A month in

It's not hard to believe that I am already a month into second year. In fact it feels like it's been about 3 months. Going back to uni hasn't been as difficult as I was expecting, and I seem to be finding my rhythm again.

Not unexpectedly, we have been thrown back in right at the deep end. There is a real "you're second years, you know what you're doing so get on with it" mentality. Which isn't an issue, because it's totally true. Thinking back to last year, it's immeasurable how much better I feel about being a student. I know exactly what is expected of me this year and I'm preparing myself to go a little above the expectations I had for myself last year and try and better my studies. 

I have 10 things on my to do list currently, including mostly beginning of the year tasks like writing my targets for the year and setting up my blog on BlackBoard. Some things in my to do list are a little more serious, like writing a personal statement and applying through UCAS for third year. I'm sure there's be many a blog post coming about that!

The first few weeks of term were fairly easy, introductions to new modules and a recap of the one module which continues this year.

Last week we had our first marked assessment of the year, a presentation based on a book we read over the summer. This is our second presentation as we had to give one last year. The difference between last years presentation and this years is immeasurable. I haven't had the results back yet, but I could feel the difference. Firstly I actually managed to stick to the ten minute time limit, intact I overran by almost a minute. But I'll take that over last years 4 minute presentation. I also felt more confident, although I was cutting it fine finishing my presentation and I hadn't actually done a practice run, I felt like I really knew what I was talking about and this made it easier to present. Presentations aren't my forte but as long as I get a better mark than last year I'll be happy. 

We are off campus this week, with set activities to do. I'm spending a few days in Amsterdam, so I'll be exploring the city and eating as much food as I can! 

Second year begins....

It's at this time of year I'm quite grateful that I'm not your typical university student. I don't have to worry about packing my life up and travelling hours in the car to move back to uni. All I have to do is get back into the mind frame of being a student. I say "all I have to do" as if it's the easiest thing. It's not.

As we finished first year, I told myself "have a few weeks off! Relax, enjoy having fewer commitments and time constraints" well those few weeks off turned into a whole summer off and I've done very little that I had planned to do over the summer. With all intents and purposes I had planned to read journal articles and reflect on them. I had planned to read some research relating to my chosen area of study for my own research project I'll be undertaking  this year. I had planned to go through my first year folder, sorting out the mound of paperwork I have on my desk. And yet, somehow none of this ever happened. And now second year has begun.

Well, it officially begins next Thursday but I've been in uni for the last two weeks enrolling and filling out paperwork and revising study skills and talking about the jump from first year to second. It's all a bit overwhelming. There's so much to think about and so much to do to prepare. And of course we are being thrown right back into it. A presentation in four weeks and a research project plan due not too long after that.

I'm looking forward to second year, in a "deer in the headlights" kind of way. I like a challenge and I'm looking forward to starting new modules and returning to old ones too. This year I have been able to choose one of my modules myself which was cool - ok hoping it will make me more motivated as I've chosen a subject  I'm very interested in!

Finding my groove again as a student could be interesting but I'm hoping it won't take too long. I guess time will tell... I'll keep you updated on that one!