Top 5 Luton Night Life Locations

…as told by my lovely friend who's name is also Anna :)

Term 2 Portfolio Executive Meeting/Student Representative

This week is my second Portfolio Executive Commttee (PEC) where I get to play my part as Student Representative and bring up issues in the course, or conversely, positives that students want more of (i.e. effective teaching styles, support they have received, etc.).

To be honest we usually bring up negatives, but as a mentor of mine used to say: if a place is clean nobody notices, but if it's dirty you'll hear of it! So as Student Reps we usually take the opportunity to mention changes we would like to see, further clarification, issues among students, anything really that has impacted the positive experience of students that they have spoken to myself or other representatives about. Last PEC it was student behaviour, how some students had impacted negatively on others by consistently talking in lectures and we wanted to work unitedly to discourage this kind of behaviour. This PEC one of my current issues is a need our dyslexic student have with getting coloured handouts, handouts are not policy but for those who need extra help or cannot read clearly the information on presentation slides, this was a recognised need. One lecturer is very up to date on policies for the disabled or students with special educational needs backed up my point and we are now addressing it for our students.

I was terrified when I first was nominated for this role, public speaking it not my forte and I hated the idea of having to speak for a whole class. But I was flattered that I'd been nominated, and figured you can only try and learn from the experience. I'm really glad I have now, as it has boosted my confidence levels amazingly, on a personal level but also in my relationship with my lecturers, naturally we don't always see eye-to-eye, but I've come to respect them as individuals each with a professional history, with great ethics and wanting the best us and our dreams. I feel my levels of diplomacy and tact have developed also, and I've learnt to present my own ideas, refer to others and to come up with some solutions! Which is the whole point of a PEC meeting, not just to criticise but to find solutions and keep improving on what we have.

I would definitely recommend give Student Rep a shot, or utilising the one on your course for support.

Happy (We Are From Luton!) - Pharrell Williams

#100HappyDays 1-9

If you're a social network surfer then you've probably seen the current trend of #100HappyDays; one of the more inspiring and meaningful trends drifting on and off our cyber-walls (check out nicknomination and neknomination if you don't believe me). 

Using a photo or just a simple sentence, document your life for 100 days in 100 things that has made you smile (one for each day). I've too many friends saying their life sucks, or they are unhappy, but in my opinion (and painful experience) it's due to not taking the time to appreciate, relax and enjoy your life! It's hard and terribly sad that we can't take two minutes to appreciate the sun shining after you've left a demanding day at work, or a precious moment with a friend, but it's not impossible.

By the time I am finished, 100 days later, I will have 100 photos captured (come rain or shine) that depict what has made me happy, made my day, and a little reminder of why my life is worth living. I definitely recommend signing up here and sharing it with your friends to enjoy this life that only comes once and is too short to be spent without happiness.

TopRead of the Term!

goes to … (a drum role pulease!)

Gangs as Alternative Transitional Structures, a journal article in primary research by Jewelle Gibbs

Gibbs, J. T. (2000) 'Gangs as alternative transitional structures: Adaptations to racial and social marginality in Los Angeles and London' Journal of Multicultural Social Work, 8 (1-2), p. 71-99

I used this in my latest Research Approaches module assignment, and in my own mind it's the most interesting journal I've read so far. Not perfect (but as I am learning, no research every is) I still found it to explore fascinating themes as to why youth and individuals become enticed into gang membership, and what it really means to them. Not just dodgy gangs of unruly and disorganised youth, to some it represented a place to go and people that would accept you, not to mention the emotional and social needs of those maturing into adulthood and have no where else to find it without being labelled and excluded. A great read, but I realise I can only understand it now that I have some comprehension to academic jargon. Ah well, here's to writing some of my own interesting academic findings in plain English.

The Research Approaches Module of year 2 has not been to everyone's liking, I however have found it quite fun to play researcher for the last few months, especially with the approaching dissertation of my final year coming up. The module sees introductions into computer research programs like SSPS and NVivo, and how to analyse both qualitative and quantitative data. Assignment 2 (where I used this article extensively) had me writing a critics review of the article, analysing how one would do their own research - which incidentally the proposal of which is coming up in the final assignment of this module. Oh joy!