Firstly, I'd like to announce that I'm going ahead with my plans to create a FAQ/e-Book about the experiences of mature students. Not the everyday mundane type of experiences, e.g. how to write essays or prepare for exams. No. I'm referring to the more complex situations that a mature student may well get caught up in. Such situations as having to work in a team composed of unmotivated and lazy individuals. How to deal with the feelings of isolation. Incidents of bullying or harassment. As a mature student you are very much the fish out of water. The academic work is easy compared with trying to strike up working relationships with other students who may well be 20 years younger than yourself.
So if you're interested in sharing your experiences please contact me via my email address, below. Confidentiality guaranteed to those who wish it.
Email: mike@mike-hodges.com
Moving on.
I'm looking to earn some money over the summer and, if I'm lucky, get some relevant experience into the bargain as well. So far my search for temporary employment has not been successful but you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find that prince.
In the North Lincolnshire area there does appear to be a dearth of temporary employment opportunities. Many of the employment agency websites have had few, if any, jobs of any kind. The government jobs website has been useful. Which I find surprising. The range of opportunities runs from a post in Doncaster that fits in with the marketing/advertising side of my course to gutting and jointing animals in a food processing factory. I'll take whatever I can get as long as I get paid for my work. That leads to the subject of internships.
Internships, as if you didn't know, are meant to be a great way for people to get that all important work experience to enhance career prospects and bank accounts. So far all the internships I've considered have either been unpaid or "expenses only". Great if you have a large pile of cash to hand to keep you going but not suitable for a family man who needs to pay the bills. As a consequence I've dropped the idea of an internship. I cannot afford to work for nothing and I am sure that I am not alone in that respect.
With the end of my exams, last week, I am now left waiting for the results of my efforts over the last academic year. We, as mere first years, will receive our results last. July the 7th to be precise. It makes sense when you realise that the marks we gain in our first year do not count towards our final mark.
The examinations that I took part in were very interesting for me. For a start it was the first time that I had taken a handwritten exam since leaving secondary school. That's more than 20 years ago. I was so concerned that I even spent time practising my handwriting. Yes, a schooly swot I am. Comes from a life long love of learning. But the most interesting aspect of the exams was the veritable exodus that took place.
Each of the three exams had the same rules and processes. We were not allowed to leave during the first 30 minutes or the last 30 minutes. I was shocked that in each exam as soon as the first 30 minutes had expired there was a steady stream of people leaving the exam hall. That includes the three hour Media Law exam. There is no way anyone could have finished that exam in just 30 minutes. Yet I witnessed a flood of people leaving. Long ago, in the lost mists of time, I had the following beaten into. During an exam you work as hard as you can, you read the questions and instructions carefully and if you finish early you go over your work to fix any errors. What I saw left me dumbfounded. I just couldn't believe what I was seeing.
Afterward, I spoke to some other students and got clued into what had really happened. Many of my peer group, so I was advised, had no intention of actually passing the exam at all. They merely wished to attend the exam, fill in all the appropriate paperwork, maybe attempt a couple of questions and then leave. All this so they can resit the exam in August. It turns out that if a student isn't present for the exam they're unable to take the resit.
Unbelievable. Yet a conversation with an ex-student confirmed that this was very common in her day as well.
As I previously mentioned, I won't find out if I've passed the first year of my course until July 7th. I do know that I gave it my best shot. My personal viewpoint is that I'd rather go down fighting than just give up.
So if you're interested in sharing your experiences please contact me via my email address, below. Confidentiality guaranteed to those who wish it.
Email: mike@mike-hodges.com
Moving on.
I'm looking to earn some money over the summer and, if I'm lucky, get some relevant experience into the bargain as well. So far my search for temporary employment has not been successful but you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find that prince.
In the North Lincolnshire area there does appear to be a dearth of temporary employment opportunities. Many of the employment agency websites have had few, if any, jobs of any kind. The government jobs website has been useful. Which I find surprising. The range of opportunities runs from a post in Doncaster that fits in with the marketing/advertising side of my course to gutting and jointing animals in a food processing factory. I'll take whatever I can get as long as I get paid for my work. That leads to the subject of internships.
Internships, as if you didn't know, are meant to be a great way for people to get that all important work experience to enhance career prospects and bank accounts. So far all the internships I've considered have either been unpaid or "expenses only". Great if you have a large pile of cash to hand to keep you going but not suitable for a family man who needs to pay the bills. As a consequence I've dropped the idea of an internship. I cannot afford to work for nothing and I am sure that I am not alone in that respect.
With the end of my exams, last week, I am now left waiting for the results of my efforts over the last academic year. We, as mere first years, will receive our results last. July the 7th to be precise. It makes sense when you realise that the marks we gain in our first year do not count towards our final mark.
The examinations that I took part in were very interesting for me. For a start it was the first time that I had taken a handwritten exam since leaving secondary school. That's more than 20 years ago. I was so concerned that I even spent time practising my handwriting. Yes, a schooly swot I am. Comes from a life long love of learning. But the most interesting aspect of the exams was the veritable exodus that took place.
Each of the three exams had the same rules and processes. We were not allowed to leave during the first 30 minutes or the last 30 minutes. I was shocked that in each exam as soon as the first 30 minutes had expired there was a steady stream of people leaving the exam hall. That includes the three hour Media Law exam. There is no way anyone could have finished that exam in just 30 minutes. Yet I witnessed a flood of people leaving. Long ago, in the lost mists of time, I had the following beaten into. During an exam you work as hard as you can, you read the questions and instructions carefully and if you finish early you go over your work to fix any errors. What I saw left me dumbfounded. I just couldn't believe what I was seeing.
Afterward, I spoke to some other students and got clued into what had really happened. Many of my peer group, so I was advised, had no intention of actually passing the exam at all. They merely wished to attend the exam, fill in all the appropriate paperwork, maybe attempt a couple of questions and then leave. All this so they can resit the exam in August. It turns out that if a student isn't present for the exam they're unable to take the resit.
Unbelievable. Yet a conversation with an ex-student confirmed that this was very common in her day as well.
As I previously mentioned, I won't find out if I've passed the first year of my course until July 7th. I do know that I gave it my best shot. My personal viewpoint is that I'd rather go down fighting than just give up.
