I have been postponing this post for two days now, because I didn't have Internet at home.On Friday the unthinkable happened, but let us go back a little bit...
This Thursday I was having a general lazy day when I got woken up by my phone. A company X invited me for an interview. This was perfect since I was still waiting for an answer from the assessment day. When I hung up my phone after the conversation with company X, I saw that I have about 7 missed calls from an unknown number. The number was very weir, non-standard and could not be dialed; so, after several failed attempts, I decided to just continue with my day.
On Friday morning, I was sitting in an extremely boring lecture in 9 in the morning when my phone rang. The sound of "I Like To Move It" by Will.I.Am filled the otherwise dead lecture theatre! Of course I hung up immediately when I saw that it was the unknown number that called me on Thursday. I had not choice, I had to get out of the lecture and try to dial it one more time. I asked my lecturer if it was all right for me to go out and he let me. Of course I could not dial the number, yet again... "Call failed"
I decided I cannot let this go; I stood in frond of the lecture theatre and was begging my phone "Please ring, please ring! I will never ever miss a call ever again!" THE PHONE RANG!
X: "Hello, Vladimir"
V: "Hi!"
X: "This is S., from Intel, we met on the assessment day two weeks ago"
V: "Oh, hi S."
X: "Are you OK"
V: "Well, I am having a lecture right now, but yeah I am good"
X: "Vlad we would like to offer you a job!"
V: "Oh my god! Oh my god! Thank you, so much!"
[...]
X: "I will call you later in the day to discuss details. Have a nice time at uni."
V: "Thanks, thank you so much!"
I still cannot believe it! Later in the day I had a longer conversation with S. and I confirmed verbally that I accept the placement job offer for a thirteen month placement at Intel.
The search was over!
Sunday, 1 February 2009
Monday, 26 January 2009
Placement Adventures # 10
Right before exam session I had my first Placement Interview. I will never forget the date and time: 14th January, 08:35. I was in Swindon, which is almost two hours away from Birmingham.
I had to leave home at four o'clock in the night, go to the library to print some interview information and then I caught my train at five. It was such a long journey. I had one change in the middle of nowhere kind of town and in half past seven I was in Swindon.
As you can imagine, knowing my travelling experience, I got lost. Evidently there were two exits in the train station, I took the North Exit, while I should have taken the South one. I ended up walking like a madman for an hour and a half until I found the long craved interview place.
The interview was a part of a whole assessment day which started sharp at nine. First, there was a welcome presentation and a word from the current interns. Since there had already been one in Aston, there was no news for me there. The second task was a group project. We were supposed to prepare a presentation about a company suffering from operations problems. After delivering the presentation there was a tour around the building and lunch. Then the serious part started.
The third very important task was after lunch. I was told in my acceptance letter that I would need to prepare a presentation on the company with strategies of dealing with their top five customers. I had already done quite a bit of research the previous day and was quite prepared. I have to say, though, the four applicant that were in my room were very not prepared. We we delivering our presentation in front of a five-person jury. Straight after the presentation came the interview.
The interview seemed very relaxed and friendly; notice the word "seemed" I am using. In the end of the day you never know what is going on in the interviewer's head. So, there were four main topics they asked me on:
- Have I in any time of my life had to influence some one (or group) and how did I do it?
- When have I faced a task that I was not prepared for and how did I face the challenge?
- When have I ever processed data and how did I do it?
- Questions on my CV.
Everything seemed to be over in a glimpse of an eye and I was back in the presentation room where the assessment day took off in the morning.
Before it I was back on the train on my way to Birmingham. I am still waiting for the answer, so hold your thumbs up!
To be continued...
I had to leave home at four o'clock in the night, go to the library to print some interview information and then I caught my train at five. It was such a long journey. I had one change in the middle of nowhere kind of town and in half past seven I was in Swindon.
As you can imagine, knowing my travelling experience, I got lost. Evidently there were two exits in the train station, I took the North Exit, while I should have taken the South one. I ended up walking like a madman for an hour and a half until I found the long craved interview place.
The interview was a part of a whole assessment day which started sharp at nine. First, there was a welcome presentation and a word from the current interns. Since there had already been one in Aston, there was no news for me there. The second task was a group project. We were supposed to prepare a presentation about a company suffering from operations problems. After delivering the presentation there was a tour around the building and lunch. Then the serious part started.
The third very important task was after lunch. I was told in my acceptance letter that I would need to prepare a presentation on the company with strategies of dealing with their top five customers. I had already done quite a bit of research the previous day and was quite prepared. I have to say, though, the four applicant that were in my room were very not prepared. We we delivering our presentation in front of a five-person jury. Straight after the presentation came the interview.
The interview seemed very relaxed and friendly; notice the word "seemed" I am using. In the end of the day you never know what is going on in the interviewer's head. So, there were four main topics they asked me on:
- Have I in any time of my life had to influence some one (or group) and how did I do it?
- When have I faced a task that I was not prepared for and how did I face the challenge?
- When have I ever processed data and how did I do it?
- Questions on my CV.
Everything seemed to be over in a glimpse of an eye and I was back in the presentation room where the assessment day took off in the morning.
Before it I was back on the train on my way to Birmingham. I am still waiting for the answer, so hold your thumbs up!
To be continued...
Friday, 23 January 2009
Everyone is talking about...
This is the new weekly topic I am adding to the blog. There are so many events in Aston that I have not told you of through the past nine months; this is a way of me not skipping any juicy events.
The AU Ball - the Aston athletic union ball is going to hit the university on Saturday. My flatmate Kara, and probably every female athlete in Aston, has been preparing her dress for months now. The AU ball is going to be an event no one wants to miss out on. /Invitations for the Aston athletes only!/
The AU Ball - the Aston athletic union ball is going to hit the university on Saturday. My flatmate Kara, and probably every female athlete in Aston, has been preparing her dress for months now. The AU ball is going to be an event no one wants to miss out on. /Invitations for the Aston athletes only!/
Thursday, 22 January 2009
''2 mln new jobs by 2017''
Here is an article I read today that concerns most of us:
Students and graduates worried about their future careers will be buoyed by the news two million jobs will be created over the next 10 years.
A report by UK Commission for Employment and Skill claims there will be 1.8 million new jobs in business, education and other services such as computing by 2017.
Education roles will account for 500,000 jobs and 1.3 million will be in business and other services while another 200,000 will be in other industries.
These will add to the 11.5 million jobs already available, taking the total number of paid positions to 13.5 million.
Skills Secretary John Denham said: "We must not lose sight of the future needs of our economy and do all we can to help people get the secure career jobs they want and need in the industries where growth will be the strongest in the coming years."
Milkround News, 19 January 2009
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
02:26 This is the last, 24th post of my sequence. I hope you had fun tracing the day with me, and learned to always try to plan ahead! I will share the productivity level of my sleepless nights (meaning the results) when they come out in a few months. --last exam from exam session to come in 11 hours and 34 minutes --
*rest and a week of losing time to come in 13 hours and 40 minutes*
(God I love Countdowns!)
*rest and a week of losing time to come in 13 hours and 40 minutes*
(God I love Countdowns!)
01:26 Not worried about exam any more. In the end of the day I am trying to do my best and this is most important. Am I showing my best? Probably not. Have I done all I could to reach best knowledge? Probably not. Yet, in the end of the day I am certain that I have worried and tried and did all I could do for the time I have had. Would I trade any of the time I had in Bulgaria with my friends and family and Ania's farewell week for a higher mark? No. --12hrs, 34min--
00:26 Started revising. I had forgotten how much one needs to read to be able to pass history - my Emerging Economies Exam tomorrow. I was dumbfounded when I found out how many people have failed this module in the past three years. Now I understand - you cannot truly prepare; there is no single set of things you can revise; lecture notes are just not enough; and even if you read all the articles we have had to read through the term (I pride on reading almost half) and you memorize the lectures, as long as you cannot analyse your readings you cannot pass. This is a problem, after so many sleepless nights my analytical skills are probably weaker than ever; so, I have decided to go to bed at 02:30, right after my last post and wake up at 7 to continue. Surely almost 5 hours sleep will do me good. [+ (you have to be so concentrated to understand these articles and when you're tired it's impossible) + (the exam starts at two so I have half a day tomorrow just for revision)] -- 13 hours, 34 minutes till exam --
Monday, 19 January 2009
22:26 Well, I will be honest with you, I have not done much :D till now! will start though, will start! - this is a proof of my library theory (although I am not in the library it is applicable), remember one of my previous posts about the library and how everyone there are on facebook and youtube! Well, you don't have to be in the library to waste your time when revising! -- exam in 15 hours and 34 minutes!--
21:26 Just had a fag and a tea, will make myself one more and the revision night may start - this one will continue till 2 in the afternoon tomorrow but unfortunately my experiment will end before that... you will hear the results later and see if this policy is a good one or a bad and if there is a point f my exam tips! --16 hours and 34 minutes until next exam--
13:26 Have you ever heard of the different stages you pass when you find out you are going to die from cancer, for example. I remember there's regret and acceptance in the end, of course after you have passed bargaining and sorrow. Well, right now I am on the bargaining stage - please let a fire burn the exam papers, nothing else just the econometrics exam papers, just postpone it a couple of days! On the other hand I am also realising this is not really going to happen so I am just regretting not studying when I should have! --exam in half an hour--
05:26 I am still revising, finished all open questions, will be starting multiple choice. In the one hour that has passed I managed to have a tea and two cigarettes, one right after my last post and one just before this one. Had to brush teeth (When you drink coffee and black tea in a combination with cigarettes in the middle of the night you can actually feel the nicotine on your teeth! Yes, I know it is quite disgusting!) Decided to stop smoking after exams. Made plans for econometrics revision - later tonight. -- 4 hours till exam --
04:26 The revision continues, since it is night productivity is low, for the past hour the inconsiderate student has done only 2 questions and a half, productivity on the exam has to be almost twice as good, 4 questions for one hour! Since productivity at night is slow (and getting slower) one needs to, spend much longer and most probably see the dawn! --exam to start in 5 hours--
03:26 I am sitting in my room, "revising", this has been quite a common situation in the past week - last minute revision. It happened on Wednesday and Thursday an through the weekend! so for the record - MICROECONOMICS AND ECONOMETRICS REVISION (last minute of course) -- exam to start in 6 hours --
The Experiment!
Remember those tips I gave you last week?
Well, it seems that even I cannot follow them! So, we come to "The Experiment!"; this is my way of giving you a tip through experience. Before I wrote last week's post I was "revising". I was revising so hard! ...in the clubs in Bulgaria (Do you know how hard it is to concentrate while there is loud music?), in the clubs in Birmingham (Seriously, it is hard!), in the pubs in Dublin (Guinness does not help!), and then again in Birmingham! To come to the point, I have had an amazing winter holiday, there was just one thing missing - revision!
The countdown will start, and experiment in which I will record an hour (when possible) of my day, and believe me it is going to be a long "day". Here we go!
Well, it seems that even I cannot follow them! So, we come to "The Experiment!"; this is my way of giving you a tip through experience. Before I wrote last week's post I was "revising". I was revising so hard! ...in the clubs in Bulgaria (Do you know how hard it is to concentrate while there is loud music?), in the clubs in Birmingham (Seriously, it is hard!), in the pubs in Dublin (Guinness does not help!), and then again in Birmingham! To come to the point, I have had an amazing winter holiday, there was just one thing missing - revision!
The countdown will start, and experiment in which I will record an hour (when possible) of my day, and believe me it is going to be a long "day". Here we go!
Tuesday, 13 January 2009
Tips to overcome exam stress
Sitting exams is never easy, but there is no escaping them at university. Here are a few positive tips to help you battle any stress and ease yourself through the exam periods. Remember, you'll be the one sitting the exam so you've got to take responsibility for your studying!
