Pressure

Academics
I don't know what much too tell you, In Maths i'm learning about vectors and 
series tests. In biology i'm learning about inheitance and immunology, I do love immunology it's so interesting but sadly it's coming to the end and we're looking at the anatomy of the biliary system. Alot of terms to learn for that!. 
In Biology we had an exam that was a small percentage of our overall mark I got a mediocre 8/15 which is still a pass so i suppose I cannot complain. I found the test had little biology in and more like your ability to comprehend long questions. In my latest maths assignment I got 88% which is outstanding for me! and counts for a larger percentage of my overall degree. At the end of the day as long as i get higher than 60% at the end i'll be over the moon!.

I'm a student academic representative for my course and had a meeting this week, i'm enjoying volunteering for this i feel like i'm making a difference to my course and also get to communicate to the friendly admin staff who are so helpful!.

Recreation
I've been having a nice sobeur week and concentrating on my studies, I played for the first team of lacrosse and Leeds Met we sadly lost but the journey and the experience was great!. 
I'm home this weekend due to my dads birthday, I went ice skating for the first time with my brother and did suprisingly well, I want to learn skating fr when i go canada as Guelph my international university has a ice rink so figured i may need to learn it there.

Next week
Next week is a busy week, loads of lacrosse trainings, people wanting me to go out 3 times next week, another biology exam and maths assignments I need to control all that and not let my education pay for it as much as possible. The skill of balance is a skill i need to obtain!.

Thanks for reading i'll post again next week hopefully!! 

Christmas Holidays

Hey Readers!, Sorry I haven't updated my blog in like 2 weeks, I've been enjoying the holidays and just now have found the time to update you all on what the holidays have been like

Christmas
Christmas was fairly much like a normal day for my family, most families all watch TV together or all open presents together but by the time I woke up all the presents were opened but mine my 16 year old sister returned to her room and my 13 year old brother was preoccupied playing his new football game (FIFA 14), My Father was preparing dinner a beef wellington and my mother was just busy watching TV downstairs which just left me on my own, So what did I do on christmas day? I read up on Biology, I bought myself a present a biology book best present I could have asked for.

Interactions
 Now originally when I went university I expected all the people I considered close enough to be class mates but not so close i'd see them outside of school would just drift away not expecting to speak to them ever again. This however is not the case I encountered a load of them in Burton Nightclub on the various occassions i've been there over the holidays and they seem suprisigly more friendly and I even got hugs of alot of them :P. Infact about 3 of them wanted to come down to Keele some day and stay with me for a day or two which I didn't expect whether this will actually happen or they are just drunken ramblings we will see. 

My close friends that have returned for the first time since going originally, 2 from portsmouth uni and 1 from bangor uni, I've been reunited with and have seen them a reasonable amount over the holidays, on friday we had a meal with them before they went back as they go back much earlier than us at Keele.

Revision

 Really the overall objective of this holiday was to revise what I have been taught in lectures, which has been going reasonably well for biology but for maths I could definitley get more in i'm not confident in maths at the moment!, I've done half of the algebra but i should definitley concentrate more on the harder parts. I need to keep reminding myself I'm at uni level so I should buckle down more than A level but that is not the case. During the holidays I also met up with my Biology lab partner who's from Derby which is reasonbly near by and we had a nice revision session which helped loads!

That's all for now I'll post probably next week depending on how concentrated I am on my exams!

Study Abroad

Application to study abroad

Keele give all students the chance to take a semester out during the second year to go to an International University to Study Abroad for one semester a completely unique experience that would look brilliant on a CV

I've started begining my application, I've been doing loads of research into the 7 Universities I have availible to me and I have managed to limit these down just to 4, for my application however I  need to limit it down to 3 so to make that descision as the 4 universitites I have now I like alot I have to look at each universities courses they are offering and ensure that they more or less match the modules I would be taking in the First Semester of the second year

As well as all of that I need to get an Academic Reference, I am going to find this difficult as my academic interaction so far has been very limited due too the fact that mainly I have been doing Lectures which is simply just listening to the lecturers. My personal tutor however is the head of the Cell and Molecular biology module and we have had some interaction in lab classes when he's been going over pratical questions so I'm going to send an email off to him later today and we will see how it will go from there!
Maths
In maths I have got back my Assignment 2 marks, there has been a massive improvement from the assignment 1 marks I think this is due to the fact that I put more effrot and managed to take the assignement much more seriously this time, In my Maths assignement 2 I achieved an overall average of about 75% on my assignment 1 the overall average was about 45% so a massive overall improvement I've been set an Assignment 3 now (Last of the year finally!) to be due in for next monday hopefully that will see good marks as well although it may be harder due to the fact complex numbers are included which I really need to do more revision into as I do not understand them that well!
Biology
In Biology Cell and Molecular as well, we've been set a paper on a PCR Practical we did in class, me and my partners pratical did not successfully work, so didn't most peoples to be fair! but it was familiarising me with the pippette and giving me some much needed pratical lab skills, That lab paper is due in for about the 19th so 2 days before we break up so I have a fair amount of time too write it, although I don't like leaving things till last minute so i'll probably start tomorrow. As well as that I need to organise my 6 minute presentation to a small group on the Golgi Appratus luckily it is not assessed but i'd imagien we'd get into alot of trouble if we didn't put our all into it!

