I'm going to University?!

Since my not so good AS results last August, I've been working crazily hard to make sure I could get to University this coming September. 5 days ago, I got to pick up my results from college to find out whether I got in or not. 

I woke up at 7am and I had received an email from Reading University telling me that I'd been accepted into their Ancient History and Archaeology joint degree! I had to wait a couple of hours to find out the actual grades I got and I achieved BCC! It isn't as good as I wanted to get, but it got me into the University I've been wanting to go to since I started helping at Silchester in 2011 so it's good enough! For all of the exams I did resits for, I actually got at least a grade higher so I'm really proud of how I did, I also got a grade higher in Classical Civilisation as last year I got a C and I got a B this year! 

I've been helping at Silchester Archaeological field school for the last 2 weeks so I was actually with Reading Uni when I found out that I got in so I got to celebrate with my friends who I'll actually be at University with next year which was really special!

I've also got my accommodation sorted out so I have somewhere to live - it's a really lovely room and I can't wait to start looking for things to make it more homely and pretty! I've been looking at the different societies I can join which look really interesting so I'm looking forward to actually getting to Uni and starting to get involved with it! 

I can't wait to share this next part of my life with you all as it's going to be amazing! 

Jess xx

The final option.

I went to see Cardiff Uni today and I was so surprised! I hadn't heard much about it, but the course seemed really good so I booked a place for the open day! 

Cardiff Uni is pretty much all situated down a single road so it's a campus but on the other hand, not a campus Uni which is strange but it works! It's almost like a campus road! We passed the main building in the car and I was completely blown away by how pretty it is! 

First we saw the accommodation and the type I'm looking at was open so we had a look and were so impressed! The rooms were a really nice size and had a HUGE desk and quite a lot of room which is so good! They aren't much of a walk from the teaching buildings which is always good, and it's only one long road with no hills so it'll be great if I get to go there!

Both of the subject lectures were really interesting and the joint archaeology and ancient history course sounds really good with some great fieldwork opportunities out in Europe! I'm really excited because the grades are BBB which I'm quite likely to achieve so I'm hoping I get in because I really love it there! 

How pretty is it?! 

Jess xx

The University Chronicles: The beginning!

This month, I've been over the whole country looking at Universities! I've only been to 4 and I've been to Devon, Berkshire (not really difficult as I live here...), the Midlands and County Durham. I've been to one of the most southern counties and one of the most northern, it's crazy but quite awesome because I get to see places I've never been before! Looking around Unis is so exciting but scary because it's another completely different step in life which is another step towards independence and 'real life'.

I've already said about Exeter and I'll say now that it's kept as the solid top choice of mine since! 

We went to look at Birmingham next and it was so nice! It was really pretty and the course was fantastic! The only let down was the accommodation, which was no where near as nice as Exeter but actually more expensive. 

Reading was the next on the list! I originally wasn't too sure about it because it's the closest big town to me and I've been there too many times to count so one of my main points for wanting to go to Uni (going away from home and exploring somewhere new) had already been smashed. However, we got there and it was really nice! The archaeology and ancient history buildings were lovely, the staff were enthusiastic and friendly and the course was really really nice! The accommodation blew the other two out of the water by miles, Birmingham by quite a bit more than Exeter still, though! The rooms were bigger, cheaper, cleaner and had so much more storage space! Reading is definitely second choice so far, I was pleasantly surprised! 

Me and dad went to Durham last Monday and I can honestly say it was one of the most disappointing experiences of my life. The accommodation was horrific, the course was no where near the standard of the other three unis, the teachers made it seem like a priveledge to be accepted rather than them being enthusiastic about the course and wanting people to get in and it had a general air of snobiness about it. I've never hated somewhere so much in my life. It was a real shame though because the actual place was lovely, the university however, wasn't. I don't understand how it has the reputation is does really; the course wasn't worth the grades they were asking for and it just didn't seem like a nice place! I think it also doesn't help that I prefer campus unis and Durham is the only non-campus Uni I've seen. I've decided to not bother applying there and look for somewhere else to look instead. Definitely not somewhere I would want to spend 3 years of my life.
I have to wait until September to visit UCL and Bristol so it's not over yet! I'm pretty confident that Exeter will be my firm choice and Reading will be insurance choice though, they're both fantastic unis.
Jess xx

General crap

Ever since exams, I've been failing at blogging so much! I really need to get back into it again!
This last week has been pretty good! I saw The Great Gatsby last Thursday and even though I didn't like the book much, the film ended up being really good! It was really weird seeing Spiderman not swinging about the buildings of New York but working there instead!
I went to Exeter Uni open day on Tuesday which was really nice. I've fallen in love with it; it's the same feeling I got when looking around the college I'm at so I know it'll be good, plus the course is completely perfect and it all seems so friendly! The accommodation is lovely and the rooms are pretty big compared to what I thought they would be! Exeter itself is so pretty and green and very hilly which will keep me fit! The shops are pretty good and have everything I could want or need, including a Waterstones and Starbucks (I'm not going to get through my exams without it!) so I'm sorted! It also has the usual shops for clothes and food so I'll be fine! The brass band they had playing at the open day day also made it even more awesome because they played so many film theme tunes including How to Train your Dragon, Shrek and Pirates of the Caribbean! Definitely sealed Exeter as one of my favourite choices! I have a few more Unis to look at over the next two weeks so that will be fun! I can't wait to see what the others are like!
I went to Bristol museum yesterday too to learn about the Pharaohs of Egypt and it was amazing! I learnt so much and I also got to look around the museum, including the stores in the basement which were incredible! It's so amazing being able to see things that not everyone who visits the museum will see! It's a shame because it was all incredible and really interesting!
After the museum, I spotted a Forbidden Planet which is such a cool shop full of nerdy things - it was the best thing ever! It had loads of nerdy shirts from tv, films and games which was awesome, and there were figures and things like bags, key rings, mugs and loads of other awesome things! Shame I couldn't afford any of it though!
I'll hopefully do some more updates later on as more things happen so talk later!
Jess xx