Open Day Adventures
So I'm at that stage...yes, the one you all know about and dread. The time of personal statements and prospectuses and lecture halls where you know all this, of course you do, you've read the course outline a million times.
But there we are still. Open day after open day, miles walked around campuses and cities and stand followed by stand. You're sick of looking at ensuites and self-catered, shared kitchens. The words 'admissions' and 'modules' and that looming idea of 'dissertations' have been engrained in your mind till you're dreaming about them. Literally having nightmares that a module isn't right for you and that you've studied for two years and you still haven't got a clue what to write your dissertation on.
OK; I may be getting a bit carried away, the exhaustions settling in, my stress taking over. But truthfully, yes, this is a difficult and serious time. And open days are a huge part of it. So I have an ultimate (maybe amatuer) guide to surviving your next open day.
1. Travel savvy! It's nothing to do with the university, you might think you know trains, it might even not have crossed your mind. But travel arrangements are key, keeps you on time, gets you to where you need to be and just helps you generally focus on your time at the university and not getting there. In my opinion trains are your best bet, they're fast and tackle the hassle of parking (because you don't need to). The great thing about open days is that there'll be loads of other students on trains too...so, if you get a bit flustered like I do, follow the crowd.
2. Economy holding. It might seem inconsequential but baggage is better when you don't have it. And as someone who likes to carry a lot around with me, this is difficult to admit. But the one thing I can guarantee at any open day is that you will be walking away with a tree's worth of leaflets and booklets and any number of business cards or posters (and those prospectuses don't come light).
3. Quiz, question, query. The three Q's of any conversation with an academic. The information desk for individual subjects is the bible and dictionary of your open day experience. The academics are at your disposal, professors of extraordinary scope and knowledge who want to listen to you and tell you about everything they're working for and towards. These people are there for the obscure questions, the unusual queries and any number of requests you make (though do keep it subject specific). Take advantage of everything they say, listen to what they want from you and then try show them that you're it. If you spend three minutes or three hours at the desk make sure it's been worthwhile.
4. Accommodation active! You'll regret not looking at room size and kitchen facility. Shared bathroom or ensuite? Don't know the prices? Distance from the lecture halls, classrooms, supermarkets? Trust me, seems like you can figure it out later...don't ever think that again. Accommodation can make or break a university; bearing it mind it's your future home. And sure, it'll be a shock at first, you've never had a room so small, can't even imagine a single bed. But after three or four different university halls you'll see a distinction. There'll be one you realise you can see yourself working, sleeping and eating in.
My four easy steps might be obvious to you seasoned open day goers, but if you're embarking on your first or still struggling to decide after you've been to a few; take my advice and become an open day explorer (yes, you will feel as awesome as that sounds). Choosing a university will never seem so calm and easy.
But there we are still. Open day after open day, miles walked around campuses and cities and stand followed by stand. You're sick of looking at ensuites and self-catered, shared kitchens. The words 'admissions' and 'modules' and that looming idea of 'dissertations' have been engrained in your mind till you're dreaming about them. Literally having nightmares that a module isn't right for you and that you've studied for two years and you still haven't got a clue what to write your dissertation on.
OK; I may be getting a bit carried away, the exhaustions settling in, my stress taking over. But truthfully, yes, this is a difficult and serious time. And open days are a huge part of it. So I have an ultimate (maybe amatuer) guide to surviving your next open day.
1. Travel savvy! It's nothing to do with the university, you might think you know trains, it might even not have crossed your mind. But travel arrangements are key, keeps you on time, gets you to where you need to be and just helps you generally focus on your time at the university and not getting there. In my opinion trains are your best bet, they're fast and tackle the hassle of parking (because you don't need to). The great thing about open days is that there'll be loads of other students on trains too...so, if you get a bit flustered like I do, follow the crowd.
2. Economy holding. It might seem inconsequential but baggage is better when you don't have it. And as someone who likes to carry a lot around with me, this is difficult to admit. But the one thing I can guarantee at any open day is that you will be walking away with a tree's worth of leaflets and booklets and any number of business cards or posters (and those prospectuses don't come light).
3. Quiz, question, query. The three Q's of any conversation with an academic. The information desk for individual subjects is the bible and dictionary of your open day experience. The academics are at your disposal, professors of extraordinary scope and knowledge who want to listen to you and tell you about everything they're working for and towards. These people are there for the obscure questions, the unusual queries and any number of requests you make (though do keep it subject specific). Take advantage of everything they say, listen to what they want from you and then try show them that you're it. If you spend three minutes or three hours at the desk make sure it's been worthwhile.
4. Accommodation active! You'll regret not looking at room size and kitchen facility. Shared bathroom or ensuite? Don't know the prices? Distance from the lecture halls, classrooms, supermarkets? Trust me, seems like you can figure it out later...don't ever think that again. Accommodation can make or break a university; bearing it mind it's your future home. And sure, it'll be a shock at first, you've never had a room so small, can't even imagine a single bed. But after three or four different university halls you'll see a distinction. There'll be one you realise you can see yourself working, sleeping and eating in.
My four easy steps might be obvious to you seasoned open day goers, but if you're embarking on your first or still struggling to decide after you've been to a few; take my advice and become an open day explorer (yes, you will feel as awesome as that sounds). Choosing a university will never seem so calm and easy.
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