Find a revision style that works for you
No one revises in exactly the same way. A mixture of reading, talking, writing and testing could all be necessary so try to find out what works best for you so you can make the most of revision time.
Take time to relax
Although you might feel guilty not revising for every hour up until the start of an exam, too much studying can have a detrimental effect. Taking time out to relax for an hour or so will not only keep you calm, but will train you to remember key details when you return to the books.
Sleep!
The quiet of night time may seem like an ideal time to absorb information, however try not to stay up until the early hours as you might not be able to retain information you think is ingrained into your memory the next day. It's better to get some rest and feel refreshed the next day than wasting energy and being tired from a lack of sleep.
Stay well fed
Stripping your diet down to tea, coffee and snacks may see you through the day, but they are not a good option for a healthy brain. Eating properly will keep your energy levels up and stop your mind wandering.
Ask for help
If you're struggling with a topic be sure to talk to someone. Even chatting to a fellow student not on your course can help make things clearer in your mind as you will be recounting the knowledge you have already revised. Talking about any stress you might be feeling is also the best way to overcome it.
Friday, 9 January 2009
Boarding (check-in continued...)
Discarding the last empty bottles from my desk I cannot help but wonder what does the future hold from now on. I mean it is the end of an era! Wait, I need to go back and give you some feedback first.
I told you earlier that you will be flying a lot once you start uni in England, and that you have all those opportunities to travel around Europe. Well, there is one more thing that university life brings along - departures. You will be saying buy to so many friends you meet on the way. Today I said goodbye to my best friend. Graduating Aston this year she already got the results from her desertation, got several job offers, and is now moving to Warsaw. Yes, yes, I know what you are thinking, 'this is an amazing opportunity'. Well, what I am thinking is - 'this is the end of an era!' So in this post I am not going to give you tips, I will be stating facts, universal truths, general experiences you will have once you start university.
In Aston I have met so many different people, students that are older than me, students that are younger, students from different cultures, religions and races, and every person I have met leaves a trace. Probably, if I take another bachelors after this one, a master's and a Phd I will be the wisest person. (at least on campus!) Yes, but unless you happen to marry someone you met in university, you will have to say goodbye at some point; and I don't mean goodbye forever, but still a goodbye. You will not be living in good old Dalton any more, you will not be drinking together after lectures, and you will definitely not be having an 'illegal' library chat on a silent floor.
So to get to the point, just as your plane will land in Birmingham, it is very likely that it will depart. Just as your friend's planes will leave at some point. But sill, I like to think that the whole 'Aston Experience' (AE) will be one big and unforgettable adventure, an era that will be cherished in your mind.
In the end can I first ask Ania to stop crying while she's reading this! All the rest get prepared because exam session is starting!
Monday, 5 January 2009
Check-in (all passengers)
Studying abroad will have one major consequence - have your luggage packed!
In the past year and a half I have flown more that I have my whole life. As you can imagine each flight has been an adventure so here are several flying tips (...or are they memories?)
Flying tip number one: Do not and I repeat DO NOT go out the night before! You will have trouble finding the most common of belongings, such as, PASSPORT, USB stick, watch, phone, wallet, etc. Have some nice rest, do not listen to your friends calling! Be responsible! ...and if you do go out, do not sleep! If your friends are telling you two hours of sleep are better than none DO NOT listen to them! You will not hear your phone! (I never do.)
[...this blog has become the Dos and Don'ts of Vladimir Galabov)
Flying tip number two: Always have at least some luggage packed the night before, don't leave packing for the last minute!
Flying tip number three: Always book your coach ticket (if there is such) earlier! Do not wait for the day of the flight, sometimes even the night before you will not manage to find a coach ticket!
Finally, flying tip number four: You will be doing this a lot, so whatever happens do not make a big deal out of it: no panic and no stress!
[...and don't forger living in Birmingham gives you one of the best opportunities - fly low-cost anywhere you want - I am going to Dublin for £8 return this week.]
Saturday, 3 January 2009
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year Everyone!
May 2009 be filled with a little more love, a little more luck, a little more smiles and at least a pocketful of sunshine!
Tuesday, 30 December 2008
Mummy, I am going to get a part time job!
Away from getting on with university work, everybody may seem to have the perception of students wasting away their days watching daytime television and recovering from parties at the weekends. Of course it's tempting to live that life, but it won’t help you launch a career when you graduate unless you know a boss who will let you watch television while you work and take Fridays off. Part time work while studying offers many career benefits, even if they can add up to a heavy schedule around essay and exam time. Here are some tips for making the most of them.
Get a job to improve your skills, not just your bank balance
University life is not getting any cheaper so it's commonplace to give up a few evenings or a day at the weekend to ease the strain on the student loan. The benefits don’t have to end with your bank account getting healthier, if you can find a job that gives you experience other employers value it will be even more valuable.
Plan your vacations
Sure, you need some time away from studying, but vacations are prime periods to get more involved with work that can aid your CV. Internships normally run during the summer and Easter vacations, which may be a course requirement, or a great way to advertise your skills to a potential employer for when you graduate. You could also use a vacation to turn a part time job into a full time one if your workload permits, bumping up your bank balance and perhaps offering more responsibility.
Change your job to broaden your skills base
There is nothing wrong with having one part time job during your whole time at university, but don't be afraid to seek out a change of scene if you are getting bored doing the same thing or feel like a fresh challenge. This can really help strengthen your CV if you can build up a wide variety of skills or show progress. There are normally plenty of part time opportunities for students, although you might want to secure a new job before quitting your current one.
Don’t put paid work first
After all this, remember that you are at university to study. Employers might put pressure on you to work extra shifts, eating into time spent on course work or revising for exams. If this happens, make it clear it is unacceptable and consider leaving. They should understand a degree is more important than a part time job.
Get a job to improve your skills, not just your bank balance
University life is not getting any cheaper so it's commonplace to give up a few evenings or a day at the weekend to ease the strain on the student loan. The benefits don’t have to end with your bank account getting healthier, if you can find a job that gives you experience other employers value it will be even more valuable.
Plan your vacations
Sure, you need some time away from studying, but vacations are prime periods to get more involved with work that can aid your CV. Internships normally run during the summer and Easter vacations, which may be a course requirement, or a great way to advertise your skills to a potential employer for when you graduate. You could also use a vacation to turn a part time job into a full time one if your workload permits, bumping up your bank balance and perhaps offering more responsibility.
Change your job to broaden your skills base
There is nothing wrong with having one part time job during your whole time at university, but don't be afraid to seek out a change of scene if you are getting bored doing the same thing or feel like a fresh challenge. This can really help strengthen your CV if you can build up a wide variety of skills or show progress. There are normally plenty of part time opportunities for students, although you might want to secure a new job before quitting your current one.
Don’t put paid work first
After all this, remember that you are at university to study. Employers might put pressure on you to work extra shifts, eating into time spent on course work or revising for exams. If this happens, make it clear it is unacceptable and consider leaving. They should understand a degree is more important than a part time job.
Sunday, 28 December 2008
Aston Update (pt.II)
Let me start by wishing Happy Holidays to everyone!
I have been planning this post for quite a while but with the holiday frenzy overtaken my family, I have been most occupied. So let me continue...
The other major Aston happening has been the coursework submission. The second year has been copious with papers. I had to write a business plan for the Business Game Module (a total of 25 pages) and an article for the Econometrics Module (a total of 17 pages). The last week of November and the whole of December was the 'Lab Time Special' as I like to call it. The 'Lab Time Special' is a particular phenomenon which implies the 24-hour working computer labs will be full 24/7. I have seen people spend their entire Saturday sitting in them labs - no food, no drink; just a fag from time to time. We were like an army of zombies, ready to kill anyone who would stand in the way of the coursework completion.
The day of submission was the most hectic of course: people running everywhere, sheets flying around, angry mobs complaining about the queue at the Copy Shop or the non-working printers. I have even hear do of people who had had a most unforgettable day...
Mr A. encountered a very serious problem - the night before submission day he was again sitting in the cold computer labs, finishing his report; when leaving the lab he "saved" all his information on his USB stick and left; getting home he tried to open his files and guess what, "the files have been corrupted" message sows on the screen!
Poor Mr A. could not find the problem, or recover his files so he had to ask for an extension. While I was drinking wine around Christmas, Mr A. was writing his article, yet again! I hope he saved it this time!
I have been planning this post for quite a while but with the holiday frenzy overtaken my family, I have been most occupied. So let me continue...
The other major Aston happening has been the coursework submission. The second year has been copious with papers. I had to write a business plan for the Business Game Module (a total of 25 pages) and an article for the Econometrics Module (a total of 17 pages). The last week of November and the whole of December was the 'Lab Time Special' as I like to call it. The 'Lab Time Special' is a particular phenomenon which implies the 24-hour working computer labs will be full 24/7. I have seen people spend their entire Saturday sitting in them labs - no food, no drink; just a fag from time to time. We were like an army of zombies, ready to kill anyone who would stand in the way of the coursework completion.
The day of submission was the most hectic of course: people running everywhere, sheets flying around, angry mobs complaining about the queue at the Copy Shop or the non-working printers. I have even hear do of people who had had a most unforgettable day...
Mr A. encountered a very serious problem - the night before submission day he was again sitting in the cold computer labs, finishing his report; when leaving the lab he "saved" all his information on his USB stick and left; getting home he tried to open his files and guess what, "the files have been corrupted" message sows on the screen!
Poor Mr A. could not find the problem, or recover his files so he had to ask for an extension. While I was drinking wine around Christmas, Mr A. was writing his article, yet again! I hope he saved it this time!
Sunday, 14 December 2008
Aston Update (pt.I)
.jpg)
Here is the long promised update on the Aston scene. As usual there has been so many stuff happening a person cannot even follow all the action. To be honest I feel like I have just started the term and it is already finishing.
Maybe the most stressing task everyone have found this year was the Business Game. It has been most interesting but incredibly demanding. Till now I had two main tasks in the module: a business plan and a presentation. God, I still remember the day of the presentation as if it was five minutes ago. We were all so stressed...
To be able to understand how awful the presentation was you have to know everything that happened in the previous 72 hours. The presentation was on a Thursday at 11:20. We met on the previous Tuesday to see how far we are with the whole idea of even putting everything together. Tuesday was a disaster, we found out that we were totally unprepared. We met in a computer lab in the business school and stayed there for about 5 hours trying to write our separate parts. Then we put it all together and I will be honest with you, it looked awful...
11:00 Wednesday we met to start practising the "whatever you call" the thing we put together the previous day. I found out that no one except me has ever presented anything, ever (I was so lucky to have so many presentations is my high school. Our timing was bad, no one could improvise and as a whole the idea of even standing in front of a jury the next day seemed ridiculous. We stayed together till about 10 in the evening practising an correcting, correcting and practising until finally we made it under the 15 minute limit.
09:00 Thursday, two hours before the big presentation, we started our final preparations. The previous night I had fixed the slides themselves and everything was starting to look good. Then a new problem arose: we were too fast and seemingly were just speed-reciting the whole thing. Two hours later we seemed to have narrowed it down to 12 minutes, which was still quite bad, but still a solution. Going last, I had the task of slowing down as fast as possible and winning us some time, which was quite easy; I did not have anything prepared and was just talking freely about my slides. I could extend my 5 minutes to whatever I was asked.
11:10 Thursday. While we were waiting to be called into the room the atmosphere outside was unbelievable. You could easily cut the air with a knife! The group waiting with us was supper ambitious and unbelievably competitive. Then about 5 minutes later the groups that were before us came out and said and I quote: "They are going to eat you alive!" and "Good luck!" with a nasty smirk on their st*** self-obsessed face. My group sank, oh, poor guys, they had done so much work the days before. I looked the the annoying group leader right into the eye and I told him: "We don't need luck, these guys are more prepared then anyone in the university!" Literally, a second later we got called in...
