Transition at UCL - Student Blogs
Hugh - Before Coming to UCL
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What are you most looking forward to about university? I am looking forward to student life (meeting new people, partying, etc...). Also, will be glad to study new subjects, and academically, being able to concentrate on a few subjects that actually all interest me (Coming from France, I have been forced to study many things totally irrelevant to my interests, such as physics, biology, maths, philosophy, micro-economics...) What are your main concerns about starting university? My main concerns are of financial order. Also, I am rather afraid about living in a large foreign city, far from home. I am also concerned that never having studied in England, my work will not meet expectations, because of different habits when it comes to logic, expression, work (the Cartesian logic our teachers always used to go on about). What do you expect will be the biggest challenge in adjusting to university life? I expect the biggest challenge I will face will be the new work format. Less lessons, more outside, autonomous work (No longer 34 hours a week of teachers doing everything, from the research to the thinking for me!). |
First Month at UCL
I had several fears about coming to study in England, and especially London. I was of course a bit daunted by the thought of moving to a foreign country, and a big city (Caen is a provincial town of 100 000 people, and even then, I live in a tiny village 10 miles north), so they're would definitely be some adaptation needed there. Also, all of my studies up to now had been in French, so despite speaking fluent English, I was scared of having trouble with technical terms, and academic writing. Finally, I was put off by the amount of paperwork I was asked for, just to come back to my country of birth.
Well, I was right about the last bit! I arrived in London on the 18th September, registration for foreign students being a week earlier (the 21st). In the three days I spent at a friend's house in Streatham, I can't think how many times I was tempted to jump on the Eurostar and go home. But when I finally arrived at UCL, I saw that I was not the only one, and everyone was very helpful. This was true of the academic staff, and my fellow students also. I'm glad I came, my course seems fascinating, and everyone is kind as well as interesting. Hopefully I will feel the same in a month. I think so...
Second Month
So, how has my beginning at UCL been like? Ive met up with lots of people. The great thing about UCL and London is that youll meet loads of really interesting students from all walks of life and from all over the world.
A lot of people said that they were dissapointed with freshers week, that it was a bit of an anticlimax, but I found that although it wasn't as mad as it could've been, it really made it easier afterwards to meet people. I suppose its what you make of it.
My lessons are fascinating. I do have some problem with language, but everyone is really helpful. My teachers dont mind me stopping them for help with odd word, and my German Literature teacher explained how the commentary I was meant to do on reading week was different from a French Commentaire de Texte... Everyone is so helpful!
Otherwise, London is as big and expensive as ever, but I'm starting to get the hand of it. Its brilliant, theres so much to do. Concerts, exhibitions, theatre, film premieres. Its not that expensive. And Ive managed to find the odd one-off job, so lifes not that bad. (Also I've finally beaten the banking system. I now have an account). So lifes looking good. And I'm making the most of reading week to catch up on work.
Page last modified on 21 nov 06 17:12 by Ian C Bartlett
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