I haven’t written anything since Sunday, I’ve been a bit preoccupied and seem to have reverted back to an old unwanted habit. This would be staying awake at night until some ridiculous hour doing absolutely nothing and for no apparent reason.
Yes, I could have spent my time awake writing posts on my blog and maybe getting some work done, as this is something I definately need to do. It’s not like I haven’t planned to do the work, it’s just that I’m feeling a bit fed up of having to write essays and think about my dissertation, I just want to get out into the journalism World and earn some money.
I really don’t think this degree needs to drag on for three years. The first year is basically about seperating the ‘riff’ from the ‘raff’, siphoning off those who are only here for the alcohol and staying out without telling their parents.
When I started university I remember noticing that there were quite a few people on my course who hadn’t yet mastered the apostrophe. I found this to be quite gobsmacking as this was stuff that I’d got to grips with years ago. I’m not saying that I am some sort of genius, as I am not. But this is a journalism degree, and the ability to write is obviously of high importance. Are apostrophes no longer part of the National Curriculum?
Don’t get me wrong, what we learnt in the first year was essential in helping us on our way to careers in the industry. But there were clearly a lot of people who were simply not up to scratch. A lot of this was also down to lack of effort, or simply not knowing whether they were on the right course for them.
So why not iron-out these problems at a younger age? Maybe encourage teenagers to take gap years so that when they do go to university they are a little bit older and more focussed. A lot of students seem to have enrolled on their course simply because they want to be here, with little thought going into what they actually want from life.
At level one of my degree, I just had to pass the first year, it doesn’t even count towards my final grade. If there were less of the people mentioned above at uni then we wouldn’t have needed to waste an entire year proving that we were good enough.
And what about the ridiculously long holidays? We get four months in between each uni year, during which the first few weeks are fun and then it just gets tedious. Then by the time we’re back, the momentum is gone and we have to build it right back up again. How about we shorten the breaks, only take on those who are clearly good enough and squeeze the whole thing into two years?
And let’s scrap fees while we’re at it.
Spot on! Im in my 3rd year with my dissertation looming but really just want it to all be over with and get on with my career! I was in the same postion regarding the pointless first year, and now just wish could ignore the essays and keep writing reports! My blog needs way more time dedicated to it….