The Jury was of five people: one representative of Lloyds, one representative of Accenture, two people from the Aston Business School and my Business Game tutor. The time in there passed in a glimpse of an eye. We seemed to be over so fast and then the questions came. We got asked the two nastiest questions in the history of presenting!
A week later we found our result - 67%, not too shabby but still, for all the work we had put in, unbelievable low. This week I found out that they had cut points for the most ridiculous reasons! It is true what they say, when there is a jury, there is unfairness!
..to be continued
Friday, 5 December 2008
Placement Adventures # 9 (en ultramar)
en ultramar - n. oversea (Webster Spanish-English Online Dictionary)
I was planning to stop the placement adventures for a while and continue with university stuff but I just cannot drop one of the most fascinating job offers in the Aston Business School Placement Website.
I have been discussing so many different parts of the application process and the different opportunities and the help you can get but I have never mentioned the possibility of going abroad or as called in the ABS website "overseas". Partly, because I have not considered doing a placement in another country, I have not searched or encountered any information on the mater until this week; and there is PLENTY!
There is one inportant thing one must decide first - does he/she want to work or study? Does that sound odd? Well, if you go overseas you could study in a different university for a year. Some of the locations I remember are Austria, USA, India, etc. On the other hand if you want to have a "placement" placement you can chose from some of the adds. Please note that I am only discussing regular students like me, not students studying a language or planning to go abroad from the start. It is high time I got to the point.
While I was browsing, bored, in the library I found a job add that was offering a placement with "company X" in the Netherlands. That just sounded so exciting. Now I am almost ready with my application and will be submitting it tonight.
If anyone is looking for adventure and excitement, check the available placement (or exchange) abroad!
I was planning to stop the placement adventures for a while and continue with university stuff but I just cannot drop one of the most fascinating job offers in the Aston Business School Placement Website.
I have been discussing so many different parts of the application process and the different opportunities and the help you can get but I have never mentioned the possibility of going abroad or as called in the ABS website "overseas". Partly, because I have not considered doing a placement in another country, I have not searched or encountered any information on the mater until this week; and there is PLENTY!
There is one inportant thing one must decide first - does he/she want to work or study? Does that sound odd? Well, if you go overseas you could study in a different university for a year. Some of the locations I remember are Austria, USA, India, etc. On the other hand if you want to have a "placement" placement you can chose from some of the adds. Please note that I am only discussing regular students like me, not students studying a language or planning to go abroad from the start. It is high time I got to the point.
While I was browsing, bored, in the library I found a job add that was offering a placement with "company X" in the Netherlands. That just sounded so exciting. Now I am almost ready with my application and will be submitting it tonight.
If anyone is looking for adventure and excitement, check the available placement (or exchange) abroad!
Tuesday, 2 December 2008
Placement Adventures # 8 (Wywiad)
wywiad - n. interview (Polish - English Dictionary www.dict.pl)
After months of waiting and 7 Placement Adventures today I just got my first interview invitation. One of the "X companies" saw potential in me! Evidently Placement adventures # 8 will be continued soon. (15th January)
to be continued...
After months of waiting and 7 Placement Adventures today I just got my first interview invitation. One of the "X companies" saw potential in me! Evidently Placement adventures # 8 will be continued soon. (15th January)
to be continued...
Monday, 1 December 2008
Placement Adventures # 7 (изпит)
изпит - n. test (Bulgarian-English Webster Online Dictionary)
The Online Assessment is definitely not what one would expect, or at least, not what I expected. Here I will try to describe in detail the whole process so that you are
all prepared.
As most of the placement adventures, this one starts with online registration it is definitely a comparatively fast process, though. After the registration you enter into your own account. In my account there were four tests - two practice tests and two real tests. They were divided into two basic categories: logical and math.
1/ The Logical Reasoning Tests (LRT) started with a practice test of 5 questions. I have to say they were terribly easy. The actual or as they call it "main" test was 24 questions for 12 minutes and some of them were so difficult that I could hardly be sure of the answers.
Here is a website that could help you: www.kent.ac.uk/careers/tests/spatialtest
Here are some examples of questions:
The Answer here is C
The Answer here is D
2/ Numerical Reasoning Tests (NRT) were much harder. There were 5 practice questions, which I have to say were not too hard, some basic calculations. The main test was 20 questions for 20 minutes and the questions were so hard; the last four questions I, literally, just clicked to not leave empty!
I am fairly certain that for some people the online assessment is going to be a piece of cake while for others it is going to be extremely challenging. You cannot do with it, bu you can not do without it! As far as I am concerned, what is left for me now is WAIT FOR THE RESULTS!
The Online Assessment is definitely not what one would expect, or at least, not what I expected. Here I will try to describe in detail the whole process so that you are
all prepared.
As most of the placement adventures, this one starts with online registration it is definitely a comparatively fast process, though. After the registration you enter into your own account. In my account there were four tests - two practice tests and two real tests. They were divided into two basic categories: logical and math.
1/ The Logical Reasoning Tests (LRT) started with a practice test of 5 questions. I have to say they were terribly easy. The actual or as they call it "main" test was 24 questions for 12 minutes and some of them were so difficult that I could hardly be sure of the answers.
Here is a website that could help you: www.kent.ac.uk/careers/tests/spatialtest
Here are some examples of questions:
The Answer here is C
The Answer here is D
2/ Numerical Reasoning Tests (NRT) were much harder. There were 5 practice questions, which I have to say were not too hard, some basic calculations. The main test was 20 questions for 20 minutes and the questions were so hard; the last four questions I, literally, just clicked to not leave empty!
I am fairly certain that for some people the online assessment is going to be a piece of cake while for others it is going to be extremely challenging. You cannot do with it, bu you can not do without it! As far as I am concerned, what is left for me now is WAIT FOR THE RESULTS!
Monday, 24 November 2008
Placement Adverntures # 6 (答え)
答え - n. answer, reply (Japanese - English Dictionary http://linear.mv.com/cgi-bin/j-e/dict)
The time when I started the series of posts called Placement Adventures was roughly the time when my adventures actually started. In the past several weeks I have been rewriting CVs, writing Covering Letters and filling up Job Applications. it is so much work and you never know if it is going to pay off.
The time when I started the series of posts called Placement Adventures was roughly the time when I started checking my e-mail twenty time a day, sometimes every half an hour, eagerly waiting for an answer from one of the four companies I have already applied for.
The time when I started the series of Posts called Placement Adventures was the time when I started praying for an answer (and oh my God, it sounds so cheesy and film-like but in reality imagine a more whnier and desperate kinda way)
At two minutes to two o'clock today (Oh, my God even the time is epic) I got the first invitation to stage two - Online Assessment Centre. Finally one of the X companies decided I am not a total screw-up, finally someone decided to give me a chance.
Now my Placement Adventures continue and I will be needing help...
The time when I started the series of posts called Placement Adventures was roughly the time when my adventures actually started. In the past several weeks I have been rewriting CVs, writing Covering Letters and filling up Job Applications. it is so much work and you never know if it is going to pay off.
The time when I started the series of posts called Placement Adventures was roughly the time when I started checking my e-mail twenty time a day, sometimes every half an hour, eagerly waiting for an answer from one of the four companies I have already applied for.
The time when I started the series of Posts called Placement Adventures was the time when I started praying for an answer (and oh my God, it sounds so cheesy and film-like but in reality imagine a more whnier and desperate kinda way)
At two minutes to two o'clock today (Oh, my God even the time is epic) I got the first invitation to stage two - Online Assessment Centre. Finally one of the X companies decided I am not a total screw-up, finally someone decided to give me a chance.
Now my Placement Adventures continue and I will be needing help...
Sunday, 16 November 2008
Placement Adventures #5 (S'appliquer à )
S'appliquer à: to apply to (Collins French-English Dictionary)
Probably the most frustrating part of my placement adventures has to be the online applications I have to submit. Of course the applications vary between the different companies. There is one thing in common, they are all perfectly appalling. It would be so much easier to just send your CV with a Covering Letter to an e-mail. I can probably divide the different characteristics of the online application method in several points:
1) Registration I cannot believe how many websites I had to register in. I am currently a member of the Toyota, Peugeot, Kraft Foods and Intel websites. And bear in mind that I have just started applying, I haven't even submitted applications in all of the companies. But you always have to register. Bottom line, I wake up with 5 extra e-mail every day!
2) Online CV The most frustrating thing in the online application process is the so called 'online CV'. Most of the companies want you to, literally, write a new CV for them. In some cases it is even more detailed than your normal one. In other, it is much shorter. Only after you make your online CV you can attach and submit your normal CV. I just don't see the point in sending two CVs. Do you?
3) Questionnaire After the online CV most companies would ask you to fill in a online questionnaire. Up to ten questions which you need to answer in up to 150 words. You can imagine it takes so much time.
4) Online Covering Letter Some companies want you to write your 'motivation' in your application. Others just want you to give an answer to a specific question concerning the company.
5) Online Tests Some companies would start testing you from the very application: " In 2000 words answer the question - What is the effect of the economics crisis in the company X's industry."
The bottom line is - be prepared with time and patience!
Probably the most frustrating part of my placement adventures has to be the online applications I have to submit. Of course the applications vary between the different companies. There is one thing in common, they are all perfectly appalling. It would be so much easier to just send your CV with a Covering Letter to an e-mail. I can probably divide the different characteristics of the online application method in several points:
1) Registration I cannot believe how many websites I had to register in. I am currently a member of the Toyota, Peugeot, Kraft Foods and Intel websites. And bear in mind that I have just started applying, I haven't even submitted applications in all of the companies. But you always have to register. Bottom line, I wake up with 5 extra e-mail every day!
2) Online CV The most frustrating thing in the online application process is the so called 'online CV'. Most of the companies want you to, literally, write a new CV for them. In some cases it is even more detailed than your normal one. In other, it is much shorter. Only after you make your online CV you can attach and submit your normal CV. I just don't see the point in sending two CVs. Do you?
3) Questionnaire After the online CV most companies would ask you to fill in a online questionnaire. Up to ten questions which you need to answer in up to 150 words. You can imagine it takes so much time.
4) Online Covering Letter Some companies want you to write your 'motivation' in your application. Others just want you to give an answer to a specific question concerning the company.
5) Online Tests Some companies would start testing you from the very application: " In 2000 words answer the question - What is the effect of the economics crisis in the company X's industry."
The bottom line is - be prepared with time and patience!
Sunday, 9 November 2008
Placement Adventures # 4 (Curriculum Vitae)
Curriculum Vitae: a summary of your academic and work history (The Princeton Dictionary)
In other words, the one way you can tell your future employer who you are, in an extremely concise way of course. There are three huge disadvantages CV:
- You don't really have a choice for the format (for your placement CV that is)
- It is so extremely impersonal (I mean, you can't even state anything in first person)
- You have exactly two pages to describe the best of all your life!
And yet, that is your best shot at getting your future employer to hire you, and what's more - IT IS YOUR ONLY CHANCE! Therefore, right now everyone I know from uni is constantly asking for tips, writing, rewriting and obsessing about their CV. Of course, everyone includes me. I spent two days writing my "new" CV hoping it would be good enough. The worst thing is, I can never know if some particular employer is going to like it. So, as the placement office advisers said: "Just send it to as many companies as you can!"
To be honest, I have had plenty of support from the Placement Office when writing my CV and, yet, there is never a guarantee, is there? In the end of the day, all one can do is hope that his done a good job enough making his academic and work achievements seem impressive. All that is left after that is WAIT...
PS: I have just added a free messaging service, you can send a free text message to any mobile in the world. I just tried it and it is working just fine. You have to register real fast first to get a password sent, but it is all free. Enjoy!
In other words, the one way you can tell your future employer who you are, in an extremely concise way of course. There are three huge disadvantages CV:
- You don't really have a choice for the format (for your placement CV that is)
- It is so extremely impersonal (I mean, you can't even state anything in first person)
- You have exactly two pages to describe the best of all your life!
