Living on the tails: studying as a mature student…

Photograph of Azfarul… by Azfarul / from London, UK / MSc Statistics with Data Science / PG (2020-21)

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

In addition to “Sorry, I was on mute!”, this is what I heard most throughout 2020. After a decade of working, leaving behind a fascinating job during global uncertainty to pursue a Masters might have seemed like foolishness. Fast forward more than a year and – after what felt like drowning in hundreds of hours of coursework, endlessly playing and re-playing recorded lectures, dealing with the eerie silence of virtually-conducted examinations, and three intense months of industrially-liaised project work – I still find it difficult to believe how this time flew as it did.

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Expectation(Uni Life) ≠ Reality…

Photograph of Morgan… by Morgan / from Fraserburgh / MMath Mathematics / 3rd year (UG)

Hi, I’m Morgan and I’m a 3rd year Maths student at the University of Edinburgh. So far, I’ve really enjoyed my time at university; however we all know no tale is without its adversities. It’s perhaps a little cliché to say that “the transition from school to university is so difficult!” but that saying wouldn’t be repeated so frequently if it weren’t true (although my statistics lecturer may tell me that I’m a victim of observation bias…)

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Getting a Taste for Mathematics Research…

A photograph of Taraneh… by Taraneh / from Tehran, Iran / MMath Mathematics / 2nd Year (UG)

One of the benefits of studying in a research-intensive university is that you get the chance of meeting academics who in their own fields are quite the superheroes. And if you pay close attention in lectures or workshops or around Magnet Cafe, every single one of them is working on something compelling. And it just takes you to approach them and let them know you are interested in what they are doing and they would happily open your eyes to some fascinating things about our universe.

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A Year of Hybrid Learning…

A photograph of Anna… by Anna / from Larbert / BSc Mathematics / 1st Year (UG)

I think every new first year student is a bit uncertain about what university learning will actually be like. And thanks to the pandemic and the arrival of hybrid learning, it’s even harder than usual to imagine how your academic life will look. Because of this, I wanted to sum up what online and hybrid learning has been like for me as a first year maths student, and share some tips for how to get the most out of it.

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What Contact Hours at University are Really Like…

… by Fionnuala / from London / BSc Mathematics / 1st Year (UG)

I can remember, not that long ago, how nervous I was to start University. I was excited for the new adventure, meeting new friends and trying new things but it was slightly daunting not knowing what the teaching would be like. I understood that it would be completely different to school as that’s what everyone tells you but exactly how- I had no idea. Continue reading “What Contact Hours at University are Really Like…”

Staying on Top of Studies…

… by Alex / from Aberdeen / BSc Artificial Intelligence and Mathematics / 1st Year (UG)

Hello! I’m Alex and I’m a 1st year undergraduate student at the University of Edinburgh, studying (and loving) Artificial Intelligence and Mathematics. One of my biggest initial worries about going to university was whether or not my admittedly lacking organisational skills would allow me to manage the workload in the much more independent university lifestyle. However, since beginning my studies in Edinburgh, I have found that there are numerous facets of the typical day to day routine that encourage rather than just allow me and others to keep a grip on our studies. Continue reading “Staying on Top of Studies…”