Final Year of University: A Review

Wow... It's been a while! Surely too long considering I can write about pretty much whatever I want, maybe I'm just not very interesting! Truth is, I've been way too busy sitting on the sofa and watching TV to give it any thought, but now I've got the time I want to write about my final year at uni, seeing as it's all over and done with. This is likely to be my last blog about student life, and I'll move onto some much more exciting topics as and when they happen! 

Let me take you back to September 2011; I'd just finished a 12-month placement in London, my skin was still sun-kissed from a couple of weeks away in Rhodes and I was eagerly anticipating getting back into the student lifestyle. A decent house with my good pal Jack (who had also spent a year on placement) and three new female housemates awaited me, and we all moved in around 1-2 weeks before term-time officially began. This 'Pre-Freshers Week' period was just one big party and it was a great way for us to all get to know each other properly in great British student tradition. 

A quick word about the girls, actually. Jack and I were looking on Facebook for potential housemates during the January of that year, on a purpose-built page designed to find people to live with. We knew we wanted the dynamic of a mixed-sex house, and diligently checked the profile pictures of any girls that were interested (haha) and struck gold when we found Laura, Simone and Danielle who were wanting to live with two people. As I sit here now, that seems so long ago and I'm so lucky we managed to find three great girls to spend our final year with, and wouldn't have wanted it any other way. 

In terms of expectations and workload, I knew that I'd need to give 100% this year and my number one priority was to ensure that I achieved a 2:1 that would enable me to stand a chance for the most competitive graduate roles in my field. I was warned that third year would be a nightmare, and the thought of a dissertation terrified me to the bones! I wouldn't say the actual work itself was more difficult, but the sheer amount of work and the need for it to be done well, was something I found extremely challenging. So many people think that Uni is an easy ride (ironically the people that didn't do well enough at 'easy' GCSE's or A Levels) and all of us students that have successfully completed their final year should be extremely proud of ourselves. 

The job hunt started in October and was quite tedious; application after application, constantly stating that I got a D in GCSE German and answering mind-numbing questions such as 'describe a situation where your thirst for knowledge has helped you'. I've always found that people are lazy when applying for jobs and simple logic tells us that if you apply to enough places, something will happen - 'Even a blind squirrel finds a nut' - so my objective was to apply to as many places as possible. 

My number one choice was a large international firm called EC Harris, which advise clients on their built assets, and work on some of the most exciting construction projects around the world. Luckily, my application was successful and I managed to secure a place at an assessment day the following February, which consisted of a presentation, group case-study, group presentation, written assessment and one-on-one interview. Much to my disbelief, they offered my a graduate role within a week of the assessment day, that would be based in Manchester and my record now stands at 4 job interviews, 4 jobs. Furthermore, I'd heard that 3,000+ people applied for the firm, and only 45 graduate roles were offered, so I genuinely feel very lucky and just want to make the most of this fantastic opportunity. 

With a job offer on the table (subject to achieving a 2:1) I just had to ensure that I completed all my work as best I could, and not make any silly mistakes. March-April was certainly the most stressful period in the house, with everyone working virtually 24/7 to complete dissertations and assignments. I think there was even a 5 week period where none of us went on a night out, which is often unheard of at uni! I wish I was one of those lucky people (you know who you are!!) that go out twice a week, stumble into lectures and still roll out of the uni with a 1st class honours degree. 

Suffice to say, everything worked out really nicely and I managed to graduate with an average of 67%, a solid 2:1 and probably higher than I was expecting. The only problem is, I spent the whole year saying to myself "If I get a 2:1 I'll be so happy, I'd be buzzing", but now it's been achieved it doesn't feel that great. I suppose what they say is true, people are only at their happiest when they desire something that seems unattainable, and once they have it, it's no longer the same and they quickly desire something else. Depressing, eh?

So now I've moved back home, spending the summer here until the end of August when I'll move up to Manchester. I'm starting to miss my housemates and the student lifestyle already, so I'll make sure I keep in touch with as many people as possible so I don't forget those memories. It's amazing how when you lose touch with someone for a prolonged period of time, you easily forget about them. 

My final year was when I achieved what I wanted to achieve, met some fantastic people and generally had a great time every day. I'm so happy I did the uni thing. 

You know the drill; find me on Twitter here

Sam

Top 5: Football Goals

Due to a lack of interesting stuff going on in my life, I'm going to mix this blog up a bit by doing my a 'Top 5' of various things.

The first one is my top 5 favourite football goals. A recent Twitter discussion had me thinking whether I could filter through all the thousands of goals I have seen in my lifetime into a top 5. To be fair it was extremely difficult, and you will see the list below, with the relevant video so you can see it for yourself. The list is not in any particular order...