And yet, that is your best shot at getting your future employer to hire you, and what's more - IT IS YOUR ONLY CHANCE! Therefore, right now everyone I know from uni is constantly asking for tips, writing, rewriting and obsessing about their CV. Of course, everyone includes me. I spent two days writing my "new" CV hoping it would be good enough. The worst thing is, I can never know if some particular employer is going to like it. So, as the placement office advisers said: "Just send it to as many companies as you can!"
To be honest, I have had plenty of support from the Placement Office when writing my CV and, yet, there is never a guarantee, is there? In the end of the day, all one can do is hope that his done a good job enough making his academic and work achievements seem impressive. All that is left after that is WAIT...
PS: I have just added a free messaging service, you can send a free text message to any mobile in the world. I just tried it and it is working just fine. You have to register real fast first to get a password sent, but it is all free. Enjoy!
Thursday, 6 November 2008
Placement Adventures # 3 (Far Far Away)
On a floor far far away (actually 6th) in the Aston Main Building you can find a very extraordinary room - The Placement Office. I have talked with so many people from so many universities and the Aston Business School Placement office is the most useful place for a student on the quest for a placement. Even the other schools in Aston don't have the office. There are three main features to it:
1) Placement Office Briefing Sessions
For me these lectures have been the most useful feature of the placement office. They literally taught me how to write a proper CV and cover letter.
2) CV and Cover letter check
The CV and Cover letter check is the bets thing for a placement student. Keep in the you can have specialized companies check your CV but that will cost up to £200. In the placement office it's free! (God I love free stuff!)
3) Website
The website has, for me, being the perfect planning tool of all the stuff I have to do to get a placement, starting from choosing an employer, a position, writing a proper CV and then a proper cover letter.
4) Appointments
Hopefully my time will come to use the 15 minute appointments. A student can have a mock interview and practice what he/she is going to say on the actual job interview!
5) etc. ask for more!
Oops, my briefing session is starting!
1) Placement Office Briefing Sessions
For me these lectures have been the most useful feature of the placement office. They literally taught me how to write a proper CV and cover letter.
2) CV and Cover letter check
The CV and Cover letter check is the bets thing for a placement student. Keep in the you can have specialized companies check your CV but that will cost up to £200. In the placement office it's free! (God I love free stuff!)
3) Website
The website has, for me, being the perfect planning tool of all the stuff I have to do to get a placement, starting from choosing an employer, a position, writing a proper CV and then a proper cover letter.
4) Appointments
Hopefully my time will come to use the 15 minute appointments. A student can have a mock interview and practice what he/she is going to say on the actual job interview!
5) etc. ask for more!
Oops, my briefing session is starting!
Tuesday, 4 November 2008
Placement Adventures # 2 (Meet the X)
This week I will use X for every company that has had or will have a presentation at Aston. It is unbelievable how many companies are interested in having interns from our university. I did not realise how amazing that is until I talked with a friend of mine who is from a different university and unfortunately hasn't had the same 'luck'. But is it luck? No, it is probably university connections, the good performance of previous interns or postgraduates, or maybe even our Business School rank place. So, prospective students beware of the internship opportunities you are going to have once you get here.
I have been so busy last couple of weeks that I did not even manage to go to half of the presentations. There is at least one every day of the week! Here are some of the companies that I managed to go to (only in the first week of presentations)
I will return to this list tomorrow and give a little feedback on the company presentations.
I have been so busy last couple of weeks that I did not even manage to go to half of the presentations. There is at least one every day of the week! Here are some of the companies that I managed to go to (only in the first week of presentations)
I will return to this list tomorrow and give a little feedback on the company presentations.
Monday, 3 November 2008
Placement Adventures #1
The second year brings one horrible thing - Placement Search.
It seems like every single student is searching for his/her placement. How can you tell - there are three questions anyone can ask you through the day:
- So, are you gong to company X's presentation?
- So, how is the placement search going?
- Did you find a placement yet?
Of course, it always seems that the person asking you is one step ahead and is just trying to rub it in your face. Thank got there are so much help from the Placement Office. It my LAST HOPE! Talking about the Placement Office, I have not given you any updates on any placement stuff yet, so this week is the official placement week in my blog.
It seems like every single student is searching for his/her placement. How can you tell - there are three questions anyone can ask you through the day:
- So, are you gong to company X's presentation?
- So, how is the placement search going?
- Did you find a placement yet?
Of course, it always seems that the person asking you is one step ahead and is just trying to rub it in your face. Thank got there are so much help from the Placement Office. It my LAST HOPE! Talking about the Placement Office, I have not given you any updates on any placement stuff yet, so this week is the official placement week in my blog.
Saturday, 25 October 2008
The End of an Era
January 19th 2008 is one of the dates I think I will always remember - the day when I started my first job in the UK.
On the 18th January I went out with Kara and just as we were dancing she told me that the pub she worked in were looking for staff. On the next day, as a joke, I went to the pub and had an interview with on of the managers Simon. I clearly remember his questions and my lies:
Simon: Do you play sports?
Vlad: Oh yeah, me an my flatmates play football every week
(Yeah wight we did it twice through the whole year)
Simon: I see you have work experience behind a bar.
Vlad: Oh yes, you can see that I have worked quite long in 'No Name', the only thing I have not done is pour pints because we did not serve draft. You can call my ex-manager Jane Ramsheva for reference
(Manager, right, that was my ex-girlfriend)
Anyway, I got the job. I got home and three hours later they called me for a trial shift and induction. Just like that the roundabout started turning and after almost a year it stopped. Yesterday I served my last pint and do not intend to go back any time soon. But, still, I can't help but missing The Newt. I have this theory that there is 'A Newt Curse'. Every single employee that has left keeps coming back, either to work, or as a customer, but they can never stay apart for too long. Probably it is the staff, probably it is the atmosphere, but I know I will be coming back, not only to get a pint but to see my ex-colleagues and my ex-managers, to sit on the old chairs where I used to sit after shifts. For the time I worked in 'The Newt' I saw the management fully changed four timer. The only three people that are left from my starting team now are Simon, Kara and Sam. Yesterday I found out that Simon has give his one month notice and is going to Australia in December. Now that I look back the only things I remember are the fun times and the ridiculous situations. I bet you can get a feeling of the place too, even if you go 'as a joke', Student Nights are now Saturdays but I know who will not be serving you!
Now I can finally write on my CV:
The Newt (21/01/2008 - 24/10/2008)
Wednesday, 22 October 2008
My First Lectures at Aston University (Round II)
It has been too long since I have been postponing this post. You would ask why is that? The Answer is hidden in the very title of this post: 'Round II'. The second year is, so far, the toughest year in my academic life (not that my academic life is so long, but still). Here are the simple impressions of an average second year student, that's me.
1) Unbelievably for me, and everyone else in my lecture theatre, first day of uni started at 9 a.m. with my fist lecture, and by lecture I mean a full length, 54 slide, 98 minutes revision of Micro economic concepts. I could not believe my eyes, the lecturer not only had time to introduce himself and finish the lecture, but also finished 2 minutes earlier.
2) The second lecture got the theatre fully overcrowded; it was so hot that people started falling asleep (incl। myself); it was so full that you could hardly hear the lecturer. It has been sorted by now, but still.
3) The third lecture was very, very disturbing। I got told that I am to be taking part in a simulation of a car-production company; later in the week got chosen for the Financial Management position; in the following weeks understood that I am scr**d.
4) The fourth lecture was finally just an introduction to the module, no information to remember, just half an our of the most stressful numbers in your life. The second lecturer, basically told us that we are all doomed and will get low grades.
5) The fifth lecture was the Business policy and I can openly say, the worst subject this year। It is basically a lot of obvious assumptions, put in a textbook. When you add the US influence on the textbook, the whole subject becomes bloody evil.
6) I missed the sixth and final lecture because I got confused with time। Yet last week I managed to find out that I don't remember anything of my statistics classes and that I may possibly fail the test next week.
So these are my first impressions from this year. Now I assume you don't want to hear only about the academia but also about the life. That is why I am dedicating next week to the upcoming Halloween (Halloween is huge in Aston). I am not only going to tell you all about my Halloween Aston Party, but also take out the old box of photos from last year.
1) Unbelievably for me, and everyone else in my lecture theatre, first day of uni started at 9 a.m. with my fist lecture, and by lecture I mean a full length, 54 slide, 98 minutes revision of Micro economic concepts. I could not believe my eyes, the lecturer not only had time to introduce himself and finish the lecture, but also finished 2 minutes earlier.
2) The second lecture got the theatre fully overcrowded; it was so hot that people started falling asleep (incl। myself); it was so full that you could hardly hear the lecturer. It has been sorted by now, but still.
3) The third lecture was very, very disturbing। I got told that I am to be taking part in a simulation of a car-production company; later in the week got chosen for the Financial Management position; in the following weeks understood that I am scr**d.
4) The fourth lecture was finally just an introduction to the module, no information to remember, just half an our of the most stressful numbers in your life. The second lecturer, basically told us that we are all doomed and will get low grades.
5) The fifth lecture was the Business policy and I can openly say, the worst subject this year। It is basically a lot of obvious assumptions, put in a textbook. When you add the US influence on the textbook, the whole subject becomes bloody evil.
6) I missed the sixth and final lecture because I got confused with time। Yet last week I managed to find out that I don't remember anything of my statistics classes and that I may possibly fail the test next week.
So these are my first impressions from this year. Now I assume you don't want to hear only about the academia but also about the life. That is why I am dedicating next week to the upcoming Halloween (Halloween is huge in Aston). I am not only going to tell you all about my Halloween Aston Party, but also take out the old box of photos from last year.
Monday, 13 October 2008
My Very First Lectures at Aston University
I can still vividly remember my very first week in Aston. I was so excited, hoping to perform good and show my best, ready for the adventure that was my first year. Or at least I thought so...
My very first lecture was - Introduction to Organisational Behaviour. Patrick, the lecturer, just mesmerized everyone in The Great Hall. I think from all my first year lecturers Patrick was the one that just always managed to pull out an actual show. People would sometimes applaud him after the lectures. So, to go back to my very first lecture. I stepped into the Great Hall expecting the worst. I had no idea what Organisational Behaviour is and I imagined the professors to be all serious and stern. Patrick started with introducing himself (as every lecturer) but it was not the usual introduction, it felt sincere, honest and really personal. As if we were out in a pub - me, my mates and Patrick and we were just telling each other crazy stories from when we were young (lets just say that). I left the lecture calm and relaxed, thinking that everything to follow was easy and fun. God, I was so gullible!
The Management came next, then the Economics, then the Accounting, the Marketing and they all just seemed so difficult and new. I had never ever discussed the subjects in school. I would comment on every lecture with my mates and we would all be like: 'That wasn't too bad...' or 'I liked it', or 'Piece of cake!'. Bloody hell, we were all so wrong. It turns out that you have to actually read after the lectures and prepare yourself for the next one, and write homework, and even do research. You can imagine that the longer it takes one to realize all that the harder it's going to be for him to cope with it. Well, we found that out in Week 3 when we had our first quiz in Financial Accounting. We all felt so unprepared and plain stupid. That is when we had to go back to the first lecture and catch up. We would have study groups which now seem like a total waste of time. We would call friends and previous teachers and even parents for help when all we needed to do was read and just absorb the material.
Still, there was one subject that I immensely liked from the very first lecture. That is - Quantitative Techniques. Oh, I still remember the first slide, it was on some material I had covered in school 5 years ago. I finally had a subject that I had an amazing advantage in. Yes, it was not very interesting, but I did not have to study at all. I never bought the Quantitative Techniques textbook and I still love the subject.
Just like that my first week was over, and then the next one... Today I feel like I just got into uni, not much wiser and not much smarter, just a boy on its way to real life. OK, well, maybe a bit smarter and just a very tiny bit wiser, and more prepared for what is to come.
