I AM SO DEPRESSED.
I HATE that I'm stuck here indoors all the time. I left my house for the first time in a week yesterday, and that was only to go to the Fracture Clinic. And do you know what they told me? Instead of having my cast on until 30th January, I will have it on until 14th February. Happy Valentine's Day, me.
I am trying to keep up with all of my uni work but it's so hard when some of it is so dull. I have to read Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War, which is no mean feat. It's so bulky and full of places that don't exist any more. Trying to read it and actually take in what you're reading is so hard. I mean, it was written over 2000 years ago. Someone needs to remind me why I agreed to do Philosophy.
Another thing I realised is that people are so ignorant. And that universities really do expect you to do everything for yourself. I'm a strong believer in independent learning and I think students are far too reliant on 'spoon feeding' now, thanks to GCSE and A-Level courses, but I HAVE A BROKEN ANKLE. I can't just depend on my friends to write my notes for me for six weeks, it's not fair. As much as I love UEA, my Literature tutors have not been that accommodating. Basically everything I ask in an email gets a reply of 'You need to discuss this independently/directly with ____' or 'We cannot do this for you. You need to make your own arrangements.' Whilst I completely understand that they can't suddenly give me one-on-one support, how difficult is it for a tutor to give me a quick update on what's going on in the course, or find me someone reliable to help me get lecture notes (I don't actually know anyone in my seminar group)?
To give the Philosophy department credit, they have been absolutely brilliant, directing me to online resources and offering to send me lecture details if I need them. Why is that so difficult of LDC? Who knows.
I realise this post is now completely irrelevant to most people. I'll stop with that now.
The other point I made was that I realised that people are so ignorant. Let me explain. I posted a status on Facebook in the hope that I would find someone in my Literature seminar group (I didn't.), but in my frustration I added at the end "I don't know why I am paying £9k a year to a uni who can't even send me a list of names." or something of the like. A few minutes later someone comments on my status, saying "You didn't pay shit". This comment set me thinking. Yes I may be borrowing from the government at the moment, but once I start work I will be paying them over £42,000. I know some of you will be saying "Yes but that gets written off after 30 years and you won't start paying it back until you're earning £21k blah blah blah" But it's the principle that there are students who are a matter of months, even weeks in some cases, older than me who will be paying back more in the region of £24,000. Because the Labour Party saw the importance of education and in making sure it is accessible to all. Some lucky students will get help from Mummy and Daddy in paying back the £42k, but I certainly will not. And why should my parents help out really? It is my education after all.
This is where my opinion on tuition fees gets rather blurred.
Whilst I completely disagree with the amount students have to pay for their education, I don't believe it should put people off. If they planned to go to university when they thought they'd be paying £3.5k a year, they should still go now. And they should try and think of the debt they will be in as more like paying an additional tax (I guess like the graduate tax Miliband suggested) for 30 years. No one should let financial worries be the reason to not go to university. I've already said today that it is so sad to see people without ambition, and we can't let this government take away our aspirations by not supporting those from poorer backgrounds.
Rant over.
Whilst i agree with you that the tution fees are unfair and that they should have increased them per year rather than a huge jump.
ReplyDeleteI dont think this will affect the best people. Sure we will have to pay back a lot of money and be saddled with debt but a mortgage is also a large debt. In addition it will reduce the number of graduates taking "mickey mouse" courses and leave only the best and more traditional subjects, and some of the newer important ones such as computer science and programming.
Im not hating or anything but university is not for everyone and whilst i believe we should all get a fair shot at it. If people are terrified of debt, they probably will not achieve greatest and will just become another insignificant person. With the economic climate in such unstable and volatile conditions the world needs great people and mavericks rather than the "social engineering" that people try to force through.
Hi John Doe, it's a shame that you couldn't use your real name seeing as I probably know you.
DeleteNo you're right, it won't affect the best people. As I said, it shouldn't put people off, and those who really want to go to uni and are getting the best grades won't be put off. I wasn't put off. And yes, a mortgage is also a large debt, and something that many graduates won't be able to afford straight out of uni, partly because of the amount of student debt and because of the economic climate.
I also agree with you on the 'mickey mouse' courses, but at the same time people who take these courses are going to have far less a chance of getting a well-paid job when they graduate as employers are going to go with those with more traditional degrees.
University is not for everyone, I agree, but at a time when people can get into university with low grade passes such as CCC and such like, they should be given the opportunity to go. And with tuition fees as high as they are, it'll certainly put people who have been used to seeing their families struggle with money off. And with university applications down for two years in a row, we might be missing out on these 'great people and mavericks' you say the world needs!:)