Bored at university!!??

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Sorry! That looks a bit rude!
Not my intention.
Apologies.

Although this is interesting it is an OLD THREAD
I expect a lot has changed in the last 3 years.

I missed out on the experiences of being in a student house or halls because I had a 3 bedroom council maisonette to myself! It was on a really bleak hard to let estate (now demolished) but was filled with students and people living an alternative lifestyle. In some ways it was a bit scarry (I was burgled twice) but in others it was good fun. I used to sometimes think I was the only person who paid the rent.

When I read some of the accounts now of what it costs to go to uni in terms of student loans and having parents to support one financially I realise how very fortunate I was as a mature undergraduate. It was an amazing few years when I could do what I wanted and was responsible for no one but myself. Wonderful days.

That first sentence was meant to refer to my grandson!

My DGD is at Newcastle , he seems happy there, however he is quite confident, and his cousin was in the year above, plus he knew some people because he had been at school with them, not necessarily in the sane year. He is second year and in a shared house, he was previously in hall. My DGD1 is at York, she only seemed to have a small social group at school, but seems to know more people now. She is also second year, in a shared house, and they are taking it again fir their third year. The nice thing about her house is they are all doing different subjects. Neither of them have complained about boredom, both universities seem to have lots of societies to join.

Yes the system has been dumbed down dreadfully. Even before I retired as an acdemic in 2007 I was often told that I marked too strictly. The really hard working students were those from overseas (under pressure from family to get a good degree) and the older students. I found some of the younger UK students to be bright but lazy and more likely to get a 2/1 than a 1st.

Reading some of the threads on mumsnet it appears that things have dumbed even further. Many students come out as an entitled bunch with the "I pay your wages I want some service" orientation which would not have gone down well with me. Nor would all this pussyfooting around gender and wokeness. Im glad Im not an academic anymore.

Once upon a time to get a First was an outstanding achievement. Many faculties would go several years without ever granting a First.

In the mid 1960s when DH got his, Firsts were so rare he featured in a photograph and short interview in the local paper and had a congratulatory visit from the local MP. i doubt that would happen now there are just too many Firsts.

Some students feel that if they don't get a First they have wasted their time and money (which is not true, of course, but leads to a very study-driven experience, rather than an all-rounded one

This was my fixation at uni. I had always envied people who had degrees. In a way it was about finding my intellectual limit. Someone I respected very much had told me "You can get a first".

I would have felt that I had left myself down by getting a 2/1. But this was the mid 1980s when a first really counted for something. Also I went as a mature student so could not afford to "mess around". I think this explains why I drove myself so hard. I wanted to do a masters and a doctorate and the only way to attract funding was to get a first.

In the last 3 months before my first degree finals I abandoned my friends, family and social life and did nothing but work. I lost track of night and day. I became the absolute mistress of the 45 minute essay. When I sat my finals I could have answered any question on any paper. I knew as I wrote the words that I was writing a first class answer.

I also burned myself out. It took me half a year to recover.

However I did eventually go on to get my Ph.D and become an academic.

All sorts either the op’s granddaughter left or she is in her final year!

Well seeing as I answered two years ago about me worrying about my very shy self conscious grandaughter who is now in her second year and absolutely loving it she is having a whale of a time, as well as studying and part time working in a bar She has made loads of friends and has a very very good social life She has really come out of her shell She past year 1 with a good result
Nanna8 they still do all the things you describe do not worry 😂

Most students, past, present and, no doubt, those to come, find the first term at university a shock in every sense.

In my day (early 1960s) over the Christmas vacation, you sat down assessed the whole situation and decided what you needed to do to improve matters, whether it was deciding how we must change, to how whether we need to talk to our tutor, change our course, slow down or whatever and generally from the Easter term onwards , life improved.

I hope your gd makes some friends Flutterby, it is so important to mix with her fellow students. Life is too short to feel isolated and unhappy so young. I would be worrying too. Hopefully things could turn on a sixpence.🤞

Much to my sadness HE has dropped out of university in his first term. He was as I thought he might be totally overwhelmed by the whole thing. He was a music student and he just stopped playing. Totally blocked. The GO has referred him for counselling and he has promised me he will go. I am so worried about his future.

Seminars are for interactions. Undergraduate social life wastes too much time when they should be learning not mindlessly entertaining themselves.

I went to university in 1972 to study physics. I went to the sort of school at the sort if time where everybody with half a grain of aptitude for it was pushed towards sciences and science fairs. Within a term I'd got my feet under the table at the student newspaper, where I found my true vocation was writing. A little later I even got the gig as Arts Editor, meaning that I got free tickets for any worthwhile cultural event that came to town. I never cared much for Led Zeppelin but I was very popular when I had a couple of freebies for their sold-out-months-earlier concert in exchange for a review.

Student newspapers are defunct now but there are plenty of other student enterprises around if Glasgow was anything to go by when I did my MLitt a couple of years ago. I joined the Beekeeping Society, which had a couple of hives in the campus area. There will typically be amdram societies, debating societies, political societies of all flavours, dancing, sailing, singing groups, all kinds of sports energetic or otherwise, volunteering groups, even just social groups. It's a case of keeping an eye on noticeboatds and finding one that suits.

Children legally become adults at the age of 18. The universities have no powere over them and cannot be expected to solve every student's problem, even if they are allowed to and DS, who is n academic, says many staff and universities would like to help students, but it cannot be done without the student's consent. This particularly applies when students have mental health problems. No one can contact a student's parent's without that student's consent. The same applies to discussing their work or anything else.

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Ah! It’s an old thread, bumped by one of those pesky essay writing people.

I did a PGCE about five or six years ago. Obviously I was by far lots older than the vast majority.
I was absolutely gobsmacked at how little they spoke.
And they thought that they could become teachers! If there’s one requisite- it’s being able to speak.
They were all terrified of making fools of themselves - another requisite for a primary teacher.
It was very frustrating.
Sometimes it was just me and the lecturer keeping things going.
It sounds like a didn’t like them, but it’s quite the opposite.
I did feel sorry for how self conscious they all were

We didn't discuss much politics when I was at uni- too busy having a good time and socialising. No one cared about or was interested in political parties we just thought they were all liars anyway, across the board. Maybe we were right?

Back when I was at uni, students didn't talk a lot. You might meet some at tutorials but you really needed to join social student groups to meet people for the most part. Not too different to today.

I had the time of my life at uni. In those days you had to swot hard for exams and put in the odd essay but it was pretty much free for all otherwise. We had a bar where we would congregate in the evenings and get drunk and sing etc. They don’t seem to do that now . They are living under The Curse of The Phone and they don’t even realise it. Could she join some of the clubs and/ or activities that all unis have ? At least she would get to know people that way.

Reading this , I am worried about sweet, shy little GD, who has just started. I hope she has made some friends . I’ll be seeing her next week.

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