The English Miscellany

University - anxiety or liberation ? Dear Students, Many of you will find the transition from school to university very difficult. In a previous blog I offered an impressionistic account of some of the main reasons why students don't have a successful first year and provided some practical tips. But what about the initial transition? How will university life be different from being at school and living at home? Below, I offer a five point plan for making a successful transition. The first point to consider is that the intensive care you have probably experienced at home and at school will not be available with the same frequency at your college. Personal tutors and welfare staff will be available to help, but they won't be monitoring your health and well-being on a daily basis. Support services are widely available in all universities, but you will need to seek them out. If you have lived a sheltered life between your school and your bedroom the personal transition t

This was my Hall of Residence at University in Scotland Personal Statements for entry to British Universities Scrap any items that are trivial, too personal, or really not relevant to your university course. Link facts about your experience to the values and skills learned Language should be clear and precise. Avoid rhetorical flourishes and stilted language Check reports, comments and reviews of your work for tangible positive statements. Always ask other professionals to read your draft statement. Thinking critically and creatively about the feedback offered. Don’t let yourself down with grammatical mistakes, awkward style and spelling mistakes. These send alarm bells ringing and indicate that you lack a professional approach. Humour is always a risk and generally to be avoided, unless you are applying for a degree in  Comedy. Remember that any claims that you make will be tested at your i

What a delight to be seeing and hearing more from Leeds, UK, where I was fortunate to be born, and to which I returned in 1990-3 to study for my doctorate in English Literature with Prof. David Fairer at the University of Leeds. The most recent discovery was the John Betjeman film which was never broadcast. I suspect that the BBC did not consider that it could risk a strong regional angle at this time? It's delightful to hear the Poet Laureate John Betjeman praising 'Nonconformist Leeds, sturdy and prickly'; delighting in the Victorian wonders of the city and bemoaning the monstrosities of modernity, most of which have now been wisely demolished. He appreciation of the city comes across and warm and sincere. He delights in the poverty and community of the back-to-back houses in Armley, and deplores the municipal planning that produced Seacroft town centre. Whitelocks Bar, Leeds The BBC has also recently broadcast a radio documentary celebrating Whitelock'