From what I've seen the things we're learning in the first term should be a fairly nice start, after my first degree and 9 years in a GP surgery, there's nothing looking too intense, a few things I haven't covered before though, and I have to learn a brand new method for referencing, which I'm really hoping is easier than Harvard as I'm rubbish at that! But I'm looking forward to getting stuck in!
Last week I had to start back at work, which certainly wasn't in my plans, but student finance, after telling me earlier in the year I would be entitled to a tuition fee loan and a maintenance loan, have now told me I am only entitled to a maintenance loan. This means I have to find £9250 a year to pay my tuition fees for the first four years (the NHS fund tuition fees in year 5). It's a hell of a lot of money to suddenly be told you have to find. But my parents are adamant that I've got this far and this close that I have to go. They are both going to loan me some money, hopefully I can ask my grandparents for my inheritance and fingers crossed I will get a bursary from the university. The rest I'm going to have to make up with working, and possibly a loan towards the end of my degree. So, I'm working all the hours I can get and should be able to put £1000 away before I move.
I'm also looking at part time work at university for the first two years of the course, before it gets crazy intense. There's student ambassador jobs, events reps, bar work, and phlebotomy and HCA at the local hospital, so I'm sure I can find something to do for a few hours a week just to help out. But my maintenance loan is pretty good. It covers my rent and I've budgeted the remaining amount and I can definitely live off it, so that's one good thing.
Apart from working this week, it was my 27th birthday. I'm feeling pretty old! Virtually all of my presents were practical for university - packet food, cleaning products, coffee, wine! But I did also get a cute succulent planter from my Mum, raspberry vodka from my Sister, an enormous box of sweets from my Dad, and a Japanese art colouring book from my grandparents.
And today I've been sorting the boxes to go to uni. It turns out I'd packed a few too many so I had to have a little rethink, but it hasn't been too bad! Still might have to take some of it another weekend, after moving day, but hey, I like my luxuries, and I've accumulated a lot of stuff over the years, and the places I've lived.
I'm definitely looking forward to a bit of freedom, I've been living with my grandparents for the last 5 years, and while I have my keys and can come and go as I please, and they don't mind if I have friends round (not in a group), it'll be nice to control all aspects of my life again. Even the little things like the food shopping will just be nice to do myself, and cook and eat what I want, when I want.
This week I'm off to Reading Festival as my Dad's P.A. so there won't be an update next Monday, but updates will return the following week.
Thanks for reading,
Katherine x
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