Holiday? What Holiday? (Hiruni)

After a hectic exam period and an almost non-existent vacation due to my summer subject (more on that later), it feels great to get back into blogging, especially if it means venting to all my readers!

Part of getting my life back on track meant that I had to cancel some of my vacation time and take one of prerequisites during the summer semester. For those of you considering doing this, I’ve listed a few pros and cons:

PROS

• It’s a great way to complete prerequisites that you haven’t had time to do during the semester/failed and ensure that your study is on track (and maybe graduate earlier in some cases).
• Doing a subject during the summer gives you the time to focus on that subject alone.
• Some subjects are only offered during the summer due to fieldwork.

CONS

• The subjects are offered as intensives, meaning they will run in shortened times compared to the rest of the semester. e.g.- my subject (normally running for 12 weeks) ran for 6 weeks with 2 hour lectures and 2 tutorials a week, i.e.- it involved double the coursework in half the time.
• Less classes and lecture streams are offered during this time, thus you would create a timetable without many other options if you were to miss a class.

Overall, I found my experience to be positive and since it has helped me keep my study plan on track, I do think it was a good idea.

As for starting second year, like Phoebe said, the transition from first year to second has been like a baby step. The year has started with a sense of familiarity, and not just because I’m only doing one ‘official’ second year subject. I already know my way around and I have a better understanding of University life in general and what is expected of me academically. I know what the University can offer me and I’m more excited than ever to take up the opportunities I neglected in first year. But although I’m fairly calm now, I have had to make some serious career/academic decisions and I’m beginning to see my goals for my degree (and my future in general) come together.