So, here's part 2 of my little contemplation about University and its affect on my life. I did mean to publish this a few days ago but I was at work at the weekend, so sue me. What does it matter anyway. Anyway, this time I'm going to be discussing the degree side of University. Riveting, I know. So, in case you don't know or didn't read part 1 of this little series (shame on you!) then I just completed a BA Hons degree in Archaeology at the University of York.
I loved my degree. I thought it was really interesting. I'll admit to being one of those people who came initially intending to do History, but I think it's important to state that I didn't apply to do History. I came with my mum on to an Open Day, with the intention of doing History. However, when we got to the talk we discovered that they were raising the entrance requirements to 3 As at A Level, which was a bit above my predicted ABB. So we went to talk to the Archaeology people. I can't remember what their entrance requirements were but I do know they were well within my reaches. So I decided to apply for Historical Archaeology. And I got on.
I ended up changing my degree to straight Archaeology during my first year, as I decided that I didn't want to focus primarily on medieval stuff etc. and I would rather do prehistoric stuff.
I remember thinking, when I went to those first few lectures and things, that there were some strange people on my course. Since I was now at University, I had expected that I would enter the lecture hall and it would be full of smartly dressed, really intellectual people. My mum had even convinced me to buy several smart tops etc. to wear to lectures and seminars. Some of them were dressed smartly. Most, however, were not. Some were even wearing an Indiana Jones type hat. Obviously.
That's another point. A lot of people said to me before I went, and have asked me since upon learning I've done Archaeology, if it's like Indiana Jones. I can say that it definately not. I do not wear the hat and carry a whip, fighting Nazis and running around the globe after sacred Arks. That's not real archaeology. Nor is it like Time Team either. While Time Team is closer to what we do than Indy, it's still not an accurate representation, and to be honest, after 3 years I'm getting sick of being asked about Time Team.
Most of the time was spent in lecture halls or seminar rooms, discussing the history behind Archaeology and old civilizations and cultures, or the theories behind it all. Over the three years, we did comparatively little compulsory field archaeology. We did one term of it in first year. That's it pretty much. We spent half of it doing buildings surveys, or pot washing etc. We only spent about 3 weeks actually excavating. We did get some more hands on experience in our second year, where we chose to do a module either studying artefacts, bones, buildings or other types of evidence. But again, that was it. It wasn't a lot. While Archaeology is about digging up the past, a lot of it is actually spent reading, researching and writing. Which I think was a surprise for some people.
I came into it with a limited background of Archaeology. In the summer prior to University I did two weeks of excavating at the Roman fort of Vindolanda on Hadrian's Wall in northern England. That was it. The rest of my background was History based. I was even surprised that some people I met on my course said they'd done lessons or courses at school on it, as I didn't realise that was possible.
But despite my limited background, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute. I can't even imagine doing History at University now instead of Archaeology. While Archaeology is similar to History, it is different in that it focuses on and uses the actual physical evidence a lot more, as well as primary historical texts. History on the other hand, just looks at what Archaeologists have discovered or the texts. To me now, History just seems limited. It doesn't use, examine, interpret or discover the evidence like Archaeology does, and so it seems to me to be lacking. Or so that's what I think, but then again I am a bit biased.
Academically, University is a huge step forward. Throughout school life, we were slowly built towards it. We had to write longer and longer essays, use more texts and had to work and read more independantly, preparing us for University and/or the real world. Despite this, I have to say I did feel a little underprepared for Uni. I didn't really know what to write and what not to write in lectures or seminars, or how to write an academic essay. I was also completely unprepared for the completely different marking system. I remember getting back my first essay in first term, and I got about a 54. I was devastated. At school I was used to getting marks in the 80s or 90s. It took me a while to realise that 54, for a first essay, was pretty good. It was a while before I got used to the fact that the grade boundaries as it were were lower. 50-59 = 2:2, 60-69 = 2:1, 70+ = 1st. After realising that, I suddenly didn't feel so bad.University was a huge step up from anything before, and made me re-evaluate a few things about the way I thought about my academic work.
People ask me what I'm planning to do with my degree now, and all I can say is 'I don't know'. Getting a job in today's climate is incredibly difficult, I've seen it and heard a lot about it. I'm incredibly realistic about it (I think anyway) and I know that I'm moving home to live my parents once again (which, while it's not the most exciting prospect and I would love to stay in York, money wise it's the right move as it'll be cheaper) and I will be working in the same pub back home I've been working in for the last five years. I'll admit now it's not the most exciting prospect, but it makes sense. It should allow me to start saving some money up, and it should give me the chance to evaluate my life and my options and think about what I want to do now, or what I need to do. Knowing what you want to do in life is all well and good, but actually being able to achieve it is another matter entirely. It's not always possible. Yet whenever people ask me what I'm going to do next and I explain this, I always see this slight look of... disappointment almost or "oh... okay then...". I think when people ask what you're doing next, they expect you to roll off this huge speel of how you're going to do a Masters and a PhD or you're going straight into this internship which will lead to a high-powered job. I'd love to say I'm doing that, but that's just not me, not at the moment. After seeing that look of 'disappointment' when I say I'm moving back home, I automatically then go off on a speel about how I'm going to look into a career of Field Archaeology (Archaeology being my degree, just in case you didn't know) or find a job in Museum or something, or about how I'm considering doing a PGCE to become a History teacher. And yes, these are things I'm considering, but not for a while yet. Maybe one day.
(edit: Also, for all of you who were wondering: I got a 2:1 on my degree. I got the result 4 days ago and I'm still on cloud nine)
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