Layers of Anger with British Academia

River drown them! River drown them! River drown them! I would donate my liver and three kidneys to wake up to the news that my chosen academic institution is drowning in a vicious, icy river. A river as wide as the Amazon, as long as the Nile and as cold as the heart of Neretva. Let the river take them, river drown them. I am not just mad because the three thousand word literature review I spent most of my easter break writing has been deemed equivalent to the toilet paper I used to wipe my ass this morning. Although, the realization that I would have to read and synthesis an extra hundred body of work to create a new literature review is truly heartbreaking. This post is actually the explosion of multiple layers of anger that has been boiling up inside of me since the start of my master's degree. A lot of this would have easily been avoided if I was well aware of it. How can you be angry if you already knew right? I did work hard to fully prepared myself , reading as many 'International student guide to study in the UK' as humanly possible. Even so, while attending a single university which is clearly unrepresentative of all UK schools experiencing the British education system,  I realized that a number of my personal issues with the system were left out. Why didn't everyone warn me ahead of time, someone, anyone!

Layer One of Anger: Seminars I am still not quite sure why seminars exist. They seem like a good idea. You know the focus on sharing knowledge, small-group teachings and enhancing discussions among peers.  Reality is a much more different scenario.  I've had seminars where all the tutor did was write down the answers to the recommended homework on the white board. Some professors too lazy to participate in seminars leave students to do meaningless presentations. Basically, not every course needs to have a seminar and those that fall under that category turn out to be the biggest waste of time during the academic year. Let the river take them, river drown them. 

Layer Two of Anger: Time Management  Let it be known, that once you chose your area of study. You would have no control over your time. Your waking hour would be dictated to you, your schedule of classes for the semester is set on stone and the course load for each trimester has been designed without you in mind. This might not seem problematic until you realize the course schedule planner has some sort of unexplainable, supernatural expectations for students. Two essential superpowers you are expected to have are the power of teleportation and energy regeneration. You would have classes that end at a particular time  (say 2pm) and yet another class that starts at the exact same time, while being a running distance of 15 minutes apart. Also, may the force be with you , if not you will have back-to-back classes from 9am until 6pm, yes, no food break and not even the essential life break that you just want to spend looking at the clouds and people watching. Let the river take them, river drown them.

How I felt after I got my first schedule

Layer Three of Anger: Syllabus The purpose of a syllabus is to set forth what is expected to happen in the course in particular deviations from the typical course structure. British system kind of finds it unnecessary for you to have an idea of the course rules and your responsibilities.  One can only assume that an assignment handed out it the second trimester would be assessed by the end of the second semester and grades received before the start of the final trimester. It is written in the first few pages of the unofficial guide to commonsensical academic institution protocol. Somewhere along the line, our professors lecturers see it fitting to return a second semester grades only a few days before graduation. Psshhh full disclosure, like it matters right ? Furthermore, you would have lecturers refusing to communicate important deadlines and  assignment topics until the very last minute and the very last lecture.  Let the river take them, river drown them. 

There you have it, now let me get back to studying for my finals.

What I'm listening to
River-Ibeyi