Apparently, my University has a policy to not allow seminar class changes for students if the reason is simply that it clashes with their part-time job. Except of course, it isn’t a simple matter. The fact a student has to work part-time is normally a good indication that they don’t have money on tap coming from home through the credit card. So surely, universities should be more accommodating?
The reason they give is that as we are full-time students, they expect us to be available at all times during the day but I would counter that with a request for them to use their common sense. As an English student, I have merely eight contact hours which means next semester, I will have two days where there are five hours gaps between two lectures or seminars. Five hours!
Some people may be used to such long breaks but I certainly am not. Although I will have to get used to working there, my optimum place to study is in the comfort of my bedroom and if that’s not available (due to falling ceilings as previously mentioned) then the comfort of my living room is just fine. What I certainly do not like is studying in a place where you have to endure an uncomfortable position, constantly watch how you are sitting and take a five minute walk for a bathroom break.
Also, what happens when you run out of work to do? Do you go buy a can of Pepsi and relax in the sun? Well no, especially given the fact buying a can of drink in Central London every day would amount to financial suicide but also the fact that it is London, hence the noticeable lack of sunshine.
I am not sure if every university has the same policy. In a way, I can understand where they are coming from as then they may be inundated with requests but I handed in a request for Semester 2 which is still two months away yet was still denied. I do have the option of simply switching my elective module to another more suitably timed one but this elective module that has such annoyingly timed classes just so happens to be the most interesting sounding module of the year!
Until Next Time
A Worried Student
Oh and I was thinking my WordPress profile photo needs a change, any ideas? Hmm would people actually be more willing to click on my blog if they saw my face? A scary question!…..
A WORRIED STUDENT 
I’m trying to wrap my head around a few things here – first off, semester? Alas – are there no more ‘terms’ at uni??!!! Goodness gracious me! Ahhh! And seminar is such a fancy word, I adore said word. 🙂 And on the main issue, it’s rather odd how they don’t appear to have tackled this problem before, because I’m sure a lot of students have gone through this? And on the profile photo thing: experiment maybe!
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Haha yes semester. Very American sounding I know but it is basically twelve weeks I think, split down the middle with a reading week.
Yup it is terribly surprising, especially given the rise in cost of everything so they should accept the fact students need to work!
Hmm okay!
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A reading week? Sounds self-explanatory, but OOOOH!!!?!! But then, I suppose you have to get through a zillion books(?).
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Haha well it is basically half term holidays with a fancy name which gives you a chance to catch up on missed work.
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Hmm. I’ve had at least a 3 hour gap in between my class. I also work at my college. There no use commuting back home and back to school again. I use public transportation and by the time I would get home, it’d be time for me to leave again. I can’t imagine a 5 hour gap!
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I have the same problem so going home during my breaks is certainly not an option 😦
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Wow, that’s a bad policy. My university lets me change around, but when I do have to have breaks in between classes, I rarely get work done. Ok, pretty much never…
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Nooo fair!
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Seeing as you have some talent as an artist, why don’t you draw a fun cartoon image if yourself – looking very, very worried:)
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Haha funnily enough I am quite bad at drawing pictures of people, I can draw sonic though but that’s about it
But hmmm thinking along those lines, the English department may be impressed if I send a poem requesting a change?
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That might just confuse them:)
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Oh maaan 😛
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Find your “favorite” lounge sofa and bring a bottle of water. That has got to be cheaper than Coke. Maybe you can lounge around in a dorm room that can be borrowed?
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My uni has a similar policy and the only way you can change seminars/workshops is if you have childcare issues. I have workshops that finish at 9 o’clock at evening, it takes me 2 hours and a half to get home at that time in the night because there are hardly any trains. Normally it takes about an hour and a quarter. I got told that I couldn’t change to the earlier workshop though. Their argument was that lecturers have to travel in and out of uni too, so if they can do it, so can we! I totally think that they should let you swap your seminar if it collides with work though. How else are you going to fund your way through an education?
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Finally someone who shares my problem although I must say you have much more to complain about!
That is a terrible excuse, lecturers more than likely own a car whilst we are thrown at the mercy of public transport 😦
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Not only that but when you complete your degree you will see students who worked part time waltzing off into jobs with much more ease. My daughter graduated this year and worked two part time jobs throughout her degree, sometimes working 70 hours a week, she managed to get a 2.1, just a couple of percent off a First which she kicked herself for but when she went to graduate selection events she was offered every single one she applied for as opposed to friends who hadn’t worked through their degree being offered in most cases none, with most if not all still trying to find a grad position. At each selection event she was told that her work experience, her obvious experience of being in a supervisory role had stood her in good stead for the future.
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