19 Dec 2011

playing the waiting game

A third of my final year has already gone and I feel a little bit sad about it. Time seems to have flown for the past two years since the commencement of my degree and obviously, after all this time at the same university, I do feel attached to it. Imperial College has become a place where I have met friends for life - friends from my course, friends from halls and lastly, friends who I met through other friends but got along with really well.

This term has really emphasised one thing for me: make the most of your time. Don't waste time on Facebook when you can be out there interacting with other people. I'm thoroughly enjoying my time as hall senior and living in halls has one great benefit - there will always be someone there you can chill with or just chat to if you need/want. Although this term hasn't been the easiest for me emotionally - what with my family having a few problems (which have since been sorted, thank goodness), it has taught me to be a stronger person and also how to deal with shortcomings and things that are unexpected.

So, what is the main point of this blog post? Well, the waiting time, a.k.a UCAS. For those who don't know, UCAS is the portal all students have to go through if they want to apply to university. This may confuse some of you - I'm already at university - but the point is, I want to study medicine after my degree as I really, really, really want to be a doctor. A summer of work experience in two hospitals has allowed me to confirm that, hence why I've decided to go through the pain that is UCAS once more.

The waiting game, for the time being anyway, is over for me. I have heard back from all four of my universities and medicine courses. I have been invited to attend three interviews but have been rejected from one (my own university, as it happens!) without an interview. I won't go into reasons why because the reason infuriates me (as I know it's not my personal statement, not my work experience, not my grades... but one result in one section (out of four; where in the other three sections, I scored ridiculously highly in) in an entrance exam - though, this said entrance exam has got me interviews at the other two universities for two graduate courses and one undergraduate course so I probably shouldn't complain too much...).

I do feel a bit sad that my own university hasn't even given me a chance to prove myself through a face-to-face meeting. I've given so much to this university in terms of sport (netball and squash), subject (Biochemistry open day tours, Biochemistry buddy to younger students) and other things (hall senior) and I feel quite betrayed that I have felt such intense loyalty for my university when it clearly doesn't value me in the same way. Oh well, onwards and upwards and a change of scenery will be good too as the other two universities are just as prestigious and I am sure I will grow to love them as much as I love Imperial College London.
Anyway, my three interviews are after my exams, but not that long after my exams so this holiday for me is all about two things: revision and interview preparation. For me, there is no Christmas, no New Year - just an ominous countdown to two final exams and three interviews where I have to put my heart and soul into as for me, there is nothing I want more than to be a doctor.

1 comment

  1. Aaaaaaah good luck! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, I remember that horrible waiting period x

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