My very first lecture was - Introduction to Organisational Behaviour. Patrick, the lecturer, just mesmerized everyone in The Great Hall. I think from all my first year lecturers Patrick was the one that just always managed to pull out an actual show. People would sometimes applaud him after the lectures. So, to go back to my very first lecture. I stepped into the Great Hall expecting the worst. I had no idea what Organisational Behaviour is and I imagined the professors to be all serious and stern. Patrick started with introducing himself (as every lecturer) but it was not the usual introduction, it felt sincere, honest and really personal. As if we were out in a pub - me, my mates and Patrick and we were just telling each other crazy stories from when we were young (lets just say that). I left the lecture calm and relaxed, thinking that everything to follow was easy and fun. God, I was so gullible!
The Management came next, then the Economics, then the Accounting, the Marketing and they all just seemed so difficult and new. I had never ever discussed the subjects in school. I would comment on every lecture with my mates and we would all be like: 'That wasn't too bad...' or 'I liked it', or 'Piece of cake!'. Bloody hell, we were all so wrong. It turns out that you have to actually read after the lectures and prepare yourself for the next one, and write homework, and even do research. You can imagine that the longer it takes one to realize all that the harder it's going to be for him to cope with it. Well, we found that out in Week 3 when we had our first quiz in Financial Accounting. We all felt so unprepared and plain stupid. That is when we had to go back to the first lecture and catch up. We would have study groups which now seem like a total waste of time. We would call friends and previous teachers and even parents for help when all we needed to do was read and just absorb the material.
Still, there was one subject that I immensely liked from the very first lecture. That is - Quantitative Techniques. Oh, I still remember the first slide, it was on some material I had covered in school 5 years ago. I finally had a subject that I had an amazing advantage in. Yes, it was not very interesting, but I did not have to study at all. I never bought the Quantitative Techniques textbook and I still love the subject.
Just like that my first week was over, and then the next one... Today I feel like I just got into uni, not much wiser and not much smarter, just a boy on its way to real life. OK, well, maybe a bit smarter and just a very tiny bit wiser, and more prepared for what is to come.
Saturday, 11 October 2008
The First Week of Uni
No matter which year you are, what degree you are having, or what plans you are trying to fulfil, the first week of the uni year is always a bit scary, a bit disturbing, very exciting and always fun. In the first year of uni your module leader may tell you that you are going to fail but you are going to laugh in his/her face. Later on you may think thing through, more rationally and seriously, but in the first week it is all about the fun.
The fun comes from the constant complaining about the lecturers, the unending small-talk about controversial** subjects, the hasty remarks abut everything new. In the first week of uni you will be laughing at you future misery and I bet that future you will be cursing those gullible moments of mere understatement.
In the week to come I will share with you my perceptions from last years lecturers during freshers week and what has changed this year...
**controversial (in tha first week of uni you will find yourself arguing with your mates about a certain module - they would think it's impassable, while you can already see the first on your diploma)
The fun comes from the constant complaining about the lecturers, the unending small-talk about controversial** subjects, the hasty remarks abut everything new. In the first week of uni you will be laughing at you future misery and I bet that future you will be cursing those gullible moments of mere understatement.
In the week to come I will share with you my perceptions from last years lecturers during freshers week and what has changed this year...
**controversial (in tha first week of uni you will find yourself arguing with your mates about a certain module - they would think it's impassable, while you can already see the first on your diploma)
Sunday, 5 October 2008
Freshers Flu
Hopefully, there are less flu cases between students this Freshers Week compared to last year. I can still remember my first freshers flu last year. Me and my eight flatmates were all sick and were ready to try anything, I mean ANYTHING (:P), to get better.
I was living on a box of pills my mother had given me. I think I was taking a total of ten a day. Now that I think about it, that surely cannot be good for you.
One of my flatmates, the infamous 'Party Animal' was trying to cure himself on herbal tea and vitamins.
'The Hippies' were so desperate they even agreed to try some of my pills. In the end they could not put themselves through it and left the pills for when they are on their deathbed.
'The Hard Worker' being a pharmacy student was living on paracetamol because it is the base of most of the flu pills.
Of course we all got better with time but, still, the experience was not a good one.
... Unfortunately I did not learn from my mistake and currently am one of the ill second year in a raw. The flu will pass and, surely, will not ruin last weeks amazing experiences. Yet, I felt obliged to give TIP 10 FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS: Health is important! Try to stay healthy and enjoy the uni experience at its fullest.
Friday, 3 October 2008
Freshers Week 2008
Freshers Week 2008 has hit the university and does not want to let it go. It is unbelievable how a humans body can withstand the torture that is Freshers Week. There is a full schedule of activities starting early morning and finishing, well, early morning; absolutely no time for rest. I have already posted the events for the week and there is no point of repeating myself, instead let me share with you the highest and lowest points of the week.
The Freshers Pub Crawl has been the highest event this week, and definitely the most attended. I have to say that compared to last year, this year's pub crawl was quite unorganized; and yet, I had so much fun. This year fewer pubs were included: (and surprisingly - one restaurant)Einstein's - Sound Bar - MinZu - The Newt - The Yard of Ale - Scruffy's. Of course the big finish was at The Guild, which was at its fullest. The 1st October will be remembered for a long while. It was truly the best night of the Freshers Week so far.
There have been quite a lot of disappointmets. As a whole the Guild has lost some of its glamour this year. I was surprised to see the once constantly overflowing halls now empty with a sigh of disappointment in the air. I think this year's Indie Night was the biggest disappointment of all. The were more people in Einie's than in the main room. Another fact that has surprised me is that I have been able to get in after 11:30 buying a ticket at the door every night. Last year you had to pray to get inside after 11:00 with a ticket.
But putting negativity aside, I have been enjoying Freshers Week 2008 so far and I am going to keep a positive spirit and wait with anticipation for tonight's surprise. Tonight is set to be on of the best. Yet we are all expecting the closing party on Sunday, which is set to be amazing.
Thursday, 25 September 2008
International Freshers Week
The International Freshers Week has taken over Aston's Campus and although it cannot be compared to Freshers Week, there still are some lush parties. There have been three ultimate party places this week.
Einie's has been on every night and I have to say is unbelievably full. Yesterday it was busy with fuss and and excitement as the first Pub Quiz Night was spicing up the new freshers. The £2 Carling was the hit of the night! Yet, I have to say, the air conditioning problem was unbearable this time. It was like a Roman Spa in there.
Gosta was a unsually full on Monday. I missed the Pounded nights all summer. They were still going, there was just no one there. Now it was finally a good start for Gosta - a full house all night.
I have to say that Gate Crashers is the hit of this Uni season. I talked with freshers that have been there every night and don't want to go anywhere else. The reconstruction has been massive and every trace from 'The Works' has been swept by glamour. Gate Crashers seemed massive yesterday(and I used to go to 'The Works' regularly), the main room being the hit of the night. With three massive disco balls, an enormous light wall and eight smoke machines, Gate Crashers' main room is currently the best club in Birmingham!
... International Freshers Week is not finished, there is more to come. Tonight the first Karaoke night is set to tart the new season. I personally will be going to the grand Karaoke final in the Newt, though.
If you are not a fan of Karaoke, Kelly Rowland is set to sing in Selfridges. The party is supposed to be invites only and lots of V.I.P. guests. This is going to be the ultimate party place tonight! (well, for those who manage to get in).
Einie's has been on every night and I have to say is unbelievably full. Yesterday it was busy with fuss and and excitement as the first Pub Quiz Night was spicing up the new freshers. The £2 Carling was the hit of the night! Yet, I have to say, the air conditioning problem was unbearable this time. It was like a Roman Spa in there.
Gosta was a unsually full on Monday. I missed the Pounded nights all summer. They were still going, there was just no one there. Now it was finally a good start for Gosta - a full house all night.
I have to say that Gate Crashers is the hit of this Uni season. I talked with freshers that have been there every night and don't want to go anywhere else. The reconstruction has been massive and every trace from 'The Works' has been swept by glamour. Gate Crashers seemed massive yesterday(and I used to go to 'The Works' regularly), the main room being the hit of the night. With three massive disco balls, an enormous light wall and eight smoke machines, Gate Crashers' main room is currently the best club in Birmingham!
... International Freshers Week is not finished, there is more to come. Tonight the first Karaoke night is set to tart the new season. I personally will be going to the grand Karaoke final in the Newt, though.
If you are not a fan of Karaoke, Kelly Rowland is set to sing in Selfridges. The party is supposed to be invites only and lots of V.I.P. guests. This is going to be the ultimate party place tonight! (well, for those who manage to get in).
Tuesday, 23 September 2008
The Countdown to Freshers Week #1
As promissed here is the official 'Auntie' T-shirt for next week.
(If you open the image you will see the official events for the whole Freshers Week)
(If you open the image you will see the official events for the whole Freshers Week)
Sunday, 21 September 2008
The Party Animal
The last Aston character that I am going to share with you is my 'party' flatmate from last year. You will probably meet 'The Party Animal' during Freshers. He is, literally, all over the place when it comes to a party. During last year's Freshers Week he managed to popularise the pre-guild/warm-up party in our flat so much that it became a tradition for people from Dalton to visit us every night. Once he got us a V.I.P. in Oceana with free drinks all night. And, well, even after four months he still called me when he came back to Birmingham to hang out. He is truly unstoppable. But how would you recognise the party animal.
First, and most importantly, 'The Party Animal' always has to be trendy. Then he must never feel cold or heat. No matter what the temperature, 'The Party Animal' has to have an outfit prepared and suffer the consequences. Last but not least, he should be able to sacrifice a night's sleep or exams' preparations for the party's sake.
Yet, I have to say that 'The Party Animal' surprised me very positively in the end of the year and got quite good marks, not mention passed all his modules. I have big hope for him... Here's THE PARTY ANIMAL'S TIP FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS: DON'T MISS THE SESH AT MY FLAT BEFORE THE GUILD!
Now before I sum up, I have to say that the characters I described are only four of the seven people I lived with last year. The rest three are individualistic and I don't want to put a name tag on. And last, there may be a hint of 'The Hard Worker' or 'The Hippies', or 'The Party Animal' in any of us. Aston's campus is so colourful and interesting that you will find your own characters and you own friends. Hopefully, you will be lucky enough to live with them for a year, like I did. Now that I look on the year that has passed I feel no regrets, I was blessed to have such fun times.
Here's a little heads up on what is to come here till the end of next week. You will get and exclusive sneak peak at what is to come at Freshers and hopefully a Rota of the different events. International Freshers Week started yesterday and I will give a post with the events to come in the week. The first hint is:
First, and most importantly, 'The Party Animal' always has to be trendy. Then he must never feel cold or heat. No matter what the temperature, 'The Party Animal' has to have an outfit prepared and suffer the consequences. Last but not least, he should be able to sacrifice a night's sleep or exams' preparations for the party's sake.
Yet, I have to say that 'The Party Animal' surprised me very positively in the end of the year and got quite good marks, not mention passed all his modules. I have big hope for him... Here's THE PARTY ANIMAL'S TIP FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS: DON'T MISS THE SESH AT MY FLAT BEFORE THE GUILD!
Now before I sum up, I have to say that the characters I described are only four of the seven people I lived with last year. The rest three are individualistic and I don't want to put a name tag on. And last, there may be a hint of 'The Hard Worker' or 'The Hippies', or 'The Party Animal' in any of us. Aston's campus is so colourful and interesting that you will find your own characters and you own friends. Hopefully, you will be lucky enough to live with them for a year, like I did. Now that I look on the year that has passed I feel no regrets, I was blessed to have such fun times.