In Introduction to Human Physiology, we've been set no work so far really it's just been hard lectures which i really need to put more revision into as there is so much content in that module!

Going Home

 Home Life

So far I've been home twice in the month and a half period I have been at university, it seems too me it is becoming evidently clear that all the people I considered friends while in Burton, are now slowly growing apart. Which to be fair is not at all that suprising as prolonged periods apart and everyone is now busy after sixth form with their jobs or university life.
Of course there will always be online interactions over skype and the occasional text but I suppose it's not as close. I'm sure at christmas though there will be alot more interaction time.

After the first two weeks at Keele I went home, where we all decided too come home from our universities too go to a local pub and meet with one and other, which was a nice way too catch up, a month after that i came home again with my friends at university deciding not too come home and lead their lifes, I went out with a different set of friends too the burton nightclubs which was nice too catch up with different friends but there is still the feeling that we are all growing apart

Assessment

So far in Biology we've been set no work, no homework or anything that could be moderated. It's just been lectures refreshing us from A level, then practicals on the lectures we've had which is a nice technique too help us learn the Biology. At the end of each Lab Class we have questions on the experiment which we can hand too the lecturer too tell us ways we could improve our answers.
In Maths I've had one class test, one Assignment and have been set another assignment that's due in for next week. These tests and assignments count towards 40% of the module while the other 60% will be decided by class tests in the Janurary which i'm fearing!, as the content is pretty harder than A Level which means I will have too revise harder!, The bad thing about the Biology side is that I've not seen much example questions that could come up on the Janurary test.

Halloween



Our whole Block decided too go as zombies too the Haloween event at the student union where a band called Theme Park (Amazingg) was playing and after that a seperate DJ played for the rest of the night, my costume is in the picture below:

As you can see my facepaint went prettttty wrong, I decided too go as a trangender zombie, what you cannot see in that picture is I'm wearing tights with a suit, and torn shirt as I thought I may as well add a bit of variety too the costume, It was a pretty fun night and everyone looked awesome, there were even some people in the student union on stilts!

LacrosseThere was a tourtament last week called a freshers tourtament which was pretty fun as everyone had the same level of talent really there were no very good people playing, I played in all 7 games without getting subbed off which is a pretty good achievement we played birmingham city uni, Nottingham trent uni, coventry uni, warwick uni & loughbrough uni, some of these unis at both first and second teams as Lacrosse was more popular in other unis compared too ours, we placed forth which is a pretty good achievement and we had loads of fun while playing in the tourtament but were so tired on the way back!.


Current Situation


At this moment in time i'm currently watching batman, the dark knight, while looking puzzled at this assignment that I'm trying too make some good progress with, my first assignment went pretty poorly so i'm going to put my all into this one too ensure I get the result a actually want!.

Adapting to University

Hey Guys sorry about the lack of activity it's just I've just been really busy with social life and education mixed, at the beginning they talked about balance of studying and social life and it's just dawning on me how important that is going to become

Mathematics

Now this is going reasonably OK, I feel like what i hear in lectures I get it breifly but most of the time i'm just taking down notes to review later in the day so i can actually fully understand what is said!, as well as lectures Maths consists of 2 'Problems classes' where a lecturer will go over the problems we have heard in the lectures with example with a small group (about 13) students,  So far we had one practise test on the first week so we could see how much we would need to revise from A Level, I achieved 11/20 which is OK I suppose motivated me to revise more of my past A level but really from the lecturers i've had so far i've not really needed too revise from A Level.
We have had one class test as well that counts towards 10%  of the first year, I achieved abvout 60% in that and as I needed 40% I think that is a pretty good achievement.
So far there are two modules in the semester i'm in now for maths the cleverly named: Algrebra 1 and Calculus 1, Algebra oddly enough seems to be more about how to write down the obvious and seems more like English at the moment! and Calculus is pretty much just a similar extension to A Level

Human Biology

At the moment i'm finding this verrry interesting, it's similar too A level work in the "Cell and Molecular Biology" module I'm doing in this semester, we have lectures about the organelles of the cells, and then have a about 2-3 lab session to go over what we learnt in our lectures with a pratical, such as  observing the organelles we learnt through a microscope which is actually pretty interesting. The other module I'm doing this semester is entitled "Introduction to human physiology" Which is again enjoyable at the moment what we are doing in that module in neureoscience which is interesting we actually went to the medical school the other day and looked at some interesting stuff (Which can't be explained due to laws and me not wanting to get into trouble) :)

