5. University is good when you’re enjoying what you’re studying

5.  University is good when you’re enjoying what you’re studying

This might not be an incredibly startling revelation but, as it transpires, University is so much better when you’re enjoying what you’re studying.  I hope that’s not too stunning a revelation, but please feel free to take a moment to process if required…………………………….  Better?

If you’ve read my previous blog posts, you’ll know that the first time I attended university, I didn’t really enjoy what I was studying.  This made me really nervous about returning.  Would I enjoy it this time?  Would I be able to cope?  Am I actually clever enough to do this?  Am I subjecting myself to 4 years of hating what I’m doing again?

I had all of these concerns going in…. I don’t anymore.  (I do still worry whether I’m clever enough to actually earn a Divinity degree, but more as a healthy fear rather than anything else!)  First year has gone a long way to allaying my fears regarding university.  It has been an absolutely wonderful experience having the opportunity to sit in classrooms and to study biblical concepts.  It has helped that I have met a whole load of wonderful people and engaged in a lot of new and wonderful activities.  It has been a real pleasure for me to engage with the CU and get involved in the activities that they run.  (The CU have an amazing vision and it is a great privilege to be a part of it!)  But more on the CU later.

University itself have been wonderful.  There have been subjects that have challenged me.  There have been classes and conversations that have made me uncomfortable.  There have been topics that have forced me to engage in deeper study, to better define my own point of view and better engage in debate.  There have been challenges in learning languages and there have been challenges in learning to write academic essays.  But, when all is said and done, the essays have gone well, the studies have gone well, the assignments have gone well and my exams have gone well.  First year has not been without it’s challenges, but first year has certainly gone well.

The thing that really surprises me is that, throughout the summer holidays, I have really been looking forward to returning to Aberdeen and getting back to my studies.  I don’t ever remember looking forward to returning to university during my first degree.  Actually, I don’t really remember ever looking forward to returning to work or to school either!  It is a strange feeling and I’m not sure I like it!  Probably for the best though!

It will be interesting to see what second year brings, but for just now all I can do is look forward to it.

Ps.  On reflection, trying to learn two ancient languages at the same time might not have been my best move.  Greek was good once I got into it.  Hebrew was tough.  That said, I passed both!  Whoop whoop!