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Photo by Green Chameleon on UnsplashWhat's second year at University like compared to first year? |
Hello everyone! Today I want to continue from where I left off last year, with my second-year university experience. Although we are still a couple of months away from September, I know that as soon my A-Level exams were over, I spent my time reading and watching university-based content, eagerly counting down the days until I would start uni. Fast forward nearly two years and I have just had my results back for my second-year modules, having enjoyed my second-year of university as much as I enjoyed my first (You can read my First Year Uni Experience).
Freshers Week as a second year student
Freshers week of year 2 was less overwhelming, having already purchased a wristband for the week's events ahead of time, and saw myself and three friends from halls move into a shared house in Edgbaston, 3 miles away from Birmingham city centre. Although there were a few initial hiccups, namely the oven not working and us being constrained to the hob for a few days, I already felt at ease straight away and I knew that the house environment would be much more up my street than halls, although it would mean sharing a bathroom with three other girls, instead of having the luxury of an en-suite - its totally bearable!University 2nd Year Marketing Modules
My second year consisted of 8 hours of contact time, in the first semester studying Digital Communications ( A 2-hour seminar), Managing the Brand ( A 1-hour seminar and a 1-hour lecture), Marketing Communications ( A 2-hour seminar) and Marketing Research ( A 2-hour seminar).
Is second year of university harder?
The digital communications module consisted of conducting a report to identify current digital trends, constructing a customer journey map of digital communications for a brand from the entertainment industry and creating a blog based on digital communications . This module I really enjoyed as it meant that I had the opportunity to formulate blogposts, as well as exploring new digital trends, such as VR and AR and how they are used in the beauty industry.The assignment for managing brand followed the focus of a food/drink brand (our group selected Cadbury) and assessing the brand position, in the form of a group presentation in semester one, and creating a Brand Communications plan in semester two. This gave me the chance to choose sponsorship methods, create press advertising, select sales promotion techniques and celebrity endorsement in order to form the plan.
The Marketing Communications module was focused on airport lounges brand 'No1 Lounges', where we were required to construct a contextual analysis in groups and do a 2500 word report for first semester, then in second semester, create an integrated marketing communications campaign. This was probably the most challenging module for me as the brief was very much open to interpretation. On the flipside, this meant that we had free reign of what we included, so long as it worked with Fill's MCPF Model.
The Marketing Research module consisted of us conducting our own primary research and constructing a report and data analysis. Being a bit of a numbers geek, I jumped at the chance to number crunch, create graphs and analyse the data that I had collected - fortunately, this all paid off when my results came through.
Second semester saw the continuation of Marketing Communications and Managing the Brand, but also saw the introduction of Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations Practice Project ( A 1-hour seminar and 1-hour lecture), and Financial Metrics for Marketing (the longest 2-hour seminar of your life).
The MAPR Practice project was based on a live client (our was HS2) and required us to create a number of portfolio items related to the client, as well as write a reflective essay, and to hand this in a physical format (nightmare!).
The Financial Metrics module was the only exam module I studied this year, however, found this, despite being dull, fairly straightforward and no doubt useful later on in my career. Compared to my A Level Maths exams, this was a breeze!
Joining a University Society
I continued rowing through my second year, only this time I was involved in the committee side of things, which added some extra stress. It also saw me competing twice, both in our varsity races and in BUCS in Nottingham. I also went out less than during my first year - I'd like to say it was because I was working hard, but it was more down to our uni timetables clashing and 9ams getting in the way. As a result, we found ourselves, more often than not, snuggled under our blankets in the living room watching say yes to the dress, snacks in hand.My 2nd Year Uni House
The environment in the house was chilled, fun and relaxed, and there was no drama which is a godsend. I’ve always been a fairly independent person so I thrived on the opportunity to do my own thing, particularly being able to eat what and when I wanted and when. For me, I took to living away from home like a duck to water. I had a newfound sense of freedom and the decisions I made were all my own. Living in a house environment helped this even more, and it felt more like a family unit, compared to halls. Yes, it was an added commitment with the 15-minute bus journey, or 45-minute walk, into the city centre, but I enjoyed this in the end as it meant I always got my daily steps in (and my Fitbit loved me for it).
I am grateful that the friends I made on my course in Year 1 were still a close-knit group throughout year two, and helped me through the ups and downs of second year. They always kept me motivated in my work, especially when it came to getting a placement. Securing a placement was probably the biggest challenge of second year. Fortunately, it was only a struggle through first semester as I managed to secure a Marketing Placement in December that I have recently started. Prior to that, I had sent over 20 applications and attended 2 other interviews. The placement application process was brutal, and often involved completed multiple psychometric and numerical tests, all whilst completing my coursework, but I know it'll be worth it in the long term.