Here's a little heads up on what is to come here till the end of next week. You will get and exclusive sneak peak at what is to come at Freshers and hopefully a Rota of the different events. International Freshers Week started yesterday and I will give a post with the events to come in the week. The first hint is:
Tuesday, 16 September 2008
The Hippies
After a comparatively short break and a lot of sunbathing I am back in Birmingham. I feel just like last year - cold and filled with anticipation. Kara is going to be an 'Auntie' this year and we will have a very good insight on all the events from this year's Freshers Week. The International Freshers Week takes off next weekend to warm up the campus and prepare us all for the big 'F'. (For everyone who are not familiar with the term 'Auntie', an 'Auntie' is the person male/female who is supposed to welcome, help and integrate the freshers in the Aston atmosphere.)
If I remember correctly, though, I still have several untold stories. I already started describing several types if typical students or at least what I think is typical. After 'The Hard Worker' which is a very common type comes another huge group 'The Hippies'.
'The Hippies' male or female have the same characteristics. First, they are always a part of the bigger 'Hippie Society' in the university. They would know all the other hippies and meet socially with them at least four times a week. Yet, they always seem to 'not care' if the group has a fallout or a big trouble. When a problem comes, 'The Hippies' will not hesitate to save themselves first. Still, 'The Hippies' are in some rare occasions ready to help someone from the group to improve their 'Hippie' status or just to feel better about themselves. In the end of the day, though, 'The Hippies' are supper nice to all the 'Non-hippie Masses' on campus and if you don't provoke them can be extremely friendly.
In their studies 'The Hippies' grow up to their name. They are not going to miss the sesh in flat 11 next week for some accounting test, or not got to Oceana on Monday because some boring professor decided to give them an essay to write. Of course that results is lower grades. Although quite bright, the hippies are always struggling with tests and grades. They have the most fun, though... Even 'The Party Animal' would go out less than 'The Hippies'... They just do not care and cannot be bothered.
'The Hippies' are in university to have the experience, not to get the best grades. And they may actually turn up to be right in the end, I still cannot say. Now that I look back on the months I have spent living with 'The Hippies' I actually miss them. We had so many fights because of the different way we lived our lives that sometimes we didn't speak to each other for weeks. Yet, when I look back on the whole experience I had with 'MY Hippies' I miss them and their nonchalant character. When you are in a bad place no one can cheer you up as good as 'An Aston Hippie'.
The Hippies would probably miss to give an advice to the prospective students but they may invite you to a party...!?
If I remember correctly, though, I still have several untold stories. I already started describing several types if typical students or at least what I think is typical. After 'The Hard Worker' which is a very common type comes another huge group 'The Hippies'.
'The Hippies' male or female have the same characteristics. First, they are always a part of the bigger 'Hippie Society' in the university. They would know all the other hippies and meet socially with them at least four times a week. Yet, they always seem to 'not care' if the group has a fallout or a big trouble. When a problem comes, 'The Hippies' will not hesitate to save themselves first. Still, 'The Hippies' are in some rare occasions ready to help someone from the group to improve their 'Hippie' status or just to feel better about themselves. In the end of the day, though, 'The Hippies' are supper nice to all the 'Non-hippie Masses' on campus and if you don't provoke them can be extremely friendly.
In their studies 'The Hippies' grow up to their name. They are not going to miss the sesh in flat 11 next week for some accounting test, or not got to Oceana on Monday because some boring professor decided to give them an essay to write. Of course that results is lower grades. Although quite bright, the hippies are always struggling with tests and grades. They have the most fun, though... Even 'The Party Animal' would go out less than 'The Hippies'... They just do not care and cannot be bothered.
'The Hippies' are in university to have the experience, not to get the best grades. And they may actually turn up to be right in the end, I still cannot say. Now that I look back on the months I have spent living with 'The Hippies' I actually miss them. We had so many fights because of the different way we lived our lives that sometimes we didn't speak to each other for weeks. Yet, when I look back on the whole experience I had with 'MY Hippies' I miss them and their nonchalant character. When you are in a bad place no one can cheer you up as good as 'An Aston Hippie'.
The Hippies would probably miss to give an advice to the prospective students but they may invite you to a party...!?
Monday, 11 August 2008
The Hard Worker
You can already feel the anticipation in Birmingham. The city is waiting for the new Uni year to start. In less than a month freshers will start flooding the Universities. Last year at this time I was making the final preparation for my leaving Bulgaria. I still cannot believe how much my life has changed since then. One of the people that changed it is 'The Hard Worker'.
'The Hard Worker' is how I will be calling one of my ex-flatmates from Dalton. He was doing a masters in Pharmacy and was swamped with work all the time. Unlike most of my friends who are just above average like me he was the best in his course. On his exams he would do unbelievably good. A 90% for 'The Hard Worker' was not that good. He always wanted to get higher. This ambition put him on the pinnacle of his course, reigning over the other pharmacy students.
Yet, 'The Hard Worker' was not what you would expect. All puffed up from going to the Aston fitness centre every day he was beyond shape. And most unexpectedly he turned out to be a party animal, that is, when he actually went out. See, the difference between me an average and him an elaborate student is that he does not go with the flow. If the whole Uni is going to Oceana tomorrow, and there is a test the next day, 'The Hard Worker' wouldn't because unlike me he had discovered something very important.
'The Hard Worker' has given me many advices during my first year. Yet, the most useful was: THE HARD WORKER'S ADVICE FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS: You will spend only a couple of years in university, and those years will affect your whole life. Think about what and when you are doing. There will be time for partying after university, but there is no way you can travel back in time and change your Diploma!
'The Hard Worker' is how I will be calling one of my ex-flatmates from Dalton. He was doing a masters in Pharmacy and was swamped with work all the time. Unlike most of my friends who are just above average like me he was the best in his course. On his exams he would do unbelievably good. A 90% for 'The Hard Worker' was not that good. He always wanted to get higher. This ambition put him on the pinnacle of his course, reigning over the other pharmacy students.
Yet, 'The Hard Worker' was not what you would expect. All puffed up from going to the Aston fitness centre every day he was beyond shape. And most unexpectedly he turned out to be a party animal, that is, when he actually went out. See, the difference between me an average and him an elaborate student is that he does not go with the flow. If the whole Uni is going to Oceana tomorrow, and there is a test the next day, 'The Hard Worker' wouldn't because unlike me he had discovered something very important.
'The Hard Worker' has given me many advices during my first year. Yet, the most useful was: THE HARD WORKER'S ADVICE FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS: You will spend only a couple of years in university, and those years will affect your whole life. Think about what and when you are doing. There will be time for partying after university, but there is no way you can travel back in time and change your Diploma!
Tuesday, 29 July 2008
Just Fab...
There are very few wise people that I know and that is probably just my luck. For starters, my parents are not really wise yet, I mean, they are still living their mistakes and making even more. They will become wise one day, hopefully. For now their mistakes just make them more fun. So I cannot really talk wisely ever, yet sometimes I just see the light in the end of the tunnel, if you know what I mean.
I just got off chatting with one of the very few fab (and probably one of the wisest) people I know and she is fab, believe me, successful, renowned, fabulous. She walks into the room and every eye is on her, opens her mouth and instantly gets the attention.... I have already told you a lot about Fannie and it is not only because she is, well, quite important to me; there is more and I bet you did not expect it... (I actually had something in mind)
Fannie has lived and studied in the UK and has quite a lot of tips for any prospective student, like you guys. Today she taught me a lesson, a lesson she had learned when she was doing what I am doing right now, and what you will be doing soon - do not get absorbed by the whole English nightlife culture... what do I mean? Let me tell you a story...
I am currently spending my fist ever fully independent summer. I live alone, get my own money... do whatever I want to. After my traditional recap yesterday I realised that I am actually not doing that good. My routine is simple: I work every evening, finish at 12, have a pint after work, go home, have a pint with a flatmate in front of the TV and go to bed; next morning I wake up, have a shower, breakfast, lunch, a pint with the lunch, go to work again... Did you notice how many times the word pint was in that long sentence. Remember, this is one day. I bet my colleagues would not notice the problem, they have lived like this their whole lives but for me this is new... And England is not about the drinking seshes or the night and the partying till dawn... it is about everything else... history, culture, politics... Read a contemporary English book and you will probably not see the word pint in it, or booze, or bear, or alcohol... at least not that as much as in this post. Have a walk on the street, try to notice the unique architecture. Go to the park, see the year-long greenness (it rains this much in very few countries). Go to a bookshop get an interesting book and see something you missed while having a walk. Turn on the TV absorb the media culture. Buy the Sunday Times and absorb even more media culture. See why is it that the United Kingdom is so different from every other European country.
So, to make a point: if you are a current student get a grip on your self, if you are prospective student, do not let go that grip, ever! Have fun and try to remember the years of Uni, I mean the more you drink, the more precious once of a lifetime moments you are going to miss...
In the weeks to follow I am going to make you several descriptions of typical Aston students and I bet after I am finished you will all want to come here, it is just diverse, interesting, surprising and always fun!
I just got off chatting with one of the very few fab (and probably one of the wisest) people I know and she is fab, believe me, successful, renowned, fabulous. She walks into the room and every eye is on her, opens her mouth and instantly gets the attention.... I have already told you a lot about Fannie and it is not only because she is, well, quite important to me; there is more and I bet you did not expect it... (I actually had something in mind)
Fannie has lived and studied in the UK and has quite a lot of tips for any prospective student, like you guys. Today she taught me a lesson, a lesson she had learned when she was doing what I am doing right now, and what you will be doing soon - do not get absorbed by the whole English nightlife culture... what do I mean? Let me tell you a story...
I am currently spending my fist ever fully independent summer. I live alone, get my own money... do whatever I want to. After my traditional recap yesterday I realised that I am actually not doing that good. My routine is simple: I work every evening, finish at 12, have a pint after work, go home, have a pint with a flatmate in front of the TV and go to bed; next morning I wake up, have a shower, breakfast, lunch, a pint with the lunch, go to work again... Did you notice how many times the word pint was in that long sentence. Remember, this is one day. I bet my colleagues would not notice the problem, they have lived like this their whole lives but for me this is new... And England is not about the drinking seshes or the night and the partying till dawn... it is about everything else... history, culture, politics... Read a contemporary English book and you will probably not see the word pint in it, or booze, or bear, or alcohol... at least not that as much as in this post. Have a walk on the street, try to notice the unique architecture. Go to the park, see the year-long greenness (it rains this much in very few countries). Go to a bookshop get an interesting book and see something you missed while having a walk. Turn on the TV absorb the media culture. Buy the Sunday Times and absorb even more media culture. See why is it that the United Kingdom is so different from every other European country.
So, to make a point: if you are a current student get a grip on your self, if you are prospective student, do not let go that grip, ever! Have fun and try to remember the years of Uni, I mean the more you drink, the more precious once of a lifetime moments you are going to miss...
In the weeks to follow I am going to make you several descriptions of typical Aston students and I bet after I am finished you will all want to come here, it is just diverse, interesting, surprising and always fun!
Monday, 14 July 2008
The 10th Tip
Unlike recently, the weather today in Birmingham is dreadful, gloomy and wet, it feel like it is Autumn already. Still, the phenomenal book I am reading is keeping me positive - ''Number Ten'' by Sue Townsend.
What I have missed to share with you was my moving to my new house. Now I live in House 30 in Aston Brook Green. It is definitely the second most popular accommodation after the campus towers and Lake Side. The whole moving, cleaning and painting process too us a week. Me and Gosia started on Saturday 14th June and Karolina joined us on Sunday 15th June. By next Saturday me and Kara could not walk. We had been cleaning every bloody day and don't forget work. We were both either at the pub or at the house. Thinking about it now it sounds ages ago, though.
I haven't given you any tips lately and since I have finally reached my tenth one (I feel so wise ha-ha-ha) it is special so this post is going to me my TIP 10 FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS! It is all going to be about where to shop, how to find the cheap deals an' stuff. And this is very important for an average student, innit.
