Time has flown rather quickly here since my arrival. A month has passed. In some ways it feels no more than 5 minutes, in other ways it feels like a lifetime. The weeks are flying passed, and yet I can not remember (remember is not strictly the correct word) what it was like to not be here. I have learned more about myself in this past month than I have in the past three years.
I have learnt no more about myself than I imagine anyone else leaving home to attend University does. I have had to learn to be entirely self-sufficient. To be honest it is not as hard as I thought it would be. But what it shows is just how amazingly adaptable people are, you send them miles away from home with people they don't know, and everyone seems to be getting along fine.
On one point I am very proud of myself. I am starting to understand everyone's accents. A rather large proportion of students appear to come from Leicester or Yorkshire and their surrounding areas. Only one of my flatmates is a southener like myself, and it does cause us much amusement that we consider ourselves to be the only ones talking 'proper'. In fact I have only met a handful of people that speak the Queen's English (jokingly - of course I mean that don't speak with a regional accent) like myself.
This weekend four of my five housemates went home. Most of them only live within about an hour to an hour and a half's traveling time. My Southener housemate has stayed, and like me, does not intend to return home until Christmas. We have made the sacrifice of moving 200 miles away from home. However, I do get mixed emotions when I am walking back to my apartment on a late Friday afternoon to see fellow students greeting their parents and being taken away by them. On the one hand, I miss my parents, I haven't seen them for a month and very possibly will not see them until Christmas. On the other hand I feel emboldened by the fact that I am in this for the long haul and do not need to go running back to mummy and daddy because I cannot cope.
I find it rather hard to come up with a topic to write about for my blogs, I know they are meant to be about law, but my law learning is still in its infancy and would be of no interest to anyone as of yet. I too find it hard to give an account of what it is like to be a student, you just have to experience it yourself. One thing you have to learn to do is take the rough with the smooth and just enjoy yourself. For instance I was awoken at 3 o'clock (and 4 o'clock last Wednesday, by the same people I might add) this morning by the lads across the hall (one of whom is studying law). A bit of a bummer one might think, but they are so much fun that you just have to go with it and enjoy yourself. Similarly, yesterday I and my Southener flatmate wasted an afternoon as she and I went tie and shirt-hunting. Not my favorite way to spend an afternoon, but tomorrow night it is a school themed disco hosted by Bodger and Badger, and now our entire apartment has matching ties.
I do so hope they do not bring mashed potato.
Tuesday, October 17
Saturday, October 7
Accommodation.
Last week my flatmates and I were walking back to our court when we were stopped and asked directions to the high-street from a middle aged couple with a daughter that appeared to be around our age. Once they had walked on we were slightly confused as to why a student showing her parents around would not know where the highstreet is located (bearing in mind it contains the majority of the bars and kebab houses). We then began giving a little more attention to the people that we were passing; lot's of middle aged couples with children around our age holding bundles of information. Being the clever students that we are we realised that there must be an open day going on for prospective students.
Indeed, upon looking more closely at the large yellow signs dotted around the place (that's not as ignorant as it sounds, the posters and signs change almost daily) we saw that an apartment had been opened up for them to look at (the freshers were still in it mind you). Being students we know to never pass up a free opportunity to do anything and went to the apartment.
[We passed a window on the way with a sign saying 'Please donate food as we are starving - No cans - we don't have a can opener']
Putting on our best 'we've never been to Lincoln before and we're so in awe of everthing' face we went up to the top floor and had a look around the apartment. It was at this time that we stopped pretending to put the face on and it became genuine. En suite, balconies, matching kitchen furniture. This was living. Of course we should have seen it coming, the university would only show off it's best apartments so as not to put people off.
We were at a friends the other night who lives off campus. There is a whole complex built for second and third years with cheap apartments, that also contains some freshers.
No balcony.
But this was nicely balanced out by their having en suite, bedrooms big enough to have about 5 people on the floor (though I would not suggest sleeping on it - I'm sure I've given an account of that before....). But what really tops it off is the sofas in their kitchen and the flatscreen T.v with free free-view and skysports.
Back at our ground floor apartment with one shower between 6 of us, and cold taps that randomly run out warm (not too nice when you turn it on for a lovely class of refreshingly cold water) I couldn't help but feel slightly bitter about the whole thing. After all the people off campus were only paying two pounds more than us a week, I spent more than that last night in an eat off at the local Charcoal Grill. However all my jealousy subsided when I looked out of my window and saw the Cathedral lit up against the night sky.
It was about this time that a late night tour-boat decided to come by my window full of gawping passengers (I could spit in the river from my room if I was so inclined, it is very close) and reaffirm the loathing I hold for my apartment...