I am grateful that the friends I made on my course in Year 1 were still a close-knit group throughout year two, and helped me through the ups and downs of second year. They always kept me motivated in my work, especially when it came to getting a placement. Securing a placement was probably the biggest challenge of second year. Fortunately, it was only a struggle through first semester as I managed to secure a Marketing Placement in December that I have recently started. Prior to that, I had sent over 20 applications and attended 2 other interviews. The placement application process was brutal, and often involved completed multiple psychometric and numerical tests, all whilst completing my coursework, but I know it'll be worth it in the long term.
How was your second year?
Read more university content;
My A Level Experience
- What is it like to study A Levels at Sixth Form?
A Levels are frequently noted as some of the hardest exams you’ll ever sit and definitely served as a shock to the system at the start of Year 12, back in 2013. Having recently completed my A2 exams and with A Level results day quickly approaching (and GCSE results day too for that matter), I thought that I would summarise my A Levels experience and share my ups, downs and advice with you. A little pre-warning, this is likely to be a long and chatty post so it may be worth grabbing a cuppa!
My Year 12 Experience
Back in August 2013, GCSE results day came around and I still hadn’t finalised my AS options choices. Although I had definitely wanted to study A Level Geography, History and Maths, as these had been my favourite and stronger subjects throughout GCSE, we were strongly encouraged to take 4 options for AS meaning that in a rushed and un-researched panic, I chose AS French.
This was a major downfall on my part and I would strongly encourage anyone starting their AS Levels in September to properly read into the subject content of the course you hope to study or if you are unsure of your fourth option choice, equally consider only taking 3 subjects from the beginning.
Most universities don’t take into account your 4th AS choice if its not continued to A2 (though equally some universities will count your result for UCAS points) and so it is often seen as a waste of time and energy that could impact your AS and A2 results overall.
It's also worth noting about additional qualifications offered at your Sixth Form such as General Studies, EPQ and Critical thinking. At my Sixth Form these were heavily pushed at a time when you are already overwhelmed by starting new subjects and a different style of learning.
EPQ
I personally opted for an EPQ which involved writing a 5000-word essay of a subject of your choice. I did, however, underestimate the amount of time this would take and the deadline was in the middle of March, a critical time for starting revision for my AS Exams, proved to impact my AS level grades. As a result, although I scored the highest mark for my EPQ Essay, it did heavily impact the outcome of my AS Exams meaning that I would have to later re-sit some of my AS units at the same time as my A2 exams.
My Year 13 Experience
Year 13 seems like a blur to me, but most significantly I noticed a further step up from Year 12 in terms of difficulty. Taking History, Geography and Maths, there appeared a clear change in exam technique from the long answer questions being 24 marks or 15 marks to now being 45 and 40 mark essays, and the difficulty of Maths AS to A2 being another significant jump. The longer answer questions took a substantial amount of time to answer and required a totally different approach.
Workload in Year 13
My workload in Year 13 changed too, compared to Year 12. Year 12 consisted of teachers constantly bombarding you with extra work, often deemed a waste of time, whereas in Year 13, particularly having now dropped French and EPQ, there appeared less work being set by teachers, but the work itself would take longer to complete. More commonly, I spent my time doing wider research or creating revision material throughout the year- such I would definitely encourage from the start of Year 12 to give you a wider scope of the subject, especially now many A Level courses have gone linear.
UCAS
The more obvious difference between Year 12 and Year 13 was UCAS. For those unaware of UCAS, UCAS is the only route for UK students (as far as I am aware) to apply to university. I could dedicate a whole separate to post for applying to university and the UCAS process, but the most time consuming aspect of the application process was certainly writing a personal statement.
There aren’t many people I know that enjoy writing about themselves but unfortunately it is a vital component when applying for university and one I urge those waiting to go into Year 13 this summer to start now if you have the chance! Writing a personal statement is heavily time consuming and a real pain frankly so its worth getting it done ahead of starting the school year to save yourself time and drafts.
At the start of Year 13 I also lined up numerous university open days and researched into various Business and Marketing courses I was interested in, before finding my ideal course – Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations. I’d strongly encourage you to, even if you are only vaguely interested in going to university, to research into these courses over the summer and line up some open days since nothing lets you explore whether Uni would be right for you then exploring different parts of the country and hearing from university students themselves about what they like and dislike about their course and university.