The food is easy to buy; you have Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Aldi, The Rad Market, The 99p Shop, Poundland, there's just plenty. But what if you need paint or a chair, or a set of nice pillows, or a desk, or a bed. Here is the Top 5 of the shops I used to arrange my current room (the first being the most shopped from and the last being the one I have used the less)
1) Latiff's - It is a huge warehouse behind Moor Station. A little doggy from the outside, Latiff's is perfect for a new home owner.
2) Matalan - The moment I discovered Matalan I fell in love with it. So near Uni and so many stuff. Matalan is a little bit more expensive but has really nice stuff.
3) The Clearance Shop in front of the Carling Academy - this is the place where you can find the cheapest stuff ever, but you have to be very careful, some of them are broken or stained.
4) Primark - the good old Primark's home stuff are quite cheap and quite near the Uni. Yes, you cannot buy a bed there but you can get sheets and stuff.
5) All the 1£ something shops - you can find so many stuff in all the quid shops in Birmingham; one of my mirrors is actually from 'Everything for 1 or 2£'
So dear prospective students, I am not doing an advertisement for shops in Birmingham, I am giving you a free advice. I had to spend a year gathering all this information. Now you are so much better prepared than me, when I came to Uni.
Furniture and house stuff: I have made a Top 3 of the places I have use to buy all my stuff and I am going t
What I have missed to share with you was my moving to my new house. Now I live in House 30 in Aston Brook Green. It is definitely the second most popular accommodation after the campus towers and Lake Side. The whole moving, cleaning and painting process too us a week. Me and Gosia started on Saturday 14th June and Karolina joined us on Sunday 15th June. By next Saturday me and Kara could not walk. We had been cleaning every bloody day and don't forget work. We were both either at the pub or at the house. Thinking about it now it sounds ages ago, though.
I haven't given you any tips lately and since I have finally reached my tenth one (I feel so wise ha-ha-ha) it is special so this post is going to me my TIP 10 FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS! It is all going to be about where to shop, how to find the cheap deals an' stuff. And this is very important for an average student, innit.
The food is easy to buy; you have Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Aldi, The Rad Market, The 99p Shop, Poundland, there's just plenty. But what if you need paint or a chair, or a set of nice pillows, or a desk, or a bed. Here is the Top 5 of the shops I used to arrange my current room (the first being the most shopped from and the last being the one I have used the less)
1) Latiff's - It is a huge warehouse behind Moor Station. A little doggy from the outside, Latiff's is perfect for a new home owner.
2) Matalan - The moment I discovered Matalan I fell in love with it. So near Uni and so many stuff. Matalan is a little bit more expensive but has really nice stuff.
3) The Clearance Shop in front of the Carling Academy - this is the place where you can find the cheapest stuff ever, but you have to be very careful, some of them are broken or stained.
4) Primark - the good old Primark's home stuff are quite cheap and quite near the Uni. Yes, you cannot buy a bed there but you can get sheets and stuff.
5) All the 1£ something shops - you can find so many stuff in all the quid shops in Birmingham; one of my mirrors is actually from 'Everything for 1 or 2£'
So dear prospective students, I am not doing an advertisement for shops in Birmingham, I am giving you a free advice. I had to spend a year gathering all this information. Now you are so much better prepared than me, when I came to Uni.
Furniture and house stuff: I have made a Top 3 of the places I have use to buy all my stuff and I am going t
Sunday, 13 July 2008
Exam Results Time
I am finally back in the UK after a two week 'holiday' in Bulgaria. Not much is happening in Burmingham. The only change in the scene at Uni is the 'EXAM RESULTS POST' on Aston Map - our student account @ the Uni webpage! Now every prospective student should now that the wait for results here is EPIC! We all have been waiting for almost two months and now only the general decision is posted.
I heard about the EXAM RESULTS POST yesterday and immediately took Karolina's laptop to check what my faith was. As I typed the Aston Map homepage I felt that this was going to be the longest ten seconds of my life...
...and it still has not finished generating
(Kara is already screaming)
- 'What happened?'
- 'I am still waiting for the f*** Aston Map to generate!'
...and just there the magic happened - the page generated, I could already feel the results were in there. *Have you noticed that when you receive a very important letter it always takes ages to open it because you are too nervous. Well, it took me ages to find where the General Decision link was...
- and there it was the long craved - 'YOU PASSED'
Now I am waiting for the actual results but at least I know I have successfully graduated my first year in Aston. I can still call myself an Aston Student. So, to all prospective students: I am still going to be here to say 'Hi' next year :D
I heard about the EXAM RESULTS POST yesterday and immediately took Karolina's laptop to check what my faith was. As I typed the Aston Map homepage I felt that this was going to be the longest ten seconds of my life...
...and it still has not finished generating
(Kara is already screaming)
- 'What happened?'
- 'I am still waiting for the f*** Aston Map to generate!'
...and just there the magic happened - the page generated, I could already feel the results were in there. *Have you noticed that when you receive a very important letter it always takes ages to open it because you are too nervous. Well, it took me ages to find where the General Decision link was...
- and there it was the long craved - 'YOU PASSED'
Now I am waiting for the actual results but at least I know I have successfully graduated my first year in Aston. I can still call myself an Aston Student. So, to all prospective students: I am still going to be here to say 'Hi' next year :D
Wednesday, 2 July 2008
The Guild /continued/
Around a year and a half ago I had to make one of the toughest choices of my life - chose a university to study in. I have always known that this is a very important decision, not because of the diploma, but because the university has an amasing impact on a person's life perseption and philosophies. Furthermore, every university is like a small society and the students have an invisible bond that is there for years after graduation. In other words, I had to make a very important and difficult decision. I have seen that every university says that it is the best in the world, well, not every but that is the policy of most. What I liked about Aston was the directness and honesty of the university's description. For example, when reading the website I could hear 'we may not be number one in ranking but we will give you perfect training and preparation for the business world', or 'we are the best at this special part of teaching'... details that I found important. See, I alredy new that y results could not get me in Harvard or Cambridge and I wanted a university that would do the best out of the material that was me one year ago. I dunno if that is what every student felt, that was what I felt. I saw a kind of security in tha direct way of showing the university's strengths.
Anyway, it was only after I actually set foot on the Aston University Campus that I saw a unique feature that is, for me, Aston's Ace in the set of cards - The Guild. It is not the exstence of the Guild that is amazing or unique; every university has a student union; it was the impact the Guild has on our, student's, lifes. I have talked with a lot of people from universities around the world, students from some of the best universities in Europe, or in America, like Yale and Princeton and no one has ever felt such a strong student union in their university. Yes, a union that makes parties or events, but not a union like ours.
I already mentioned in Part I of my post that the Guild had a big impact on me in the beginning of the first term and that it is the place for us to escape from boredom and studying but that is not all. The uniqunes of the Guild is hidden in the diversity of activities.
It houses the different student clubs and societies; it houses soial events like charities and parties, houses a restaurant, a pub, a bank, an accommodation supplier, a supermarket. You can find everything there, whatever you need. I have already used the job-shop in the Guild and the student counseling services (I needed advice about paying my tuition in installments). And that is just half of all the places there.
Not an amazingly active student, I have not even made an effort to discover all of the 'secrets' that the Guild hides or the 'wishes' that it can grants. There is still more to see. Probably that is why this will be the first post I will leave open, to finish next year. I will wait to see the new changes and updates that are happening or have happened in th padt sic months. Hopefully next year I will have more to say about the guild; hopefully, there are going to be more and sooner changes on the Guild to spice up the upcoming year.
Anyway, it was only after I actually set foot on the Aston University Campus that I saw a unique feature that is, for me, Aston's Ace in the set of cards - The Guild. It is not the exstence of the Guild that is amazing or unique; every university has a student union; it was the impact the Guild has on our, student's, lifes. I have talked with a lot of people from universities around the world, students from some of the best universities in Europe, or in America, like Yale and Princeton and no one has ever felt such a strong student union in their university. Yes, a union that makes parties or events, but not a union like ours.
I already mentioned in Part I of my post that the Guild had a big impact on me in the beginning of the first term and that it is the place for us to escape from boredom and studying but that is not all. The uniqunes of the Guild is hidden in the diversity of activities.
It houses the different student clubs and societies; it houses soial events like charities and parties, houses a restaurant, a pub, a bank, an accommodation supplier, a supermarket. You can find everything there, whatever you need. I have already used the job-shop in the Guild and the student counseling services (I needed advice about paying my tuition in installments). And that is just half of all the places there.
Not an amazingly active student, I have not even made an effort to discover all of the 'secrets' that the Guild hides or the 'wishes' that it can grants. There is still more to see. Probably that is why this will be the first post I will leave open, to finish next year. I will wait to see the new changes and updates that are happening or have happened in th padt sic months. Hopefully next year I will have more to say about the guild; hopefully, there are going to be more and sooner changes on the Guild to spice up the upcoming year.
The Guild
Right now I am writing from Bugaria. I came here for two weeks on Sturday and, as usual, now I have to help my father with his boring office work. I've discoverred that here I miss my UK freedom so much. It is the fact that you do everything on your watch - wake up, go to sleep, go out, eat, drink, shower whenever you wish. If I want to eat at four in the morning I just go to my kitchen, while here I have to constantly try to be as quiet as possible not to wake someone up. And the worse is that everyone sleep at different time. My mother goes to sleep at ten, my father always takes a nap after work so around six, and my sister goes to bed late and sleeps till late morning. This leave me one hour of loudness after 'work'(here I finish at five).
Anyway, yesterday while I was watching a boring movie at home I discoverred there is something I have grown used to during term-time that I desperately need and want not - The Aston Student's Guild. It is the place where you go whenever yu don't have plans but want to party or like me, hate staying home alone.
For those who have never heard of the Aston Student's Guild let me make a quick description. Unlike other student unions the Aston Guild has always been really influentian inside the Uni and, now I can finally say WE, the students have always been really proud of it. The Guild is the ultimate place to search for help when you needed it; the ultimate place to party when you want to; the ultimate place to hang out when you don't want to be in your small room or leave campus.
I still remember the first time I saw the Guild's building. It is nothing impresive, nothing massive or shiny, nothing incredibly posh or sophisticated, but it had a 'hommie' atmosphere around it. A spirit that made me feel safe there. I dunno if it is just me but I loved to hand out there. Especially in my first several weeks I used to have breakfast , lunch , party .... LIVE there.
I will continue my story about the Guild later, unlike all the other places on campus the Guild has been closest to me this year... and it deserves a bigger story.
Anyway, yesterday while I was watching a boring movie at home I discoverred there is something I have grown used to during term-time that I desperately need and want not - The Aston Student's Guild. It is the place where you go whenever yu don't have plans but want to party or like me, hate staying home alone.
For those who have never heard of the Aston Student's Guild let me make a quick description. Unlike other student unions the Aston Guild has always been really influentian inside the Uni and, now I can finally say WE, the students have always been really proud of it. The Guild is the ultimate place to search for help when you needed it; the ultimate place to party when you want to; the ultimate place to hang out when you don't want to be in your small room or leave campus.
I still remember the first time I saw the Guild's building. It is nothing impresive, nothing massive or shiny, nothing incredibly posh or sophisticated, but it had a 'hommie' atmosphere around it. A spirit that made me feel safe there. I dunno if it is just me but I loved to hand out there. Especially in my first several weeks I used to have breakfast , lunch , party .... LIVE there.
I will continue my story about the Guild later, unlike all the other places on campus the Guild has been closest to me this year... and it deserves a bigger story.
Tuesday, 24 June 2008
The Lake
I already mentioned I have moved out of Dalton and into Aston Brook Green. What I have missed was the whole moving process. When I left my room for the last time I finally understood I a going to miss living on campus so much. I have been longing for living in a house outside campus since January and now that I finally do I miss the whole student atmosphere on campus. One of the most influential places for me has always been the Lake.
For me the Lake is not just an artificial pond of water but an Oasis in the desert of constant studying, exams and work, a place to relax after work or read in the sun for your exams, a place to have a pint or a barbeque dinner with your mates. Yes, in the summer the Lake is the heart of social activities on campus. Everyone goes there and everything happens right there.
