Exactly how much "free time" do you get at uni?

Mulder · 12 Apr 2007 at 00:35

I'm in my first year and have about 15 hours contact time a week. Really depends on the course/uni though, I know Chemist's who work 35 hour weeks and Philosophers who have an hour a week, if that.

Tommy B · 12 Apr 2007 at 00:35

Jet said:
Most games don't sell out completely. You'll be able to get tickets for most games from the box office before the game. Except for Man U, Liverpool, etc.

Are season tickets out of the equation then? I guess you'd realistically have to go with a few mates otherwise they'd feel really left out.

[TW]Fox · 12 Apr 2007 at 00:35

10-20 hours lectures a week, 3-4 evenings a week out, rest is free time.

And people wonder where 45,000 posts come from..

Una · 12 Apr 2007 at 00:38

Tommy B said:
You'd definitely give the uni the thumbs up then?

Oh, and can students get tickets to see Newcastle United easily? I'm a huge fan and it would be infinitely awesome if I could go and see them play.

one last thing, what's the first year accommodation like?

Cheers

I love the uni, plenty to do, friendly people, good nights out and lots of good totty

. Its pretty decent work wise I find it challenging enough to keep me interested but not so much that I have no free time (This obviously depends on your course). The facilities are great. I can't really think of anything that is missing. I have only been to St James once and someone bought me a ticket... I think it will be hard to get tickets for the big matches. Might be worth buying a season ticket if you can afford it, thats what my housemate does.

Incomplete list of societies here (there are many more than this)
http://www.societies.ncl.ac.uk/

Accommodation is a bit of a mixed bag. Some places are much nicer than others and it would depend on if you wanted a packed social life or a quiet life

I prefer living in a house with my friends to uni accommodation but for first year its great because you get to know everyone.

Do you know which halls you will be in?

Tommy B · 12 Apr 2007 at 00:41

Una said:
I love the uni, plenty to do, friendly people, good nights out and lots of good totty . Its pretty decent work wise I find it challenging enough to keep me interested but not so much that I have no free time (This obviously depends on your course). The facilities are great. I can't really think of anything that is missing. I have only been to St James once and someone bought me a ticket... I think it will be hard to get tickets for the big matches. Might be worth buying a season ticket if you can afford it, thats what my housemate does.

Incomplete list of societies here (there are many more than this)
http://www.societies.ncl.ac.uk/

Accommodation is a bit of a mixed bag. Some places are much nicer than others and it would depend on if you wanted a packed social life or a quiet life I prefer living in a house with my friends to uni accommodation but for first year its great because you get to know everyone.

Do you know which halls you will be in?

I have absolutely no idea. I've haven't officially accepted their offer yet so I haven't been given any accommodation details.

I take it you don't get a say in the matter, although if you do, would you recommend anywhere in particular?

I went up on one of the open days in October/November and it seemed like a really nice place. The students were all really friendly too and the union looked awesome.

The "Guinness and real ale" society. Now that sounds right up my street

Raymond Lin · 12 Apr 2007 at 00:41

First year - Until the week before essay due day, almost every day is party time. I was hardly EVER on the net save from 30 mins before and after bed.

Vixen · 12 Apr 2007 at 00:41

In the first couple of years there is loads of free time, but 3rd and 4th year tend to be closer to 9-5 (apart from Wednesdays, when everyone finishes by 2pm for "sports). When I worked in a call centre, the majority of the staff were students, and some of them had time to work 5 days a week.

Mephisto · 12 Apr 2007 at 00:43

MasterMike said:
That depeneds entirely upon your attitude. If you can get drunk enough on your first night to get entirely naked, you'll probably not have to worry about any inhibitions for the rest of the year.

I'm going to Uni in September and I was thinking about turning up drunk, that'd at least mean I get to know a load of people...etc easily, because naturally I'm not really very social with people who I don't know well.

What do you reckon? Good idea? Bad idea?

Tommy B · 12 Apr 2007 at 00:44

Mephisto said:
I'm going to Uni in September and I was thinking about turning up drunk, that'd at least mean I get to know a load of people...etc easily, because naturally I'm not really very social with people who I don't know well.

What do you reckon? Good idea? Bad idea?

Probably not a great idea as everyone else will be sober.

If you're nervous around people, why not have 1 or 2 pints just to ease the nerves. You don't have to turn up wasted, and anyway, everyone's in the same boat, it won't be like you're the stranger and everyone else already knows eachother.

To be honest I'm nervous too. I've never boarded and I'm at an all-blokes school, so it will be a very strange transition for me.

Zefan · 12 Apr 2007 at 00:46

Mephisto said:
Good idea?

Not hammered though.

Skeptic · 12 Apr 2007 at 00:46

I'm bored right now. I have some SPSS work to be getting on with, but have no idea how or where to start, so i'm not. 2nd year student here @ B-UWE.

As for turning up drunk, do you really want to be 'that guy who turned up drunk and maybe has a problem'

Best bet; go to uni, go to communal area with crate of beer, sit down, wait for people to come in, offer beer. Hey presto; a potential friend!

