University: Here and There

Today I thought I would discuss the differences between my home university and my host university and in general universities in the UK vs. universities in Australia. Specifically: the Design course.

I have noticed quite a big difference between how things work in Britain compared to Australia. First of all the price is triple what I pay at home, the classes and teaching is more intimate, the facilities are fabulous and the students are way more committed than they are at home!

The Price: The price is definitely one of the main differences between the two universities. At home I pay around $5000-6000 a year where as here the students pay almost $15,000 for a year. This is a huge amount for a graphic design course. Each course goes for the same amount of years, you do similar modules and you learn the same things. But it is worth it, as you will find out!

The Classes: In Australia I attend university for around 12 contact hours a week, 3 of those hours being lectures. In the UK I in class almost 20 hours a week. We don't have set weekly lectures here, occasionally we have professionals come in to give us lectures which is good because you pay more attention! The class sizes are a lot different, there are 60 students in second year and we all get taught by the same 4 teachers. At home there are 350 students and we all have lectures together and then are split up into groups of 25. I really like my host universities way. You get to know your tutors and your class mates a lot better and you are with them for the entire year unlike at home where you are only in a class for 13 weeks and you get changed. I guess the cons of the Australian way make it hard for shy people like me to make friends because you are constantly getting changed about.

The Teaching: Even though there are only 2 tutors for a class of 60 students each lesson, I definitely feel like the amount of time you spend in each class makes up for this. Maybe its just because I'm an exchange student but I feel like the tutors put more effort into getting to know you and helping you out than they do at home.

The Facilities:All I can say for this one is, oh my gosh Australia needs to pick up their game! The amount of facilities here actually blew my mind when I saw them. Laser cutting, wood work rooms, metal work rooms, 3D workshops, letterpress, screen printing, jewellery workshop, ceramics...Just to name a few! This is obviously why the fees are so high!

The Students: It seems like the students here really want to get their (parents) moneys worth here, they don't leave class early, they stay till way after class is done, they come in on weekends and they just generally seem more committed. I can totally understand that since they are paying this huge sum of money to be here. At home students can't even stay three hours without wanting to leave!


I sound very Pro-UK in this post. Its true I really do like university better here, maybe its because I have fully immersed myself in university culture, I don't know. If I could stay here for the rest of my degree I would! If you ever get the opportunity to go on exchange, do it. You get to receive this amazing education for a fraction of the price. If you think that you can't afford exchange, you are wrong. Fee-wise it is cheaper for me to do a year abroad than it is to study at home. But seriously do it, get a OS Help Loan, put everything on HECS let your future self deal with it because this is an experience that you will never get again so do it!



PS. My host uni has Bee Hives on the roof! How cool is that? extra points for you MDX!

Apologies

So I've missed 4 days of blogvember which is unfortunate. What can I say? things got busy.

On Monday it was bonfire night although I didn't get to see any fireworks, I did head into Oxford Street to see the Christmas lights get turned on! Robbie Williams was playing a concert for the event although I was so far back and I was by myself I decided to go into McDonalds to get a chocolate sundae, much to my dismay they do not have these on the menu here. I waited for Ellie to arrive and we had £2 meals from a voucher and headed home. I thought the lights were really cool and I might go in again at night to have another look. Here I am in front of the Marmite lights.

Yo comes to visit me in six days! I am unbelievably excited.

Hopefully I am back on track with the blogging thing now.

Love,

Sarah

Sundays aren't exciting

This blogpost is brought to you by: Uneventful Sundays.

As expected I don't have much to say for today, but here goes!
Today I was going to spend the day having a boring study day locked in my room, but it turned out quite lovely in the end. I wandered out of my room at about 12pm after sleeping in and Skyping my parents to find Marthe and Annie studying together in the kitchen. Marthe made me an omelette and toast for brunch, Liz brought her Boyfriend over who is visiting from Holland, Ellie came down to help* me with some animation, and I had a delicious quiche for dinner. Earlier in the day Annie, Marthe and I decided that we would go see the new James Bond film: Skyfall at the Odeon in Camden. I really enjoyed it! I haven't seen an action film in ages and it was really good.

It's quite late and I need to be up early tomorrow so I shall bid you goodnight and hopefully tomorrows post will be more exciting.