Missing my A Level Exams
Year 13 was also the time when my health took a turn. Un-known at the time, I was not in a good place with my health, which resulted in a 9-day stay in a neurology ward by Easter ( I have written all about my experience with St Vitus Dance).This meant that after much hard work throughout the year, I was faced with the realisation that taking my A2 exams in 2015 would not be a possibility and that I’d have to defer my exams until Summer 2016. This at the time seemed daunting, but I would not have been in the right frame of mind or health to have undergone them and definitely don’t regret my decision to defer – your health, both mental and physical, at the end of the day is the most important; over any education.
Year 14 - My 3rd Year of A Levels
Returning to Sixth Form in September 2015 was a daunting and lonely prospect. All of my closest friends had moved away to University and I was faced with the challenge of not only another year of difficult A2 study, but having to form new friendships in a year group of already settled friendship groups. The first 2 weeks of Year 14 were the hardest for me, having to introduce myself to people in already close knit classes. I found that I was isolating myself away from my fellow Year 13’s at break and lunchtimes and keeping myself to myself. Fortunately, 3 days into term I jetted off to Kavos on a pre-scheduled girls holiday which definitely allowed me to escape from the difficult reality of home. This allowed for a short break before returning back, but I couldn’t completely relax while I was away.
By the time I had returned from my holiday, it was week 3 of term and I was able to get close to a fellow Year 14, who introduced me to a group of lovely Year 13 girls. Although this friendship group would never replace the close group of friends of whom I’d been friends with since Year 7, it was a lifted burden knowing that I would have friends to talk to and reassure me throughout the year. From this point on, the year seemed to fly by and it was soon Easter again and I was handing in my A2 History coursework before spending 3 months heavily revising for my exams.
Should I resit my A Levels?
Year 14 was a difficult concept to grasp, but its not so bad. If you are faced with the difficult decision as to whether to retake some of your exams, or resit a year, it is important to remember that it is only a year of your life now that will help to impact years of your future. 10 months of getting your head down and focusing on what you want for yourself is nothing in the grand scheme of things.
Undertaking Year 14 allowed me to confirm to myself that I definitely wanted to go onto further education and go on to study something that I want to pursue as a career. Yes, I’ll admit it was difficult to wave goodbye to my closest friends as they moved on to pursue their own ventures, but I was easily able to (and I did during October half term) jump on a train and travel around the country to visit them. I also think it helps to strengthen existing friendships and realise that with some friends you’ll drift apart - and that’s okay! I am just under 3 weeks away from receiving my fate but I am equally of the mind-set that everything happens for a reason. If my results don’t go the way I am hoping for, then there will always be another pathway leading to where I want to go.
I realise that by the end of my long-winded ramble on my A Level Experience that I haven’t really given much advice, but equally I hope that I have given you an insight into what the last 3 years of my education have been like. Who knows where the next 3-4 years will be taking me, but I certainly hope to be able to share these years with you.
Have you completed your A- Levels? Let me know below!
Related
RESULTS DAY 2013
I’ve been meaning to write this post as soon as Year 12
kicked in almost 12 months ago but instead I decided to wait until the year was
fully completed, and for GCSE results day, before sharing my full reflection.
BACKGROUND/ GCSE RESULTS/A LEVEL CHOICES
On results day I signed up for 4 subjects that were not only my strongest but the four subjects I then loved and felt I'd be willing to the extra hours in - 10 subject hours a fortnight - to get the A2 grades I'd be happiest with - Geography, History, Maths and French. The latter, was a decision that ended up being a rushed one amidst the madness of getting my results and one, unlike the other three, that I hadn't properly thought through. Prior to getting my results, my fourth AS was going to be dependent on my French grade and that of Additional science, as at the time Chemistry was a possibility.
Having got a very secure A* in French versus a mid A in Science, I opted for a language at A Level. The biggest challenge I'd faced academically. Without going into too much detail on this, I could write a whole blogpost if you wanted?, I stuck it through Year 12 due to not having a back up subject to swap it for in the first few weeks and undergoing frequent breakdowns and general trauma through studying a language I thought I loved. At the soonest opportunity after trialing A2 French, I dropped French early and was left with Geography, History and Maths and a huge sigh of relief.
On reflection from this, I am still uncertain as to whether I will live to regret this next year however only time will tell.
Prior to A Levels, I was very lucky in that I was able to get through my GCSEs without any major trauma and was rather complacent with the results I got in August as I was able to leave my revision to the fairly last minute and get through exams without too much trouble, in reflection, as at the time they seemed to be the be-all and end-all.
