So that is me done my first week of first year at uni now. How did it go? Hmm, well its been alright so far, a bit confusing with all the different information that has been chucked our way ie. the Tutorials, Workshops, Labs and Lectures and their respective times and locations. And then there are the assignments and exercises we need to do online for each of my 3 courses, Engineering, Chemistry and Maths. Doesn't sound too bad you think? Well, Engineering 1 is split up into 4 different disciplines in the first year, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Electrical Engineering, of which we have to take at least 2. Maths is split up into 2 courses in the first semester, Applicable Maths 1 and Mathematical Methods 1, both compulsory. Each different course has different ways to check and submit your stuff online, MasteringChemistry, WebCT, myED, uni email, MapleTA. I don't see why they cant just make it more simple and user friendly and cut some of the crap ones out. Makes it pretty hard for freshers to actually understand what the hell they are talking about sometimes.
Then theres the labs, tutorials, workshops etc, I need to do 1 maths tutorial a week, 3 workshops for engineering over semester 1, which I need to put my name down for either Tues 2-5pm or Thurs 2-5pm in Weeks 2-4 for the first one, and the same again in subsequent weeks. Then there are the tutorials for Engineering, 2 of them every 3 weeks I think. And if I dont get in to the workshops or tutorials, I will lose marks. This is kinda a possibility for some people as there are like almost 400 people in the class and only a max of 70 or 80 I think they said could be taken in each workshop room, and less than that for tutorials I'd imagine.
Half the time the lecture theatres are full and there are people sitting in all the stairs around the place =/
Couldnt the uni have made some bigger lecture theatres, or just split the class up into 2 groups for different times or location for the lectures? Sometimes it frustrates the hell out of me that universities can be so poorly organised. So far, I definitely dont like the idea of having to put my name down for each non-lecture class for engineering. They should have just assigned us times like the Chemistry lot did.
So the timetable is pretty confusing, I've already managed to miss 2 lectures in the first week, but so far I'm getting used to it and getting there on time surprisingly! One was just purely my forgetfullness, well maybe they both were. I'd seen that they had moved one of the Maths lectures to wednesday as a result of the Bank Holiday on Monday this week, but just forgot to turn up really. Today, the 2nd I missed was because the lectures are either in LT4 or LT5, I didnt double check my timetable before I headed into the one that they are usually in (LT5) and sat down for Maths at 9:00, then 45 mins through, I realised I was meant to be in Chemistry in the lecture theatre next door. -_- I take the maths lectures at 12 instead of 9:00 so I can get to my Chem lectures.
And another kick in the teeth is the fact that I seem to have caught the fresher's flu...its ridiculous how many people are coughing in the lectures, so within a day or two I seem to have got the plague they all pretty much have. Haven't they heard of fruit and vegetable? lol, well I remember from my days in halls for my last degree that students aren't exactly the healthiest bunch. Still, I'm pretty annoyed I caught this...I've been trying to keep healthy and it hasn't kept it out T_T
Anyway, that was probably boring and too long hehe...excuse my ranting/ramblings...
2 comments:
You're at Edinburgh Uni now? Cool stuff~! The education system is really pretty fun, and I think it'd be nice to stay in it for as long as possible. I guess I might catch you around at some point? ^_^; I just started a couple of weeks back. Majoring in Japanese with Chinese and East Asian Civilisation on the side. To be honest, I've been just as shocked as you at how disorganised the university is. But I guess they have a lot on their plates? There's a pretty staggering range of courses, buildings, tutors, and exams to keep track of and coordinate. ^^;
Anyway, I hope you get well soon, and that the next few years are good for you~
~ Edwin
Yeah I'm sure it is quite hard to keep track of all the stuff going on at uni. There are hundreds of people in first year from what I can tell.
I'm not entirely sure that I'm going to keep going with this course, its not really my thing from what I can tell so far. A lot of maths and physics..
Yeah it would definitely be cool to catch up sometime. =D
Post a Comment