Indeed, upon looking more closely at the large yellow signs dotted around the place (that's not as ignorant as it sounds, the posters and signs change almost daily) we saw that an apartment had been opened up for them to look at (the freshers were still in it mind you). Being students we know to never pass up a free opportunity to do anything and went to the apartment.
[We passed a window on the way with a sign saying 'Please donate food as we are starving - No cans - we don't have a can opener']
Putting on our best 'we've never been to Lincoln before and we're so in awe of everthing' face we went up to the top floor and had a look around the apartment. It was at this time that we stopped pretending to put the face on and it became genuine. En suite, balconies, matching kitchen furniture. This was living. Of course we should have seen it coming, the university would only show off it's best apartments so as not to put people off.
We were at a friends the other night who lives off campus. There is a whole complex built for second and third years with cheap apartments, that also contains some freshers.
No balcony.
But this was nicely balanced out by their having en suite, bedrooms big enough to have about 5 people on the floor (though I would not suggest sleeping on it - I'm sure I've given an account of that before....). But what really tops it off is the sofas in their kitchen and the flatscreen T.v with free free-view and skysports.
Back at our ground floor apartment with one shower between 6 of us, and cold taps that randomly run out warm (not too nice when you turn it on for a lovely class of refreshingly cold water) I couldn't help but feel slightly bitter about the whole thing. After all the people off campus were only paying two pounds more than us a week, I spent more than that last night in an eat off at the local Charcoal Grill. However all my jealousy subsided when I looked out of my window and saw the Cathedral lit up against the night sky.
It was about this time that a late night tour-boat decided to come by my window full of gawping passengers (I could spit in the river from my room if I was so inclined, it is very close) and reaffirm the loathing I hold for my apartment...
Thursday, October 5
Thursday
Whoever used the computer to organise my timetable must have set it to 'kill'.
It being the second week (Fresher's week not counting as a proper week) this week is my first proper week (as you can't have seminars without having had a lecture to have a topic to discuss). I had thought that it was fairly easy-going, I get both Mondays and Wednesdays off, it breaks the week up nicely. The smile fell off my face somewhat when I realised this meant that I would be fitting in the week's worth of seminars (save one) in one day. So from 9 o'clock this morning until 2 o'clock this afternoon I have been constantly lost, having only had my lectures in rather large areas that are easy to find, working out where the seminar rooms (which are much smaller and therefore much more easily hidden from view) were located was a minor problem. My mood was not improved when I returned to the apartment and one of my flatmates said "I don't get how lectures and seminar things work'. Apparently if you're doing a Tech/Design course it's all rather easy going.
I attended the first meeting of the internal moot competition and was not a little surprised to see that only around 15 people had bothered to turn up. After all I was only there to make myself look good later on my CV, I'm not a fan of public speaking, but know that there are some things that you might not want to do that have to be done. I had a look around at the faces of those who were in the room and noted internally to myself how very old some of them appeared. After accidently over-hearing a piece of their conversations it transpired that they are in fact law graduates at the University studying for an LLM. There are therefore to be a handfull of first years to be competing against students who have had at least 3 years of Law study, and the moot takes place in less than a month.
I've started to learn some basics of Law, mostly contract so far. I could, for instance, bore you all with my understanding of Partridge v Crittendon and why the judgement in Grainger and Son v Gough is so relevant to it, but I wont. If however (as I assume many of those that read this blog are) you are aware of the facts of Partridge v Crittendon, I wonder if you are as bemused as I am as to why the counsel for prosecution chose to prosecute for that particular section of The Protection of Birds Act 1957 and not one of the other two, both of which Partridge would most definitely have been found guilty of. The case of Barry v Heathcote Ball & Co did cause me some amusement when I read the outcome.
Today we had a rather brief introduction into the general aspects of law. One part that stuck with me in particular was that of the U.K's membership in the European Union. I have never studied law before and have never given as much attention to politics as perhaps I should have (I can name the leaders of all the main parties and those that they replaced, something that the majority of my seminar peers where unable to manage). It was news to me therefore, to be informed that articles produced by the european union have precedence over legislation produced by parliament. I cannot recall the cases or relevant statutes, but we were told of Spanish fishing vessels fishing U.K waters and flying the Union Flag. Parliament introduced an act so that 75% of all profits made had to be given to the U.K if you were fishing under false colours. An EU article, however, existed (or was brought into existence shortly thereafter) which said that citizens of the EU have the right to work in any other country of the EU and therefore overruled the act of parliament and would allow Spanish finishing vessels to sail under U.K colours. The fact that this also means that as a U.K citizen I could take my retirement pension in Spain, using the same acts, was of little comfort and did very little to hold back the blood that I thought I might throw up out of shear rage that our parliamentary system could be so undermined.