Please comment my choices below, and feel free mention any goals you think should have been included.

Lionel Messi  vs Getafe

In my opinion, of all Lionel Messi's 263 goals for Barcelona and Argentina (at time of writing), this is his greatest. Set against a backdrop of 100,000 catalan supporters at Camp Nou, the 19 year old Lionel Messi truly announced himself to the global stage. At the time, Deco, his team mate, said the goal was the greatest he had ever seen in his life. What makes this goal all the more special is that we now know this wasn't a fluke. It was born out of pure instinctive genius which only Messi possesses. Watch in awe at the 19 year old, who will surely go on to become the greatest player of all time.

Wayne Rooney vs Manchester City

Old Trafford, February 2011 and Manchester City are proving to be an extremely stubborn opponents in this Manchester Derby. At the time of this game, the two teams had never been as closely matched, thanks to the foreign investment into Man City. Wayne Rooney, arguably the Premier League's best player, was desperately struggling for form at the time of this game, and produced a moment which will live long in the memory of football fans around the world. To attempt a bicycle kick against your local rivals, with the scores locked at 1-1 demonstrates that Rooney, no matter how out-of-form, never lacks confidence and to put it in the top corner shows that he is undeniably a genuine world class striker. For me, this is the best goal Rooney has ever scored. 

Trevor Sinclair vs Barnsley


In keeping with the overhead kick theme, this one from Trevor Sinclair is darn right ridiculous. As you watch the video, put yourself in Sinclair's position... A high, floated cross is approaching you and you're 20 yards out with your back to goal. What do you do... Try and win a flick on? Seems reasonable. Try and hold up the ball to bring other players into the game? Advisable. But what does Trevor Sinclair do? He decides "I'm gonna hit this!" and connects with the most perfect overhead kick you would ever dream to see. I would say it's textbook technique, but I think they had to re-write the textbooks after this one. There was only one outcome in which this decision to go for the overhead would be considered correct; if he scores. If he misses the ball, hit's it off-target or even if the keeper saves it, he would have made a stupid decision. But luckily, he hit an unbelievable shot that flew straight into the onion bag. Unstoppable.



David Beckham vs Greece

Shock. I'm an Englishman and I've put this free kick in my top 5. I was 12 when this went in, and I still remember it as though it was yesterday. It was the crunch game of the World Cup 2002 qualification, at Old Trafford and we needed at least a draw to qualify. For one reason or another, the team performed terribly, except for one man, David Beckham. This game is unarguably Beckham's greatest ever performance, and probably the best individual performance of any England Player since Geoff Hurst in '66. Beckham ran the show - left wing, right wing, centre mid; he was there. After Greece conceded a weak free kick in the 93rd minute, Beckham stepped up to take it. With the hopes of the nation literally resting on his right foot, Beckham unleashed an unstoppable strike, which curled majestically into the top left hand corner to send England to World Cup 2002. Cue wild celebrations around the country. Everyone remembers where they were when they saw this go in. It was just one of those moments.




Steven Gerrard vs Olympiakos

 Probably just as much for commentary as anything else, this classic from Stevie G will live long in the memory. At the time, Liverpool were on the verge of exit from the Champions League group stages, an up against an Olympiakos team that had only lost two games all season. Due to the complex nature of the group, Liverpool needed to win by 2 clear goals to secure progression and were stunned early on as they fell  behind to a superb free kick from the genius that is; Rivaldo. Now Liverpool need 3 goals to qualify, and 2 goals from also-rans Sinama-Pongole and Neil Mellor give the fans something to hope for as the game approaches the final five minutes. Step up Captain Fanstastic to deliver an unstoppable half-volley into the to corner of goal at the Kop end to send the fans into delirium. This was the goal that enabled Liverpool to go on and win the Champions League. Regardless of who you support, there is no denying that Steven Gerrard is a legend.

So there it is! Hope you enjoyed the list, get in touch with me on Twitter  here to let me know which ones you don't agree with (and what you'd replace them with). 





Sam

My opinion on relationships at uni...

For this entry, I want to discuss relationships at university, the inevitable difficulties they represent and whether they are really worth it. I have experienced the highs and lows of having a relationship at uni, but am now happier than ever, knowing that the most exciting period in my life is still to come... 

For me, uni is just a stepping stone that will provide me with a qualification to enable me to start a good career and live a fulfilling life. Although I have had a great time in Portsmouth and met some amazing people who I will always keep in touch with, it is not a lifestyle I would like to extend any further than necessary. I can't wait to finish uni and become a contributing member of society, and be in a position where I can do anything I want. 