When A Level students say there is a big step up between GCSE and A-Level, they are not kidding. Don't do what I did and brushed this comment off lightly. You really do need to pull your finger out at this point as leaving revision to the last minute just won't cut it.
MY RESULTS
The wait between my summer and my results on the 14th August seemed never ending. I expected the worst from my results as I have never been so under-prepared and overwhelmed for the jump between GCSE’s and A Levels and the difference in difficulty with the exams- I was expecting a climb but this was some mountain to trek.
I won't bore you with the details but by some miracle I managed to pass the majority of my exams but I really need to shape up next year in order to get the grades I'll be proud of and ones that, if I decide to, will get me into Uni.
AS to A2
Over the next 10 months I really need to get my head down as ultimately, these could be the last 10 months of my education and I want to have made all my school years worthwhile. Equally, I hope that throughout Year 13 that I get the balance between free time, work and A Levels sorted to avoid unnecessary stress.
SIXTH FORM/ A LEVEL TIPS
I have found a web article that basically sums up A LEVELS here however I have a few extra pointers for my Year 11 readers who want extra reassurance or a push in the right direction
The wait between my summer and my results on the 14th August seemed never ending. I expected the worst from my results as I have never been so under-prepared and overwhelmed for the jump between GCSE’s and A Levels and the difference in difficulty with the exams- I was expecting a climb but this was some mountain to trek.
I won't bore you with the details but by some miracle I managed to pass the majority of my exams but I really need to shape up next year in order to get the grades I'll be proud of and ones that, if I decide to, will get me into Uni.
AS to A2
Over the next 10 months I really need to get my head down as ultimately, these could be the last 10 months of my education and I want to have made all my school years worthwhile. Equally, I hope that throughout Year 13 that I get the balance between free time, work and A Levels sorted to avoid unnecessary stress.
SIXTH FORM/ A LEVEL TIPS
I have found a web article that basically sums up A LEVELS here however I have a few extra pointers for my Year 11 readers who want extra reassurance or a push in the right direction
-Take what you enjoy - Not only will the number of teaching hours increase per subject but the number of hours spent on homework, extra reading and revision will or at least should increase when studying a subject at A Level. Because of this, it is crucial that you read up on what your courses will include and know what you're getting yourself into before you sign the dotted line.
-Pick your strengths - As important as it is to take subjects you enjoy, it is also important to take subjects you think you'll do well in as at the end of the day, your grades are what will matter.
-EPQ/GENERAL STUDIES/CRITICAL THINKING - Note that your teachers will most likelyblackmail convince you to take one of the above and where I loved the topic of my 5000 word dissertation for my EPQ ( Are bloggers more Influential than magazines?), the EPQ took far too much time out of my academic calendar meaning that I neglected my other AS Levels which I feel ultimately sacrificed my grades. Although I did manage to get an A* in said essay, on reflection and research into possible universities, many just disregard it so I strongly advise any Year 12 students to research into their future education prospects before committing to an additional qualification, like the Extended Project, before sacrificing their time.
-Take a break - Year 12 hit me hard and if there is one thing I can preach but didn't practise enough is to not to stress too much. Naturally, A Levels are hard but as difficult as it was I wish I took a breather more often and made the most of any free time I had.
-Enjoy Year 12 - Year 11 was by far my favourite year of school and I wish I had made the most of year 12 and enjoyed it more. At the end of the day, these 2 years could be your last 2 years of school and therefore you definitely should at least try to enjoy them!
Thats all for now! I hope that any year 11's getting their results today are pleased and if not, results aren't the end of the world!
If you found this post useful and want me to write more like this please do let me know!
Beth x
-Pick your strengths - As important as it is to take subjects you enjoy, it is also important to take subjects you think you'll do well in as at the end of the day, your grades are what will matter.
-EPQ/GENERAL STUDIES/CRITICAL THINKING - Note that your teachers will most likely
-Take a break - Year 12 hit me hard and if there is one thing I can preach but didn't practise enough is to not to stress too much. Naturally, A Levels are hard but as difficult as it was I wish I took a breather more often and made the most of any free time I had.
-Enjoy Year 12 - Year 11 was by far my favourite year of school and I wish I had made the most of year 12 and enjoyed it more. At the end of the day, these 2 years could be your last 2 years of school and therefore you definitely should at least try to enjoy them!
Thats all for now! I hope that any year 11's getting their results today are pleased and if not, results aren't the end of the world!
If you found this post useful and want me to write more like this please do let me know!
Beth x