Anyway, that's enough Law, there is more to the life of a Law Student than studying law. On Tuesday night, my flatmate, a friend from across the hall and I went to the local TA centre. We reasoned that the TA would be a lovely part-time job, bringing in some extra money and keeping you fit. It didn't quite go to plan when we were told to come back around December when they are to start their next and last recruitment cycle. I have it on good authority that most TA units do not run like this and I am to harrass them over the phone until they concede, or try to join another unit. To that end I have been taking rather charming runs by the canal to get into the shape that a reasonable person would expect a 19 year old male to be. I'm yet to slip in to the canal, though I haven't been today and it is raining, so it is only a matter of time...
P.s I have the terrible feeling that the armed forces careers advisor is holding a meeting at the campus today that I have missed
It being the second week (Fresher's week not counting as a proper week) this week is my first proper week (as you can't have seminars without having had a lecture to have a topic to discuss). I had thought that it was fairly easy-going, I get both Mondays and Wednesdays off, it breaks the week up nicely. The smile fell off my face somewhat when I realised this meant that I would be fitting in the week's worth of seminars (save one) in one day. So from 9 o'clock this morning until 2 o'clock this afternoon I have been constantly lost, having only had my lectures in rather large areas that are easy to find, working out where the seminar rooms (which are much smaller and therefore much more easily hidden from view) were located was a minor problem. My mood was not improved when I returned to the apartment and one of my flatmates said "I don't get how lectures and seminar things work'. Apparently if you're doing a Tech/Design course it's all rather easy going.
I attended the first meeting of the internal moot competition and was not a little surprised to see that only around 15 people had bothered to turn up. After all I was only there to make myself look good later on my CV, I'm not a fan of public speaking, but know that there are some things that you might not want to do that have to be done. I had a look around at the faces of those who were in the room and noted internally to myself how very old some of them appeared. After accidently over-hearing a piece of their conversations it transpired that they are in fact law graduates at the University studying for an LLM. There are therefore to be a handfull of first years to be competing against students who have had at least 3 years of Law study, and the moot takes place in less than a month.
I've started to learn some basics of Law, mostly contract so far. I could, for instance, bore you all with my understanding of Partridge v Crittendon and why the judgement in Grainger and Son v Gough is so relevant to it, but I wont. If however (as I assume many of those that read this blog are) you are aware of the facts of Partridge v Crittendon, I wonder if you are as bemused as I am as to why the counsel for prosecution chose to prosecute for that particular section of The Protection of Birds Act 1957 and not one of the other two, both of which Partridge would most definitely have been found guilty of. The case of Barry v Heathcote Ball & Co did cause me some amusement when I read the outcome.
Today we had a rather brief introduction into the general aspects of law. One part that stuck with me in particular was that of the U.K's membership in the European Union. I have never studied law before and have never given as much attention to politics as perhaps I should have (I can name the leaders of all the main parties and those that they replaced, something that the majority of my seminar peers where unable to manage). It was news to me therefore, to be informed that articles produced by the european union have precedence over legislation produced by parliament. I cannot recall the cases or relevant statutes, but we were told of Spanish fishing vessels fishing U.K waters and flying the Union Flag. Parliament introduced an act so that 75% of all profits made had to be given to the U.K if you were fishing under false colours. An EU article, however, existed (or was brought into existence shortly thereafter) which said that citizens of the EU have the right to work in any other country of the EU and therefore overruled the act of parliament and would allow Spanish finishing vessels to sail under U.K colours. The fact that this also means that as a U.K citizen I could take my retirement pension in Spain, using the same acts, was of little comfort and did very little to hold back the blood that I thought I might throw up out of shear rage that our parliamentary system could be so undermined.
Anyway, that's enough Law, there is more to the life of a Law Student than studying law. On Tuesday night, my flatmate, a friend from across the hall and I went to the local TA centre. We reasoned that the TA would be a lovely part-time job, bringing in some extra money and keeping you fit. It didn't quite go to plan when we were told to come back around December when they are to start their next and last recruitment cycle. I have it on good authority that most TA units do not run like this and I am to harrass them over the phone until they concede, or try to join another unit. To that end I have been taking rather charming runs by the canal to get into the shape that a reasonable person would expect a 19 year old male to be. I'm yet to slip in to the canal, though I haven't been today and it is raining, so it is only a matter of time...
P.s I have the terrible feeling that the armed forces careers advisor is holding a meeting at the campus today that I have missed
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