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Third Year Here I Come

 If blackberries picked wild from the hedgerows are the taste of autumn, for me then the smell of autumn is definitely that of elderberries cooking on the hob. My mum has made a medicinal drink packed full of vitamin C and antioxidants for years and years. This 'magic medicine' as it is called in my family is great for boosting your immune system and fighting off colds in the dark and damp of winter. I have helped make this every autumn for as long as I can remember, and for the last two years, I have taken a bottle with me to university. This year I am continuing this most favoured autumnal tradition of mine and bottling some more up.

Making this is a sure sign that the seasons are turning and I will soon be back in an educational setting. The fact that this year is my final year as an undergraduate is genuinely mind-blowing! It has definitely been an interesting journey, and I cannot wait to dive back in. This year I have some fascinating modules looking at everything from Neolithic monuments in Orkney to cities in Mesopotamia, and from the Parthenon marbles to Norse burial rites and sexuality in the Old Testament. 

As I am a final-year student, I also have a dissertation to write. Whilst this is not a mandatory part of a degree at some universities, most do expect you to write one. They are typically around 10,000 words long and in the humanities are often a long essay (if you are thinking about taking a BSc in Archaeology this may be more of a report depending on the university). Because I make very sensible adult decisions, I have decided textiles (one of the rarest types of artefacts to survive) and later prehistory in Europe (one of the periods with the least amount of finds) was a good combination. I have started doing some research over the summer, but with the new academic year and a meeting with my supervisor swiftly approaching, this is definitely going to become more of a priority. However, I spent a large part of my second year wandering around the library scoping out interesting study spaces and I am looking forward to returning to my favourite spots, as well as some new ones (John Rylands here I come). Would you like a post on my favourite study spots on campus?

I am also taking on some new roles, and stepping back from others. I am also making the promise to myself that I will explore the city more this year, especially all its wonderful parks. Getting out into nature is known to have a whole host of health benefits, and as final year is often associated with a lot of stress I am going to do my best to help alleviate this for myself. I love being outdoors, especially in autumn. And Manchester is a fantastic place to do so, with its trees dotted all over the city and the bravest squirrels I have ever seen. Who can say no to fluffy squirrels running around with conkers in their mouths?

This post is now laughably out of date, given I am in my third week of classes, but if you've got this far, thank you for reading!

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