Burt · 12 Apr 2007 at 00:47

I think I spent about 10 hours in Uni during my first year. That's for the whole year, not per week.

Zefan · 12 Apr 2007 at 00:49

fus said:
2nd year student here @ B-UWE.

You in the Campus accomodation per chance?

Skeptic · 12 Apr 2007 at 00:51

Zefan said:
You in the Campus accomodation per chance?

Nope, own house (with housemates) on Gloucester Road. You in the new student village I guess? Staying there for next year or are you moving to a house? What do you study a foundation in?

Una · 12 Apr 2007 at 00:52

Tommy B said:
I have absolutely no idea. I've haven't officially accepted their offer yet so I haven't been given any accommodation details.

I take it you don't get a say in the matter, although if you do, would you recommend anywhere in particular?

I went up on one of the open days in October/November and it seemed like a really nice place. The students were all really friendly too and the union looked awesome.

Yeah the union gets quite a bit of live music on as well. Not to mention you got the Carling Acadamy in town for more gigs. You get to put down your preferences on where you would like to go but its down to luck really it seems

Right accommodation in order of how best I know them
St Marys - Not on the uni campus and a little way out. Rooms are pretty decent and divided up into little mini flats which is cool. Self-Catered.
Castle Leazes - Fairly close, rooms are aright.. can be a bit of a dump. Good social scene though, Catered.
Richardson Road - On the uni campus, very social... men't to be the party capital for 1st year hehe.. the flats are pretty crappy and paper think walls. Self-Catered.
Windsor Terrace - Most expensive due to on-suite wouldn't know the social scene. Basically right on the campus next to the library.

The rest I have never been to before. Can't really recommend depends what your into

Tommy B said:
To be honest I'm nervous too. I've never boarded and I'm at an all-blokes school, so it will be a very strange transition for me.

Wouldn't worry about that I went to a public boarding school my self and found it really easy to settle in. People are really friendly in general here. Freshers week is a non stop drinking fest so everyone just gets to know each other. I wouldn't know what to do if I didn't drink here tbh, newcastle is a hardcore drinking/party city heh.

MasterMike · 12 Apr 2007 at 00:52

Zefan said:
Not hammered though.

Seriously, could work. Make sure you invite everyone nearby to the pub/union ASAP.

Zefan · 12 Apr 2007 at 00:53

fus said:
Nope, own house (with housemates) on Gloucester Road. You in the new student village I guess? Staying there for next year or are you moving to a house? What do you study a foundation in?

Foundation Computing, going to do Games Tech next year hopefully.

Although I'm failing the Foundation by sheer non-attendance... might have to work on that

Yeah am at the new village, am moving to Ashleydown Road in September though, the Gloucester road end.

Mickey · 12 Apr 2007 at 00:55

Uni for me was a 9-13 hours a week with the occasional long couple of days when assignments were due. Although I know people who seemed to have to spend far more time working - I know someone in her final year now who none us have seen for almost 6 months with her saying she's constantly busy with uni work. Not sure if this is down to the differences in courses or differences in ability.

In my final year I had time for uni, working 30-70 hours a week in my job (depending what deadlines I had), playing in 4 bands, playing snooker a couple of times a week and the odd nights out.

crystaline · 12 Apr 2007 at 00:55

I hardly get any free time. But then if I did i would be complaining I wasn't getting my money's worth so it works both ways.

It's really what you make of it.

I had a lot of time when I was at Sheffield, but in the US it's a lot more intensive. I feel like a lot of people at Uni in England don't particularly value it because it comes highly subsidised and I think that's a shame.

Tommy B · 12 Apr 2007 at 00:58

Una said:
Yeah the union gets quite a bit of live music on as well. Not to mention you got the Carling Acadamy in town for more gigs. You get to put down your preferences on where you would like to go but its down to luck really it seems

Right accommodation in order of how best I know them
St Marys - Not on the uni campus and a little way out. Rooms are pretty decent and divided up into little mini flats which is cool. Self-Catered.
Castle Leazes - Fairly close, rooms are aright.. can be a bit of a dump. Good social scene though, Catered.
Richardson Road - On the uni campus, very social... men't to be the party capital for 1st year hehe.. the flats are pretty crappy and paper think walls. Self-Catered.
Windsor Terrace - Most expensive due to on-suite wouldn't know the social scene. Basically right on the campus next to the library.

The rest I have never been to before. Can't really recommend depends what your into

Wouldn't worry about that I went to a public boarding school my self and found it really easy to settle in. People are really friendly in general here.

Thanks for the summary. I'm not exactly a neat freak but I do like a nice, clean room. Having said that I don't think I'll care once I'm at uni. Is the catering a big deal? I can't cook for craps. I can do omelettes and baked beans!

I definitely don't want a "quiet" time at Newcastle. The fact it is meant to have the second best night-life in Europe is one of the things that attracted me to it in the first place.