But for me the Lake is not only a place to drink and eat, when I move to Uni in September last year I used to sit and stare at the lake on my evening walks. Well, it did not make me feel more at home but it did make me relax and forget about all the cr**.
There are so many more stuff that I will miss but there are four that have made the biggest impact on me: The Main Building, The Lake, The Library and DALTON!
The Library
The Library had become my home during the exam session and now that I finally moved out I am starting to miss it. I mean I don't miss the studying or anything, but the atmosphere itself. Basically, during exam sesh the library was always buzzing with people and never died out. Some people will finish studying in 4 in the morning, other will just start.
The funniest thing, though, is how no one is actually studying. Most of the people are on Facebook. Facebook, the plague that has spread over world youth. Even the people that are not on Facbook while studying will have it minimised on their Taskbar. Well, don't get me wrong some people are never on Facebook in the library, they're on Youtube.
Anyway, in the end of the day, most of us students spend loads of time studying in the library and I have to say were it not for the library I would have failed the exams.
The funniest thing, though, is how no one is actually studying. Most of the people are on Facebook. Facebook, the plague that has spread over world youth. Even the people that are not on Facbook while studying will have it minimised on their Taskbar. Well, don't get me wrong some people are never on Facebook in the library, they're on Youtube.
Anyway, in the end of the day, most of us students spend loads of time studying in the library and I have to say were it not for the library I would have failed the exams.
Friday, 13 June 2008
The Main Building
Today I have been making final arrangements for the house I am moving in on Saturday. All the packing and electricity and gas arranging made me think, think about living on campus. So, I decided to make a series of posts about all the stuff I am going to miss.
When I was giving my application for the accommodation I new I wanted to live in the expensive Lake Side flats. Yet, I got the cheap high-rise. I am going to be absolutely honest with you, at first I thought that I am going to live in a s*** hole. After I arrived to Dalton I started seeing things from a different prospective. Now I see my Flat as the most convenient location to live. The best thing about me living in the Dalton Tower is that it is right in front of the Main Building. I can basically go there in my slippers (and some people actually do).
The main building has been my refuge in so many situations. If there is a fire alarm in the middle of the night because someone decided to bake sausages at 4 in the morning and started a small fire, I can just run in my slippers to the main building and find a convenient location to wait the alarm out. If it was the middle of the night and I needed Internet fast (KeySurf not working of course), I could just run to the main building sit in the lounge on ground floor and use the free wireless. If I wanted to go out for Coffee with my mates and we were feeling lazy, the main building's different cafeterias were my location of choice.
I can still vividly recall one midnight adventure. I was back from work. It was around 1 and I had already stopped my contract with KeySurf. I had just remembered that this was the same day as the deadline for paying tuition and I had been too late. So I just took my laptop and credit card and ran to the main building to access the net and pay online. I was running like some phsyco. I hope security don't remember me :)
I remember having my little snacks in Lafe Lago. There I fell in love with the Costa Late and brownies. The thing that always sucked about Cafe Lago, though, was that the good food was always taken for seconds and I always got the 'leftovers'. TIP 8 for prospective students: Do not eat at Cafe Lago after the rush hours, go there before that!
I do not know why, but I have always loved having little walks in the Main Building when I can't sleep, just looking around. That is when you actually see the small details and even hear the walls talk. Oh, the Main Building is amazing in the night. TIP 9 for prospective students: If you get the chance just have a walk in the Main Building during the night, you will be amazed at the people you are going to see and the atmosphere itself.
Now that I think about it all these thing may seem absolutely small and insignificant to everyone else but for me they meant the world at the time.
When I was giving my application for the accommodation I new I wanted to live in the expensive Lake Side flats. Yet, I got the cheap high-rise. I am going to be absolutely honest with you, at first I thought that I am going to live in a s*** hole. After I arrived to Dalton I started seeing things from a different prospective. Now I see my Flat as the most convenient location to live. The best thing about me living in the Dalton Tower is that it is right in front of the Main Building. I can basically go there in my slippers (and some people actually do).
The main building has been my refuge in so many situations. If there is a fire alarm in the middle of the night because someone decided to bake sausages at 4 in the morning and started a small fire, I can just run in my slippers to the main building and find a convenient location to wait the alarm out. If it was the middle of the night and I needed Internet fast (KeySurf not working of course), I could just run to the main building sit in the lounge on ground floor and use the free wireless. If I wanted to go out for Coffee with my mates and we were feeling lazy, the main building's different cafeterias were my location of choice.
I can still vividly recall one midnight adventure. I was back from work. It was around 1 and I had already stopped my contract with KeySurf. I had just remembered that this was the same day as the deadline for paying tuition and I had been too late. So I just took my laptop and credit card and ran to the main building to access the net and pay online. I was running like some phsyco. I hope security don't remember me :)
I remember having my little snacks in Lafe Lago. There I fell in love with the Costa Late and brownies. The thing that always sucked about Cafe Lago, though, was that the good food was always taken for seconds and I always got the 'leftovers'. TIP 8 for prospective students: Do not eat at Cafe Lago after the rush hours, go there before that!
I do not know why, but I have always loved having little walks in the Main Building when I can't sleep, just looking around. That is when you actually see the small details and even hear the walls talk. Oh, the Main Building is amazing in the night. TIP 9 for prospective students: If you get the chance just have a walk in the Main Building during the night, you will be amazed at the people you are going to see and the atmosphere itself.
Now that I think about it all these thing may seem absolutely small and insignificant to everyone else but for me they meant the world at the time.
Thursday, 12 June 2008
The Fannie Story /continued/
I am sitting in our Dalton Tower Common Room. Probably this time may be my last. I am moving to my new house on Saturday. My short trip to Bulgaria made me forget some part of my daily routines here, like the annoying Nigerian girl that constantly plays music on her laptop in the common room. I mean, I like R&B but it is kind of hard to concentrate when she is rapping next to me. And, seriously, she needs to download some new music. Anyway, I will try to concentrate and continue with my story because I am going to Gosta to see the Poland Sweden game.
When I decided I wanted introduce some people that have made and huge impact on me in the last year for the blog readers I was anxious I may make it boring. Yet I'll try, feel free to stop me :D
One of the funniest thing Fannie has ever told me was her descriptions of the school board meeting. That is the meeting of all the teachers in my high school. I happened usually once a month/at least I think so/. I found it interesting because we students never know what is happening with our teachers outside the classroom and how they communicate between themselves. So, I am going to tell you one of Fannie's school meeting stories.
She has always found bureaucracy very boring and as she says, she hardly stayed awake during the school meetings. She would tell my math teacher to wake her up if something important was going on. Basically every teacher was complaining about his/her own problems with students and teaching and the meetings were like a buzzing orchestra of complaints. Every now and then the principle would desperately demand silence in her high-pitched voice. To conclude, evidently teachers are just normal, air-breathing humans.
No that I think about it /although it is hard to think when listening to 'turn me on, turn me on girl...' from the annoying girl's computer/ the best feature of Fannie's character was her absolute nonchalance. I don't know how she makes it, but she never seems too worried, and I know she has tons of stuff going on and tons of problems. I had always been most jealous of that part of her character. She can, probably, pool a smile off in a worst moment.
I am trying to think of all the thing I want to tell about Fannie right now but nothings seems enough /and the annoying girl is trying to get on my last nerve/. You will be hearing a lot more about her, anyway.
Now, I have to go meet Ania and Cara and go to Gosta. Oh, god bless all the people still standing my shitty character. Here at Uni I had found out that I have to be a little bit tolerant towards other people because one needs time to be able to make an accurate approximation of their character and qualities. I have made too many bad first impressions and thought bad of amazing people. So here is TIP 7 for prospective students: Do not make rash judgement of people!
Monday, 9 June 2008
The Fannie Story
Recently I felt as if I did not have the inspiration to write. That is why I haven't had a post in more than a week. I sign into blogspot and I cannot write a single word. Maybe that was influenced by the alcoholic/euphoric/melancholic dream I had fallen into. As much as I have been having fun in the past week, I felt absolutely empty, desperately needing some inspiration to think. I finally found it back home, in Sofia.
My friends here are very, very different from my friends in Birmingham, interested in different stuff, having different problems, leaving different lives. Anyway, they have inspired me and now I can continue writing...
As I was walking along the dark alley around midnight yesterday I was finally feeling calm. I was on my way back from Fannie's, quite tipsy, with an amazing headache and a frightened expression on my face. I had forgotten how dark some streets in Sofia were. In this state I was recapping the event from the evening. I have always loved going to Fannie's... but wait you don't know anything about her yet.
Fannie was my closest teacher, and by closest I mean that I could actually share with her. After I graduated last year we have kept in touch and every visit in Bulgaria goes hand in hand with a visit to her house. Fannie lives in a huuuuge house. The best thing about it is the attic where her cabinet is. It is a small room with low ceiling, wooden floor, walls and ceiling. Half of the room is a gigantic book shelf with old books of her father's. Two wooden desks sit in the middle of the room and a bunch of other smaller furniture is spread around the centered tables.
Fannie was considered by most of my friends magical for her amazing orator abilities. She is capable of transferring you into the action of a story and I remember how in school we used to gaze enchanted once she opened her mouth and started narating. Anyway, now Fannie has become one of my closest people and getting drunk in the attic is a tradition now.
The best thing about my little visits is that they always go in the same exact way. Sometimes I think that even our conversations are the same. I usually take a bunch of old classmates with and we chat for hours. We always start with fresh gossip about absent people, then some stuff about the current situation in the old school, each informs us of any changes in plans and life, and then we start discussing world hunger/politics topics and start arguing. The best thing is that the political topics that we discuss are so controversial that we know we would never find a solution, yet we do it every time.
I am going to continue 'The Fannie Story' tomorrow since this post is getting a little too bulky. Of course I have to give - TIP No 6 for prospective students: Life abroad can get hard so find an inspiration, a person that can calm you down when you are stressed and help you look ahead!
My friends here are very, very different from my friends in Birmingham, interested in different stuff, having different problems, leaving different lives. Anyway, they have inspired me and now I can continue writing...
As I was walking along the dark alley around midnight yesterday I was finally feeling calm. I was on my way back from Fannie's, quite tipsy, with an amazing headache and a frightened expression on my face. I had forgotten how dark some streets in Sofia were. In this state I was recapping the event from the evening. I have always loved going to Fannie's... but wait you don't know anything about her yet.
Fannie was my closest teacher, and by closest I mean that I could actually share with her. After I graduated last year we have kept in touch and every visit in Bulgaria goes hand in hand with a visit to her house. Fannie lives in a huuuuge house. The best thing about it is the attic where her cabinet is. It is a small room with low ceiling, wooden floor, walls and ceiling. Half of the room is a gigantic book shelf with old books of her father's. Two wooden desks sit in the middle of the room and a bunch of other smaller furniture is spread around the centered tables.
Fannie was considered by most of my friends magical for her amazing orator abilities. She is capable of transferring you into the action of a story and I remember how in school we used to gaze enchanted once she opened her mouth and started narating. Anyway, now Fannie has become one of my closest people and getting drunk in the attic is a tradition now.
The best thing about my little visits is that they always go in the same exact way. Sometimes I think that even our conversations are the same. I usually take a bunch of old classmates with and we chat for hours. We always start with fresh gossip about absent people, then some stuff about the current situation in the old school, each informs us of any changes in plans and life, and then we start discussing world hunger/politics topics and start arguing. The best thing is that the political topics that we discuss are so controversial that we know we would never find a solution, yet we do it every time.
I am going to continue 'The Fannie Story' tomorrow since this post is getting a little too bulky. Of course I have to give - TIP No 6 for prospective students: Life abroad can get hard so find an inspiration, a person that can calm you down when you are stressed and help you look ahead!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)