks

Wow, its like I shut my eyes and the last month or so flew by and now all of a sudden its December! Remember this post way back in the start of September about my thoughts on third year? Well third year is hard and well it hit me hard.

A combination of being a guinea pig on a new module and the UCU strike (thank heavens that has been suspended until January) have led to me being back on anxiety medication, something that hasn't happened for almost 4 years. They're really helping though and its true, you really shouldn't be afraid of asking for help when you need it. Please don't suffer in silence if you are going through what I did at  the start of the Semester.

So other than 12 hour library days, what else have I been up to?

1. Eating chocolate cake and still losing a little weight! 
I've been trying to adopt a healthier life style lately, and whilst I have still been eating cake like this, I have been doing so in moderation and I have also joined the gym. Although it is nothing drastic, I feel a lot more confident and I am actually starting to enjoy exercise, something quite ground-breaking for the girl who used to skip PE!

2. Social media dissertation project
Everyone who knows me personally, will agree that I am permanently on my phone looking at some form of social media so I am really enjoying experimenting what kind of impact using different kinds of social media has on the interaction and engagement of students.

3. Taylor Swift 1989 (+Buying Concert Tickets!)
As a rare Taylor Swift Fan who has been so since the VERY start, I was beyond excited about the release of 1989, despite the move to pop and it is safe to say I LOVE IT. Like a lot. I also managed to score myself the BEST seat I have EVER had for one of her concerts in June. As you can probably tell, I get very excited about all things Taylor Swift related.

4.Applying for my PGCE
I have sent off my application and so far things seem to be going well. I really hope this pays off so please keep all of your fingers crossed for me!


I feel a LOT better now that I have admitted that I am not coping as well as I could be with third year and at times I succumb to the pressure to share the cherry picked aspects of my life on my blog, but for now- its going to be a mix of ups and downs,  As Robbie Williams said, life is a roller-coaster, just gotta ride it.

Things That Made Me Happy #8

This week saw my 22nd Birthday on Sunday! I got well and truly spoilt by all of my friends and family, and yes, I'M FEELING TWENTY TWO! *starts humming Taylor Swift* It was my last week at home before I head back to Bangor tomorrow to start my third year which is also my final year. I'm definitely feeling like I should feel like more of an adult than I currently do. On to the things that have made me happy this week:

1. Discovering eco friendly cafes: On Friday I headed over to Liverpool with my best friend for a mix of birthday celebrations and goodbyes before we both set back off, We stumbled on a really cool cafe which I will be doing a full review of later on in the week :)

2. Getting a Coke bottle with my name on: When you have a name like Loretta, it is not very often that you can find your name on things so when my dogs (yes they are quite the savvy online shoppers) got me one for my birthday, I may have gotten a tad excited!

3. Shopping for new gym clothes: I have decided that I am going to join the gym when I get back to University, mainly for the classes and swimming pool but I am hoping that it will give me a good way to release all of the stresses of third year!

4. Downton Abbey! I am not entirely sure this one needs explaining?! Don't expect to hear from me for the next 8 Sunday evenings :P

5. Getting University Work: Whilst waking up to a 126 item reading list was not the highlight of my week, getting back into the habit of studying and preparing for third year has been more enjoyable than I anticipated!


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Thoughts on Third Year

(source)

In a little over a week I will be packing up my parents car, saying goodbye to my boyfriend, family, dogs etc and heading back to Bangor for my third year. I should be excited, but quite frankly I am not. For the past month I have felt a pang of dread knowing that my long summer holidays are almost up and I am going to have to face reality. 

I didn't really enjoy my second year very much and the highlight (and probably the only thing that got me through) was my Field Trip . Third year doesn't have any such trips and the amount of hard work it is going to involve is starting to overwhelme me. Don't get me wrong, I am perfectly happy to complete work in the Library, do the extra reading and so forth; the problem lies in the fact that I picked the wrong degree and as a consequence find many of my modules boring and uninspiring. Luckily, I was able to pick my modules this year and I have managed to select those that I at least find somewhat enjoyable. Right now, my mindset is that finishing this degree is a means to an end of getting to where I ultimately want to be: doing my PGCE. 

I got a First in both my first year and second year overall and so there is almost the expectation from friends and family that I am going to get a First overall for my degree; I am less convinced and think that it is more likely to be a mid 2.1 due to my lack of interest in the degree and the fact that my modules this year are a lot more exam based and there is less coursework to boost my overall grade. 

I am sorry if this post comes across as a moan and or a rant but I really just needed to get it off of my chest and put it out there that not every student enjoys their degree and is passionate about what they are reading. I also wanted to let Freshers know that if you are not enjoying your degree, course or University then you should stick it out until Christmas, but if things havent changed then you should probably seriously consider whether you are doing the degree that is right for you. I had doubts about my course very early on in my first year and I wish now that I had taken the advice I was given and left: £27,000 of tuition debt alone is not something to be taken lightly. 

Has anyone else gotten to this stage in their degree and realised that it probably isn't right for them? If you have any advice then please do comment and let me know :) 

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