Lakeside Living

So what is it like living on the Aston Campus? It’s one of the questions I am frequently asked by friends, family and persons who are considering studying here. The first words that come to mind are always comfortable and convenient. 

There are three options for campus accommodation based on your social and financial needs – there are the Stafford Towers for persons who are always on the go, Lakeside which offers tranquillity and New Residences for a modern eco-friendly environment. Currently the most budget friendly option is Stafford Towers and New Residences is the most costly, Lakeside is in between. Another accommodation is currently being constructed to replace Stafford Towers; it will be similar to the New Residences. The differences in accommodation are largely based on price, number of persons per flat, shared/communal areas and overall amenities. 

I chose Lakeside based on the information available on the Aston website and I wasn’t disappointed. The Lakeside flats are comfortable en suite facilities with shared kitchen. I also found it to be a rather peaceful atmosphere; as the name suggests it is situated by an ornamental lake. You can see this in the picture below.

Lakeside Residences (left and centre) & Stafford Towers ( the tall building on the right)

When living on campus there are plenty of opportunities to interact with other students from different cultures. My flatmates consist of seven very cool people with vibrant personalities from Greece, China, Britain and India. They are all postgraduates and I find it quite easy to relate to them. In the kitchen you can find so many different spices and flavours from around the world. You are able to partake in different ethnic cuisines… I’ve tried scrumptious Greek cooking, flavourful Indian food and spicy Nigerian dishes…and of course I’ve shared my Jamaican cooking with others. 

Living on campus is convenient because you’re strategically located in the middle of everything that’s going on. Classes are only a couple minutes away from the residences therefore no time is lost commuting. If you have the odd day where you’ve overslept and find that you’ve woken up with only 20 minutes to spare before your morning lecture, you’ll still be able to make it on time! There is also convenient access to facilities such as the library, gym and guild –where lots of student events are always being held. Most students reside on campus which facilitates the easy arrangement of meetings for group work as well as socialising. 

The campus itself is located within walking distance of Birmingham City Centre which has quite a few attractions… historical sites, shopping centres and lots of entertainment options. The proximity to the city centre makes it easy to get around as a student, especially when you have routine things to do such grocery shopping.

At the end of this term we are given the option of either renewing accommodation on campus or finding alternative residences for the summer term. Although I’ve explored other options out of curiosity, my final decision is to stay on campus. So far it has been a pleasant experience and overall I am quite content with my stay at Lakeside.

Term 3!

It seems like just the other day that we started the masters’ programme but time surely flies and Term 3 is finally here. I found that this term started off rather hectic as the structure has been somewhat different compared to the previous terms. Normally, my modules/subjects are taught over a span of 8 weeks followed by examination in the 10th week. However, this time modules are taught in ‘block sessions’ from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. which results in 4 weeks’ worth of material per module covered each week – yes, you read right! Thankfully modules are alternated each week so we only have one to focus on at a time. Many persons have mixed feelings about this; some persons like it, some persons don’t. 

It is intensive but it does have its advantages. Although it means having to absorb the work in a shorter time frame, you are able to get lectures out of the way earlier so you can focus on module projects, reading etc. Basically, you can allocate your time based on how you see fit. The aim of doing the block sessions is so that we still have time to focus on their dissertation in Term 3. Exams are still at the end of the term. 

For my friends on other MSc. Programmes at Aston, their experience is a bit different as they completed their taught modules in Term 2. So they have Term 3 onward to focus on dissertation, however many have been flaunting their ‘free time’ at me –lol. I guess in some ways this is enviable but in other ways it can make persons complacent because it gives the illusion of having a lot of time when this is not really the case. 

As you can see the structure for each masters course is bit different. It’s fair to say that regardless of the structure, it’s really up to the individual to be focused and get the necessary work done – I must admit that this is ‘easier said than done’. Term 3 officially ends June 22nd and then from there on out it’s fully dissertation-time!