For young people, surely the most exciting period in your life is the first few years after graduation, where you have the money and freedom to do whatever you want. You'd have a fulfilling job, a more varied social life and you'd meet so many more people. In a relationship, it can be difficult to take full advantage of that freedom, as you are rarely in a position where you can do anything you want. 

I began my (only) serious relationship when I was 15, at a period when everything in life was easy. At that age, life was just turning up for school and spending 6 hours chatting to your mates and having fun, then when you came home you'd mess about for a bit, before going home for dinner at the same time every day. Life was routine, and at that time a relationship was easy.

Once we both turned 18 and started uni, life wasn't so simple. We were no longer living in monotonous routine, but we had complete control over what we did; for the first time in our life we were free. While some of my best memories of that relationship were during the 'uni years', it was obvious that we had both changed from the 15 year olds that fell in love at school and the relationship came to an end. 

If there are people reading this who are about to embark on university life away from their girlfriend/boyfriend, I'd advise them not to have high expectations for their relationships and merely take it a step at a time. Between the ages of 18-22 people grow up so much, and often become completely different people, which is why it is the hardest period to keep a happy relationship going. 

You see some people (often girls) that have one serious relationship, then 4-5 months later are straight into another one (a 'rebound')... these people are often insecure, and only feel happy if they can rely on the constant attention of another person. If I get into a relationship with someone, I want it to be serious and won't be expecting it to end, which is why I can't relate to people who get into new relationships all the time. Surely you can remain single, and still enjoy the 'benefits' of a relationship with different people, without any commitment? 

Of course there are rare instances where people have maintained a happy relationship during the ages of 18-22, but you need to be extremely lucky to meet someone at such a young age and be so compatible that you've survived those testing years. 

Generally, it isn't natural for young people like us to tie ourselves down at a time where we have so much going on. Perhaps people feel insecure if they're single for too long, which is a shame because with a bit of self confidence and a good group of friends and family, the single life can be so much more exciting.

At a time where I've been away from home for so long, I just want to enjoy time with my mates and my family. I've had the relationship experience - which was great - but I prefer not knowing what I'm going to do tomorrow, and being able to do whatever I want, whenever I want, with whoever I want. 

As always, find me on Twitter here

Thanks again,

Sam

Diary Entry #1: Easter

Oops... I've been terribly lazy in updating this blog since my first post, so I'll make sure I try and do 1 or 2 posts a week from now on.

First and foremost thanks for reading the first post, somehow it managed to get 220+ views, and I think I only contributed to about 200 of them! Haha.

So last week, the lads from home came down to Portsmouth to enjoy what will probably turn out to be their last night in Portsmouth with me. As the Easter holidays were approaching I figured I would be spending the majority of my time working on my dissertation, so I invited them down for the Thursday and Friday.

The boys - ; Tom (@itstomcooper), Russell (@llesuRydnA),  Manners (@The_AndyManners) and Cal (@CalumJBrereton6). - seemed to have a quality time down here, and we kicked off with Thursday night at Tiger Tiger - my favourite nightclub in Portsmouth (which isn't exactly saying much!) - before a night at Liquid on Friday.

Me and the lads in Liquid looking surprisingly fresh after consecutively 'strawpedo-ing' 2 VK's  

During my first two years at Portsmouth Uni, there was a solid rivalry between it's two main nightclubs; Tiger Tiger and Liquid. Is it just me, or has this rivalry become rather one-sided? I've been to Liquid only a few times this year, and each time it seems half empty with little atmosphere. Tiger Tiger on the other hand is often packed to the rafters, with much better choice of music (always the room on the right, at the top of the stairs) and let's just say, a more attractive clientèle base! Not sure what has happened to Liquid, maybe someone can enlighten me? Does anyone actually prefer Liquid to Tiger??

On Saturday, we all went to cure our hangovers' at Big Ernie's Diner, on Albert Road, Southsea, which as the name suggests, is in the theme of a classic American Diner. Their website describes this place as a 'World Famous Diner' which I must admit is highly ambitious, considering it was half empty and even the local 118-118 woman hadn't heard of it!!

I went to Big Ernie's with one thing in mind; Big Ernie's Challenge. For those of you that don't know, the challenge consists of 1.5lb (24oz) burger, 15 onion rings, 6oz bun, whole plate of fries, a milkshake and a small ice cream dessert. It must all be eaten within 45 minutes to get it free and your picture on the 'Wall of Fame', otherwise you must pay £25. I consider myself to have a good, although occasionally excessive, appetite. Completing this challenge is an achievement, that would definitely rank up there alongside runner-up in the Year 5 Egg and Spoon Race, and getting a 'Turkey' (3 strikes in a row) down the local bowling alley, in my list of lifetime achievements.

