Goodbye!

Hi everyone! Well, I guess now that I am leaving the enquiry unit this will be my last blog! *sob*

This year has been the best year of university so far, no doubt about that, so much has happened this year and I've had some amazing moments with some fantastic friends! It’s been tough, not going to brush that aside, but it has all been worth it! Living in Greenwich only a walk away from the university was also good, it made it so easy to see everyone and get to work (enquiry unit and research centre).

I think I’m going to start my last blog by saying… congratulations to one of my best friends Avneet on her wedding over the weekend just gone! Her and her new hubby Leo got married in India! I’m very proud of her and I want to wish them both all the best for the future! J

I also have some good news, I applied for a job a couple of weeks ago at the University of Sunderland London campus at Canary Wharf, within two weeks I was called in for the interview, I did the interview, I got a call the next day and I got the job!!! :D I’m starting in 2 weeks which is scary but the area is lovely and the people seem really nice. My title will be ‘Student Relations Assistant’, which will involve advising and supporting students about university life. It goes well with my degree and my experience J. I feel lucky as it was my first interview and I've only just finished university so I’m happy J.

So I have that to look forward to, everything feels like it’s coming around so fast and I cannot believe that this is my last day in the enquiry unit. My degree is done, the final results come out next week too which I’m kind of looking forward to but I know what I’m coming out with now anyway which is a high 2:1 J.

It’s been such a great experience, and anyone reading this, I hope you give university a serious thought as it has honestly been the best experience of my life and the best years of my life, and I feel it will be the same for anyone. I've met amazing people, I've had eye opening experiences, it’s made me mature, it’s made me aware of so many things that I probably wouldn't know about if I didn't go, and also, living on your own in a multicultural capital really does help you become independent! My degree, along with my work experience and all of the fun stuff I've done here really has made me the person I am today.

I really want to thank everyone over the past three years, mainly the lecturers and my managers for helping through university and making me come through as the person I am today and with the qualifications and experience I have achieved. The lecturers were amazing, they gave us advice and helped us get good grades and even though they were very busy with their own research, they gave as much help as they can! My managers in the enquiry unit and the research centre were also lovely J I've had a great time and gained really valuable experiences from both work places. All of the supervisors need a good thank you too as they were all great with helping us all in the enquiry unit! I had so many questions all of the time, but they were always happy to help us J.

To end my last blog, I’m going to bid you all farewell, and I hope you give university a good think, as it’s not just about getting a job at the end, but it’s the experiences you gain throughout which makes you a more mature, knowledgeable and independent person. It’s also about the friends you make and discovering yourself as a person J. So, I’m going to now enjoy my time off (2 weeks until my new job) by going on holiday to Spain with my family and boyfriend! I hope you all go away and enjoy the sun as it doesn't look like we’re getting any here!

It was great blogging to you all over the past year, I hope you've enjoyed my blogs and what I've been up to J.

Hayley 

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End of exams, end of an era…

Hey everyone! Well, I did say that I would do another blog before my last exam but I was literally revising so much and working alongside that I honestly didn't have the time! I've finished all of them now though, and surprisingly I have received some grades back already!

I got a 1^st in my sociology exam, which was the first one I did, and I found out my dissertation grade too! I got a high 2:1 which I’m really happy about considering it was a huge chunk of our degree. Based on that I think I’m going to come out with a high 2:1 overall now, as really this year I have received mostly 2:1’s and then a few 1sts here and there J.

The last 2 exams I did were pretty hard not going to lie! The Intro to Educational exam was very long (3 hours) and quite confusing. We had to answer 3 shortish questions (about half hour on each) and then one massive one at the end (hour and half). The big one was based on self-concept and self-worth which thankfully I knew about, but for an hour and half we obviously had to write other things! So hopefully what I put in there was right. The Developmental exam however was a seen exam, and it was 2 hours so we had to answer 2 questions. I prepared a lot so I knew what to write when I was in there and I remembered all of the theorists, but I’m hoping what I wrote was good enough. After I came out of my last exam the relief was incredible, we were all so happy and I got rather jittery knowing that we don’t have to revise anymore or go to the library or get really nervous for an exam.

It really is an end of an era though, it’s quite sad as I’m going to miss everyone at uni so much, even the lecturers as they've really helped us through everything. I can’t thank them enough, and they’ve made our journey highly enjoyable. Thinking back to first year in Macmillan halls, it feels like a lifetime ago, probably because we've all matured so much, not just physically and socially, but also mentally; the way we write, the way we organise, the way we approach our work, etc, it’s a great feeling. I would recommend the University of Greenwich to anyone as I really do feel you come out as a much more mature and intelligent person, and very independent, that might be down to the fact that you live in London! I also believe that the GET team are amazing; they've helped me with the jobs I've had and university which are great experience and will help you get a job after. They not only help you get a job, but they help you with your CV, interview skills and much more. Moreover, I think that the writing fellows in the humanities department are fantastic, if you feel that your work needs looking over or you feel that your grammar isn't up to spec, then go and visit them as they will sort it out! They've helped me gain my high 2:1’s and 1sts so I would recommend seeing them.

Overall my university experience was great; I've made some lifelong friends and have gained great experience from my university jobs. There is also so much to do in Greenwich, plus it’s only 20 mins away from central so there’s always so much to do. I've really made the most of my time here, and if anyone is thinking about coming here then you should definitely make the most of it by getting involved with societies, jobs, leisure activities, invites to places, etc.

Other than rambling on about my time here, I’m now going to tell you about what I've been up to recently! Last weekend was so good, on Friday quite a few of us went to the pub with the psychology lecturers which was hilarious as some of them got rather drunk, as well as the students might I add. We went to Spoons in Greenwich and took up a 1/3 of downstairs which was quite impressive haha! I thought it was going to be a quiet evening in the pub with a few drinks, but it got to 11pm and we began playing truth or dare and have you ever!! It was one of those nights. The following night (Saturday) me and my close friends from my course went to Venue in New Cross. It was so good, one of the best clubs I've been to, and it has 4 floors of different music so all night we were moving around, we all got ridiculously drunk and ended up getting in at 5am, the sun was even up! This week I've been chilling really, but tomorrow I’m going to central London with my friend from home who I haven’t seen in ages, and then we’re meeting my boyfriend and another friend in the evening, so that will be nice. This weather is lush so it’ll be nice to chill in central. I might as well make the most of it as I’m only living up here for another 2 and half weeks and then I’m going back to Essex L. It’ll save us money, but I love living up here in my little flat with my boyfriend, I think that’s also made this year amazing.

Anyway, I’m going to stop waffling now, but I’ll speak to you before I leave the enquiry unit (which is only 3 weeks away!), as I’ll be working with the research centre after for a while. Hope you enjoy this weather!

Speak soon,

Hayley

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