A New Start?

So today is my first day back at uni after being off for nearly six weeks. I’m struggling a little bit because I couldn’t sleep last night but it’s been easy just to slip back into things and people seem to have changed a little over the holiday too. It’s good to catch up with people too - I’ve spent a lot of time on my own being ill over the holidays. 

I’m still ill though and I’ve had the worst stomach ache today but I’m coping. And I couldn’t sleep so I’m living on what, three hours of rest? It’s hard going sometimes commuting to uni - other people on campus can get up at 8:30 and still make it in for 9 but for me? 5:30 starts, 6 at the latest. And relying on a bus that shows up 20 minutes late is difficult too. 

It’s little things like that that build up and get to me. Not being able to rely on things… It’s hard, and I know its just a bus but when you’re risking missing lectures for it? It kinda sucks. It’s hard to keep calm and not stressed in the morning when you’re standing in the cold and pitch black for half an hour… 

But I had my first lecture for What Makes Us Human 1B today and it looks like it’s going to be exciting! We’re learning about free will and philosophy and about our perceptions of reality. I’m quite looking forward to that!

But having a four hour break between classes is a nighmare. I’m on campus from 8 until 6 for all of three hours classes… I have a tutorial starting at 2, then another hour off after that before my lecture. I’m gonna be sleeping in the car home when dad picks me up anyway! NAP TIME?

Things Are Going To Change

I said something similar on my other blog, but I’m going to say it here too because it’s relevant. 

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In Which I Ramble About An Essay

On the 19th of December I have a 3200 word essay to submit on my recent learning and my aims for the future. I’m finding it really pretty difficult.

I have to talk about my strenghts and weaknesses as a learner without making it sound like a story… This’ll be fun. Wish me luck, guys.

So Much For Being Organised

Firstly, I forgot I had to hand in entries for my learning journal tomorrow. Forgive me for thinking the words “Personal Reflective Journal” meant personal. Lets not mention that I’m sharing most of mine with the internet… 

So here’s my first compulsory entry for tutorial tomorrow: 

• When have you had a positive learning experience? 

The majority of my education has been a positive journey so far. One particular learning experience would be music as I have had a chance to develop from a complete novice to a competent musician and have developed across all areas of the curriculum from performance skills to research and writing skills.

• What and who helps you learn?

It’s important to me to know I have the support of my teacher in order to feel confidence enough to take my own learning forwards individually. I learn well through practise and repetition of an activity.  

• When have you had a negative learning experience?

From a young age, I’ve had difficulty in mathematics and I often found my teachers didn’t have the time to explain something again or in a different way for me. I was often told to try and figure something out for myself despite having difficulty understanding the basics of the activity in order to be able to see where I’d gone wrong.

• What hinders your learning?

Sometimes if I don’t understand what it is I’m aiming to achieve or what the object of the learning is, I find it difficult to focus on the activity.

 The outcomes of my learning, I think, I have not just been regarding obtaining new knowledge. I have also been able to develop on an emotional level – for example, my confidence has increased throughout my learning career. I’ve gained the tools to become more responsible for my own learning rather than just been spoon-fed information and I think this is a valuable life skill. 

 • Why is learning important to you? 

It’s for these reasons that learning is important to me. I think I’ve had the chance to progress on an intelligent and emotional level and come to understand the world around me in greater depth. Learning is something I’m keen in undertaking as well as sharing and it is through continued learning that I am able to better share it with other people, for example, in a classroom environment. 

• • Drawing on your own experience, what do you think learning should be about?

I strongly believe that learning should be both a personal and a shared experience. People can learn to develop themselves but at the same time improve their relationships with other. It should also not be entirely theoretical – learners must have a chance to try things for themselves and gain experience in what it is they are trying to learn. In short, I think learning should be tailored to the individual.

“I Still Want To Be A Teacher”

So I haven’t posted much in the last week or so because, mainly, I’ve been ill and done very little relating to university. I just haven’t had the brain power to do it. So I thought I’d post a little update for anyone who’s reading. 

I’ve not really been up to all that much but right now I’m finding university pretty difficult. I know I wasn’t expecting it to be easy but what I’m finding a challenge is that I need to know and find out deadlines myself and keep on top of what I’ve got to hand in for when. I’m used to having stuff spelled out to me right up until the last minute but now if I don’t submit the piece, it’s my fault… I’m used to being looked after so right now I feel a bit unguided and I’m a little scared to rely on myself too much because recently, I’ve not had that much self confidence. 

Ironically, we had a tutorial about self confidence and self efficacy and things last week. It was all about establishing how motivated we are as learners and what our strengths are, trying to pin point why we’re confident at one thing and less so at others. I just realised that since I got my university offer in February, I’ve been less motivated to study because I didn’t have a goal. Maybe I should start setting more targets for myself? Make a better study plan? It’d probably help. 

And so many new people! I’m generally quite a social person but I had a close knit group of friends last year and we don’t all go to the same place now so making new friends and making my own way without them right there is harder than I -. Actually, no, it’s just as as hard as I imagined it would be. It’s all pretty hard.

Someone posted on the facebook page for our year group earlier on “I still want to be a teacher, I still want to be a teacher, I still want to be a teacher”… Haha, I guess I’ll have to keep chanting this too.

Thank You For Listening

Just want to thank hauntedbydrums and spongebobcookie for following me. =) It’s nice to feel like people are interested in what I’m saying. Thank you!