Since I last wrote a blog, a few things have happened. These have included:
- I’ve started the process of cat re-homing, so that I finally have an animal to go with the cat flap in my front door.
- I got back a piece of work for which I was awarded the lowest mark that I’ve had on the course so far.
- We had the most intense workshop session that we’ve experienced as a year group, in which pretty much every person revealed personal stories and struggles- and we realised how lucky we are to be studying with such supportive peers.
- I’ve decided I’m determined to pass my grade 8 saxophone by the end of the year.
So, why are all these things significant in terms of my university experience?
The cat kind of signifies the last stage in getting my living situation sorted and settled. It was always only going to start happening when the flat I bought as a totally unlivable residence last year was renovated and both my spare rooms filled. So it feels like a big tick off the list. 
The second is, in some ways, more significant. I passed the assignment (just to give you an idea, 40% is a pass at undergraduate level, this is a national system) but I wasn’t really happy with how I did. Up to this point, I’ve always been surprised with my grades, usually doing better than I thought. But I’ve had to reassess what is actually really important on this course, and recover from the disappointment. There is not, quite frankly, enough time to think about it for too long- the next pieces of coursework are always due. I’ve definitely reset my mind to not put too much pressure on myself to get great grades all the time. It’s just not possible. So sometimes, a pass will do just fine.
The third has opened my eyes to two very important things. Firstly, the year group I’m in can be very emotionally open and vulnerable with each other and that it’s totally OK for us to be this way. A lot of people commented afterwards that they wished that they had talked to others more about things they are/were feeling and experiencing before now…. and that it feels like we’re now closer as a year group. The second is that when we raise concerns about how sessions are conducted, our tutors really listen and respond to these. They take time to meet us and hear feedback and that things can change on the course because of what we say. I also discovered that the structure of courses can change, based on student feedback about their experiences. But, of course, none of this can happen if you keep quiet.
The last point? This is something I’ve wanted to do for a while, and it has felt like the course has overtaken my practice time. I’m going to make sure I redress the balance between stuff that I want to do and stuff that I NEED to do for the course. I think this is particularly important as we head into the exam period (again?! Where did that time go…?), so that, basically, I stay sane (or, as sane as possible). Over the next few weeks, I’m looking forward to getting into going over the year’s content and finding out where I’ll be for my next clinical placement. Oh, and having a rest.
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