Welcome to University

Currently in second year, it has been very practical and straightforward.  We have already been given assignments, labs, tasks and group work to do and hand- in before a certain deadline.  Doing all these things mentioned above and having a social life is very, very hard to juggle. Unless you are a good juggler then my outlook on the situation is to forget about having a social life for now until the work load dies down a bit or you have a lot of time to get the tasks and assignments done and handed in before the deadline.



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I can imagine at this stage, you’re thinking this can’t be true… but believe me, IT’S TRUE!  The work load piles up if you don’t get it started early.  The earlier you start the assignments and/or tasks, the easier your life will seem.  I like to say, “NEVER leave the work till last minute”.  This is not good for you as it will cause stress when rushing to do everything all at once and it shows you are not in control of what you are doing.  My friends and I say, “Welcome to Uni” as the work gets harder, the stress of getting things right is building. That’s the only disadvantage I have experienced so far.

Not all bad comes out of this life at university. There is a saying that, “good things come/happen to those that wait”.  Overall, university is still great. It just has its moments that make you feel down. Don’t worry, after the assignments have been completed and handed in, you can rejoice and have a celebration party. 

It’s not all bad and it’s not all about work, work, and more work.  Everybody deserves a break and a relaxation period once in a while.

Some calming remedies that I use personally are:

·        Use a stress ball- will draw all your stressful energy away

·        Exercise or get fresh air and have long walks around (alone or with friends)

·        Do a different activity (preferably something fun that you love to do)

·        Listen to soothing music

·        Call a friend(s) or family member(s)

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My time at uni - More weeks ahead

University life as a whole is going really well at this point.  At the moment, I enjoy every minute of it.  Already I’ve learnt new things and been able to refresh my memory on the previous topics I learnt last year.  It is very important to remember both last years’ and this years’ topics.  They are needed for exams, assignments and are good to apply in the real world of working in the IT/ software engineering industry. 

Already in my Database Systems course, I had to do an online quiz relating to the course.  It was a good quiz.  More quizzes to come in the future so I should be prepared.  I’ve received an assignment already and l’ve been given lab work to complete.  Fortunately, there isn’t a great demand to have logbooks as there was last year.  That is a great advantage as it saves me time and allows me to concentrate on my actually assignment(s) and lab work that I need to produce and complete.

My goals/priorities for this year is to produce excellent work, complete my assignments way in advance and read up on topics relating to the course in advance. 

At the moment as it is quite quiet with the amount of work needed to do, I’ve been reading up on different topics and looking for work placements that I could apply to for next year on my industrial year out of university.

I’m definitely looking forward to the next year where I CAN EARN WHILE I LEARN!!

Word of advice when you’re in second year, it’s better to start looking at placements early so you know what companies want and are expecting.  It’s also good so you know if you are able to get a place at the company of your choice.  Another tip is to get your CV up-to-date.  This is really important when applying for work in the industry where you would like to work.  There is a module in the second year of my course that helps you to develop your CV to a standard that reflects what companies would like to see in an applicant.  The GET/ jobshop team are very helpful in that department as they have lots of experience, contacts and advice to give you as a student.

Well that’s enough from me for now, there’s more to come.  Stay in touch.