Thursday 6^th September

Re uni days – I have written how Pete felt about uni – BEST days ever 

And how I felt – good days but anxious times 

Katy left a comment saying it was all good, not stressful, much fun sitting on the grass and plotting how to get to the beach 

Claire – well Claire spread her uni career over ten eventful, interrupted years – will see if she can make a comment

And last night Nicky wrote about her feelings on the topic:

I just loved university, although it was very hard making the sudden break away from home at the age of 17.  I well remember the wonderful lawn where we would enjoy the sunshine and share a plate of chips between five people.  Unlike my sister, I also remember working very hard!  These days uni students are much wealthier I think than we ever were, working part-time jobs for 20 plus hours per week as opposed to our Uni Bar shifts one or two nights per week.  I guess iPhones, iPads, nice cars etc are more of a priority now???  Or maybe it's those hideously large HECS debts they're working for, I hope not!  University was a time of independence, a time when one only had to be responsible for oneself (bliss) and a place where many of us met our future husbands and wives, myself included.

I have heard from friends who have been very saddened when, after regaling their uni-aged offspring with stories about the joys of uni life, discovered that things are no longer as they remembered.  Some courses are still very social and fun but many courses are now run almost entirely online.  Someone was telling me that her daughter's degree here in Hobart has no lectures at all, just a few tutorials a week and then online readings and assignments.  Another colleague has a daughter who is doing her teaching degree on line.  Teaching?  Really?  Surely someone training to be a teacher would benefit from some human interaction?  Then another, whose son started a business degree in Hobart only to discover that he was one of only a small handful of students for whom English was a first language.  Sad and lonely after a couple of months, he dropped out and found a job.  I am very much in favour of a multi-cultural society, bring it on.  Accepting hundreds of high fee paying students who then don't go on to stay and work here or assimilate concerns me somewhat.

I think all of this is very interesting.  If anyone else wants to add their own opinions/experiences, I will post them here – email me on marguerite.harmsen@gmail.com