Heart Attack on a plate: Big Ernie's Challenge

The main problem I had was that due to my current financial situation, failure was simply not an option. If I were to fail, as I did not have £25 to give them, I would suffer the incomparable embarrassment of not only failing the challenge but also not being able to pay-up! After a prolonged period of deliberation and taking on board the waitress's warning (who was unbelievably hot, by the way) that they had made the burger BIGGER, I bottled it.

The boys were all disappointed in me, I was disappointed in myself, but I'm almost certain that it would have ended me, and decided to go for the easy option of a Double Burger with Bacon and Cheese instead, which went down in record time.

Shortly after the boys went back, I also returned home for the Easter break. Being given a 3 week break from lectures at this time of year is great, but to be honest I'd be much happier with just 2 weeks and finishing Uni a week earlier in May/June!

Easter; Is it more than just chocolate?

I don't want to cause offence to any traditional Christians who may (although probably won't) read this, but Easter does not mean anything to me whatsoever. When I reminisce on this time of year throughout my childhood, all I can think of is Easter Eggs! I think I had one Easter Egg this year, which I ate a week before Easter Sunday! The only positive consequence of Easter is that I'd usually do something more family-orientated than perhaps I would on a typical Sunday.

Being at Uni you really appreciate certain home comforts. In my case, it would be; A fridge full of food, Sky HD and friends & family. Living in Portsmouth as a student I often feel that I'm living a sub-standard lifestyle, and it really makes me appreciate being at home, which I would have taken for granted if I hadn't come to Uni.

I'm back in Portsmouth now, with 2 weeks still remaining of the Easter break, but unfortunately I've got so much to do with regards to my dissertation and other coursework, that I can't afford to spend my time at home where there are too many distractions! So I'm back here in a free house all week (Project X, anyone?).

I'll only post a 'diary' entry like this every couple of weeks, I've got some other fun and interesting blog post ideas in mind until then (my next one will be about football).

Thanks for reading, if you want to get in touch find me via Twitter @samhavill or leave a comment below!

Sam

My first ever blog...

As I sit here trying to think of an epic opening line to my first ever blog, I find myself pondering over two main questions A) Will this blog achieve anything? And B) Will anyone actually read it? 

There is only one way to answer these questions; to have a go and see what happens.  Besides, you have already answered the second question for me (thanks for that). 

I'm Sam, 22 years old and currently in my final year at University of Portsmouth, UK. I study Quantity Surveying (I'll explain what that is another time) and I love a wide range of things from football, to music, to films, to eating out and so on... I love social networking (twitter: @samhavill) and you will often find me throwing horrible shapes at many sub-standard nightclubs. I'd consider myself a 'normal' 22 year old. 

Anyway, enough of all that boring stuff - why am I even writing a blog? Do I think the world will be fascinated or excited by my life? Not really. Do I have verbal diarrhoea which needs another platform in which to express itself? I don't think so!

The truth is, us students live interesting lives and it seems that all too often we are discarded from a society which assumes that because you're not working 40 hours a week, you're not important. We're branded 'tax dodgers' and often described as lazy. Don't get me wrong, I'm not out to prove anything, I just want to give an honest reflection of the student lifestyle. 

This blog will track a hugely exciting year for me personally. Once I've completed my dissertation (still just under half left to do) I'll be graduating, going to Las Vegas and then starting a graduate job in September 200 miles away from home, in Manchester, where I will have to find a new flat, new friends and build a new life. 

I want to share these life-changing experiences, as there is no doubt I will need plenty of advice from you along the way.

Most importantly however, I want to be able to look back on this period of my life when I'm older, to re-live the excitement and anticipation of what is to come. Part of me wishes that I had started a blog back in 2008 when I started Uni - I'm sure it would be pretty crazy to look back on now. 

The blog is titled 'From Poverty to Prosperity'; obviously I'm not in a state of poverty by definition (although my bank manager may tell you otherwise), I am simply one of thousands of broke students just getting by on tinned food, cheap nights out and the Student Beans website. 

Depending on how this goes, I want to continue this blog well into my employment, so you can see the transition from student life into professional life. 

I'm hoping the blog will include everything from photo's, funny stories, reviews and general observations on a wide range of topics. Think of it like an extension of twitter, if you will. 

Anyway, I think that's about enough as an introduction to the blog, I've got some dissertation stuff to be getting on with and need to make arrangements for the arrival of some VIP's who are coming to my house in the week (I will reveal all in my next blog at some point next week - with photo's!).

Thanks for reading... please give me some feedback on twitter @samhavill, so I know whether to bother doing one of these again. 

Sam