Love,
Sarah


*in this case, I mean do my work!

Winter, chocolate, spending and musicals!

Today was the first day I've worn gloves, you can really tell that winter and Christmas are just around the corner here in London. As soon at November 1st rolls around all the shops put up their christmas displays, the decorations start appearing and Starbucks change their seasonal menu. It just feels so much more festive here!

Ellie and I got up and into Leicester Square reasonably early this morning so we could purchase tickets to Shrek: The Musical for tonight. After which we intended to head home to do some of our assignments, but no we ended up staying in central London until quite late in the day. We browsed M&M World and then we ended up at Anthropologie, an amazingly expensive clothing and home wares shop. They were having an end of season sale and we picked up a few bargains. We then headed to Monki on Carnaby Street where I did a bit more spending. My bank account is sad this week.

We finished off the day by seeing my first ever musical, Shrek. I liked it very much but I didn't love it, the costumes were really cool and Lord Farquuad was hilarious. I think I need to see a few more to shows to decide which kind I like. I think I might take Yolande to one when she comes in 11 days! Maybe the Lion King? I also really want to see Our Boys, but mainly because Matthew Lewis and Arthur Darvill are both in it.

Today was yet another good day in London, but I think tomorrow will be a rest and study day for me, so hopefully I can think of something mildy interesting to blog about for the 4th day of Blogvember!

Love,

Sarah

Food, Glorious food.

Day two of Blog Every Day in November, which from this point will be call 'blogvember', has provided me with an interesting story to tell. Today Ellie and I decided that we would go to the Borough Market, an amazing food market in London. I've heard many great things about it, but seriously it was so good.

We started our adventure off at Kappacasein by ordering and devouring the best toasted cheese sandwich I have ever eaten in my life. It was just enough cheesy and just enough crunchy and oh my gosh it was so delicious! Well worth the £5 that I spent on it!

We then had a wander around looking at all the different stalls, I can't believe I got away with spending under £10 because I wanted to buy everything. Thank goodness I restrained myself. 

I should probably point out that the purpose of our visit to the market was to take some photographs of bread for one of our design assignments for uni. We were taking photos outside one of the bakeries there, when a 70 year old Irish man, Jim, began chatting to us. He invited us inside to have a look at his autograph wall where chefs such as Jamie Oliver had signed! He then offered to give us a little tour around the market. This guy knew pretty much everyone. He bought us a punnet of strawberries and then took us to the pub and bought us a pint of lager where he bid us farewell to went back to sell bread at his bakery! 

Today was a really fun day, lets hope tomorrow is just a good!
-Sarah

Autumn and November Bloggin'

So it's been decided, I am going to Blog Every Day in November. I've been inspired by my dear friend Yolande, who is doing NaNoWriMo (a month in which you write a 50,000 word novel) in the form of blog posts on her travel blog. Although I am not as ambitious as her, I will try my best to write more and not depend on photos! Any who, today is day numero uno, the 1st of November.

So basically I've been bogged down with assignments for the past few weeks, hence my absence, but I am back with a vengeance! (not really...or yes really, who knows). I am using this month to motivate me to do some really exciting things and fill up as much of my spare time and days off as I can with entertaining things I can do and blog about!

The weather is changing here now and it's starting to get a lot colder and it's getting dark by 4.30. Almost all the Autumn leaves have fallen from the trees, into pot holes which make it incredibly difficult to walk without breaking your neck. 

Halloween is a much bigger thing here that it is back home. I didn't have a costume or go to any halloween parties, which is a bit of a shame but I had fun either way. Marthe, Liz, Annie and I went to see Paranormal Activity 4 at the Odeon Cinemas. I must say it was a incredibly crap movie but I did jump, cover my eyes with my scarf and at one point I even screamed! Also I ate an obscene amount of lollies. 

Last Friday night some of us went into Camden with the purpose to see Alt-J's DJ set at The Lock Tavern but Ellie only brought her ISIC card and they wouldn't let her in. We ended up going to a few other bars and clubs instead. I think I drank more that I thought I did and felt very bad the next morning. Why do cider bottles have to be 2000 Litres each?!

I'm going to go to sleep now to prepare for my adventure to The Borough Market tomorrow. I'm especially looking forward to eating one of these lovely things. 

-Sarah