I'd just like to open with an appeal to my, what appears to be, lone follower in Russia who has searched the url especially to read this. Care to leave a comment, just out of interest?
Anyway! My fellow university students, I share your pain. To anyone who doesn't know, the majority of universities have, over the last few weeks, inflicted exams upon us and from what I've seen so far, no one is safe. Some of the people I live with or see a lot who have put immense amounts of work into their studies and in all fairness deserve good grade, have found their tests truly grueling. I hope that you have pushed through and remember... there are always re-sits. I myself am well prepared to have a nice barbecue combined with intense cramming over summer when I miss the pass grade for my modules.
In some areas however, it's not so bad. Take today's exam for example: I only knew for definite the answers to three questions out of 35. Three for heavens sake. But in the overall scheme of things, with the help of two of my wonderful course mates, our combined coursework was such a high grade that we each only needed to get four correct answers to pass the module, so I can only pray that one of my 32 guesses was on the money.
Something which in my opinion is ridiculous and counter intuitive to everything we are taught through GCSE and A Level is 'negative marking'. For anyone ignorant as to the principle, as I was until this week, it means that for every wrong answer marks are subsequently deducted. Now, this might be fair enough in something like medicine because none of us wants a doctor who guesses at the right medication to give. But when it is used in a multiple choice grammar exam where the answers are all so similar and so you become confused, you are hesitant to go with your gut and you over think every answer therefore I believe ruling out less confident people from getting the top marks where they might be able to achieve them. Or maybe I'm just bitter because I didn't know the answers and would have liked to be able to guess in peace. We'll never know.
In any case, I shall be free from exams at 10.15 on Friday and it couldn't come any sooner. Chin up everyone. Unless you think you've failed? In which case I'd get your head down.
Wednesday, 26 January 2011
Monday, 17 January 2011
New Year - Same Old Tea and Biscuits
Hello one and all, welcome back after the Christmas and New Year period. I'm sure you've all missed my sporadic insights into life over the past month.
Firstly, I would like to dedicate this - little as it is - to Dave Strong who we very sadly lost early into the new year and to his family who have lived up to their names and more. He was a great man who I admired for his whole ethic towards how he lived his life and he's an example many people could learn from.
So. I myself have just returned to University, said hello to everyone and exchanged stories of the holidays and began unpacking. As usual I find myself procrastinating, with little wish to put my bedding on and all that jazz. But then taking up a place in front of the computer I've realised just how little there is to be doing. After being home for the longest time since being at University it's odd to come back to the silence which is my room and the contained world within. As usual I find myself writing to you to quench the boredom.But, whilst on the subject of being back, I'm resolved this semester to do a damn sight more work than I did in the first one (but lets be fair, that shouldn't be too difficult).
The time off though was much welcomed, and it was nice to see those that I haven't in a while. A lot has happened in the past month really, some of it very good, and some of it very sad. I've witnessed some incredible bravery and some inspirational strength of character whilst becoming a very lucky man in the process of it all.
Now of course I have the great fun of exams, for which I am woefully unprepared and thinking maybe I should have listened more, but oh well, I'm sure it'll be fine. I imagine that I am by no means in this boat by myself and those of you reading this will know who you are. (Not you Fahim, you're the student equivalent of a pack horse with the amount you do).
Anyway! I really should form my room into some semblance of order. Or I could go make another cup of tea?
Firstly, I would like to dedicate this - little as it is - to Dave Strong who we very sadly lost early into the new year and to his family who have lived up to their names and more. He was a great man who I admired for his whole ethic towards how he lived his life and he's an example many people could learn from.
So. I myself have just returned to University, said hello to everyone and exchanged stories of the holidays and began unpacking. As usual I find myself procrastinating, with little wish to put my bedding on and all that jazz. But then taking up a place in front of the computer I've realised just how little there is to be doing. After being home for the longest time since being at University it's odd to come back to the silence which is my room and the contained world within. As usual I find myself writing to you to quench the boredom.But, whilst on the subject of being back, I'm resolved this semester to do a damn sight more work than I did in the first one (but lets be fair, that shouldn't be too difficult).
The time off though was much welcomed, and it was nice to see those that I haven't in a while. A lot has happened in the past month really, some of it very good, and some of it very sad. I've witnessed some incredible bravery and some inspirational strength of character whilst becoming a very lucky man in the process of it all.
Now of course I have the great fun of exams, for which I am woefully unprepared and thinking maybe I should have listened more, but oh well, I'm sure it'll be fine. I imagine that I am by no means in this boat by myself and those of you reading this will know who you are. (Not you Fahim, you're the student equivalent of a pack horse with the amount you do).
Anyway! I really should form my room into some semblance of order. Or I could go make another cup of tea?
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