The University Debate- is the First Year of University a Waste of Time?

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I have rather brashly put this blog under the title, ‘The University Debate’ not because I believe that one already exists but because I think it should. I have to admit that more than once during my first year at Bristol I asked myself why I was spending money to do not very much there rather than earning money to do a lot somewhere else. What’s more, I am constantly struck by the fact that it appears a lot of people feel the same, but no one seems to be doing anything about it.

With the first lot of high-fee freshers already struggling with freshers' flu, more than ever students are feeling the financial strain. These students, (most of whom, understandably, see the fee rise as education being more expensive, rather than less subsidised) will start to feel like customers. Customers who when they pay more, expect more.  

During my first year at Bristol, my French degree had me in the lecture theatre a total of 8 hours a week. That is to say, the equivalent of one adult’s working day. Of course I was expected to do work outside of my contact time, but with no repercussions for your results providing you can manage the 40% required, it doesn't exactly encourage people to adhere to these expectations. I understand the theory; we are supposed to spend our first year adapting, finding our feet, joining the tiddlywinks society and learning what it is like to be independent. But when, particularly with an Arts degree, your studies aren’t really directed towards any job sector, you can’t help thinking that it is not very useful.

The pressure on students during this financial crisis is immense. We are told constantly that we should wave goodbye to the idea of a paid internship and that there just simply aren’t any jobs, especially if you don’t have a 2:1. This leaves two options: stay in education forever or be as prepared as possible for the outside world. In my eyes, 8 hours a week doesn’t fit into either category.

I must admit that I enjoyed adapting, finding and growing this year- but should a £9000 first year at university only be about fun? And that only takes into consideration the cost of tuition, students have to pay for halls, food, transport, books and even a drink or two at the pub as well. I would suggest that this luxury of requiring a year before the hard work starts, while being nice, is a teeny tiny bit outdated as future students may be reluctant to take on debt that they will resent paying back for the whole of their working lives.