Original Questions

When I first started this blog I listed my main worries I will now answer each of them to tell you what uni is like compared to my worries: 

Will I be able to make friends at university?- Yes. there will be loads of ways to meet new people your halls of resisdence will pretty much become your second family, you'll meet people on the course who you can relate too as you are studying the same subject and of course socities which I would say is the best way to meet new people fast.
 Will the course be too hard for me?- No. First year is pretty much just a small extension from A Level so the Second and third years tell me it's just a year too make as much mistakes as you want and enjoy yourself!, I do of course still revise but there is nothing that I find so hard I cannot do and at the same time I do manage to balance out my social life
Will I be able to cook myself meals? - What I'm eating at the moment is just literally loads of fried food, such as fried chips, bacon, sausage and the occasional pizza all fast food that fair enough is easy to live on but I have a feeling I should probably improve my diet so in the near future I'll be looking onto how to improve myself
Will I be able to keep track of my finances?- this is difficult I am a frivilous spender I will spend alot of money on things I want, most people I'm sure have control but at the moment I have not kept in good control of my finances mainly due to a massive chunk took out in the first accomodation payment leaving me about £800 for the 3 months then there is lacrosse which so far has cost me about £300 in membership, insurance and kit, (I predict more as i still need to get my own stick!), but I do have a large overdraft thanks to Santander and I'm not that worried
Will I lose contact with my friends?- Well about 2 weeks ago I went back to Burton for the first time and met up with my friends, all the people who went university all came back to burton for that weekend which was nice but obviously there  isn't as frequent socilisation as everyone is normally busy but when we do meet up it's very nice!

Current Situation

At the moment I've got back from newcastle with some of my block mates, we all went to newcastle to buy a Halloween costume and we purchased a white shirt (to tear up), fake blood, white face paint and tights, so we've decided to go as transgender zombie

I am also recovering from a bad hang over, I played a game with the Lacrosse society called pub golf, where we got tied to a member of the girls lacrosse team (couldn't unbind for any reason other than toilet) had to go to the bars around campus and down about 2 pints at each in the amount of gulps taken recorded on a sheet so least score wins!, as you can guess it did not end well as it just ended in a bunch of drunk people

Now at the moment I'm currently listening to The Fray and will probably go upstairs to the kitchen soon to talk to my block mates or either just get some rest! or in an unlikely circumstance revise!. Thanks for reading guys, I will post again not every week but I'll post when I have interesting things to say.

Societies

I understand this is a late post but i've been really busy recently with work and socieities so now I finally have some free time I'm going to write this blog sorry to keep you waiting!

Societies

OK freshers week is over, over that week i've got to get to know my 35 blocks mates and we are like one big disfunctional family, I've met so many new people in class that I cannot even remember there names!. So too socilize outside of my block I decided too sign up for a number of societies which were Archery, Poker, Student Magazine, Snapshot, Refereeing, Swimming, Rowing, Lacrosse, Drama, Life Sciences & Mathematics, Out of all the ones i've signed up for I've only found the free time to attend Lacrosse and Drama.

Lacrosse is a violent game that is basically like Ice Hockey but in the air with violent tackles with long sticks, it's got to be one of the funnest games I've ever played!, and the people in the society form a "lad" mentality, with their drinking games & pub forfeits and such. I've certainly met some interesting people!.

The drama society went well, although as you would expect I did meet some odd people, but some of people I did get to meet were lovely and cannot wait to see again!, I did not manage to get a stage role but I'm going to help out back stage

Finances

 Now I receieved my about £2,300 in students finances, within two days I had to pay my accomodation fees as well as paying back my £450 in my accomodation deposit leaving me with about £900 for 3 months, which sounds like quite alot but then I have to sign up for the Athletic Union with Lacrosse about £20, Sign up for Society membership about £50, signed up for the gym for a year for some reason £100, soon i'll have to buy my Lacrosse kit £130, then there's the lacrosse stick £50 & as well as all that I have nights out where I have to pay for entry and drinks which leads to about maybe £40 a week!, After all that it's just food and the essentials so it really does dawn on me that I will be relying on my overdraft towards the end of the student year!

Work and Free time

My first week was pretty easy it was just introductory lectures and laying down the rules but now i'm in my second week the amount of work is dawning on me after every lecture there must be at least an hour of questions to follow in maths and in biology there is so much information to go over!, I must say though i'm enjoying it much more than sixth form being away from Burton is so refreshing and meeting new people is brilliant.

Current Situation

 I'm going over notes as I have a maths test next week that goes towards my first year of my degree!, tonight I understand people are going out to the student union to watch some crappy house music, for the first time i've passed on that event to catch up and type up my work. University life is finally hitting me that i'm going to have to do loads of revision perhaps more than A level!,

thanks for reading I'll aim to get another one up for sunday but... I may not have much to talk about so It may be later :)