A Terribly British Christmas

Hannah Butler shares her quintessentially English Christmas Day…

IN my household, Christmas Day traditionally starts early. The current record for me and my sister trooping into our parents’ room with manic grins and stockings in hands is currently 5am  – completely oblivious, of course, to the fact that said parents had been forced to stay awake until well into the early hours, due to the overexcited “can’t sleep” routines we inevitably made them endure.

The early mornings are still a prominent feature of Christmas Day though, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Those first few waking minutes, in which I lie in bed, heart pounding like that giddy 8-year-old who can already see the shadow of a filled stocking in the gap of light issuing from the bedroom door… that’s Christmas for me. That feeling continues as the family crams onto our parents’ bed, bleary eyed and giggly, exchanging Merry Christmases between yawns.

Image Credit: paparutzi

Over the years, this scene has evolved: a couple of years ago, my sister and I surprised our parents by buying and filling stockings for them, an act which has stuck. Last year’s stocking routine undoubtedly beat the previous year’s hands-down though: reaching the end of the presents, as my sister pulled out the obligatory orange that was to go straight back into the fruit bowl, I shook out my stocking and complained to my parents that they’d forgotten mine. Exchanging puzzled glances, they admitted that actually, they hadn’t put oranges in either of our stockings this year. This was when, taking a closer look, we realised that what was in my sister’s hand was last year’s orange, completely fossilised after twelve months in the bottom of her wardrobe. Disgusting, of course, but it left us crying with laughter. That moment made my Christmas last year. Not just the fossilised fruit – although that was pretty impressive – but the four of us sharing a moment of utter hilarity and closeness we don’t get to experience too often any more.

Christmas is full of special moments. I know that this year, like always, I’ll go to bed exhausted but unspeakably thankful that on this special day I can surround myself with those I love and cherish

This year though, I’ll also be donating to Crisis at Christmas, reserving a place for someone less fortunate than myself to enjoy warmth, company, support and advice on 25 December. For my family, Christmas is a day to over-indulge, and enjoy each other’s company. However, projects like this offer hope and support, changing lives and proving Christmas can be special in more ways than one.

Hannah Butler

Help Retain Our Lecturer

With Dr. Matt Hayler of the English department’s contract with the College of Humanities ending, Amy Young implores us to join the fight to keep a passionate and talented lecturer and tutor at the University.

If you are in the English department, then you know about Dr. Matt Hayler. If you’re not in the English department, but you have a friend who is, then you have also more than likely heard about Dr. Matt Hayler. Specialising in hyper-contemporary literature and theory, Matt is a lecturer and tutor who is held in wide regard by every English student you talk to. Matt’s contract with the College of Humanities is ending, and a petition has been created in order to show support for the renewal of his contract. [Ed. note: please see below for clarification]

“A barrage of support came pouring out from everyone I knew on my course, and when I saw it, I just could not believe Matt’s contract had ever come into question in the first place.”
Photo Credit: Matt Hayler via Exeter Express & Echo

During my first term as an English student, I had Matt as a tutor for bi-weekly workshops in a module called Approaches to Criticism. For those of you blessed many who did not have to endure this module, it essentially involves anything from economics to philosophy, psychology and sociology, and had the potential to be incredibly interesting, but also simultaneously makes you want to rip your own hair out.

As a new undergraduate who was not particularly well versed in Aristotle, and who hated the theories of Derrida with a passion, Matt’s workshops made everything seem more comprehensible. Of course I was still quite confused on a regular basis, but his explanations of different theories meant that I could at least start my degree knowing what “metaphysical” meant.

This petition came to my attention on Facebook, and once it became common knowledge what was happening, English undergraduates started posting links to it left, right and centre. People are signing the petition because they know how brilliant Matt is as a lecturer. It is a testament to his teaching ability that I have never met anyone who has a bad word to say about him as a tutor. [Ed. note: paragraph edited, please see below for clarification]

There are, without a doubt, many teachers throughout the University who inspire you as much as Matt does his students. When you’re trying to balance all of your essays and weekly reading materials, you can sometimes feel that you are just losing the enthusiasm that was so strong at the start of the term. At moments like these, it is teachers like Matt that make you fall in love with your subject again.

But it does not end there. As students, we are constantly being introduced to many new ideas, some of which are so new, they are literally on the cutting edge of research. Matt’s focus on new ideas of digital cyber-cultures is not only an incredibly interesting and exciting topic for many of us English undergraduates, but it is genuinely a joy to see Matt talking about something he is obviously very passionate about.

In a lecture at the start of my first year, Matt told us that in our Approaches to Criticism module, we could not look at things that happen in the world and say, “That’s just the way it is”. That is what is happening here. At the thought of Matt leaving the university, students are not accepting that the decision rests solely with the College of Humanities. That is not “just the way it is”.

Amy Young

[Ed. note: The above article has been edited in order to provide clarification. Matt Hayler’s three-year contract is not ‘under question’ as asserted in the aforementioned petition but instead is ending. Staff on temporary contracts do not have their contracts renewed but rather must sign up for a new contract. The number of staff posts depends upon admissions.]

To sign up to the petition to keep Matt Hayler at the University, visit the Guild’s Have Your Say page. Is Matt worth saving? Leave a comment below or write to the Comment team at the Exeposé Comment Facebook Group or on Twitter@CommentExepose.

New Liberal Arts course begins

Image credit: exeter.ac.uk

The University of Exeter have introduced a new degree programme which allows students to pursue interests across multiple disciplines.

The new Liberal Arts degree, which had its first intake this month, is targeted at ambitious students interested in arts, humanities and social sciences who don’t want to be tied to one subject.

Professor James Clark, Director of Liberal Arts at University of Exeter, said: “It’s still early days, but recruitment has far exceeded our targets in terms of student numbers, so we’re very happy and pleasantly surprised with how popular it’s been.”

Modelled on elite Liberal Arts colleges in the US, the flexible degree allows students to choose a ‘major’ subject from across humanities and social sciences; from Art History to Politics, Drama to Sociology.

The undergraduates are encouraged to follow intellectual interests via individual modules rather than entire programmes of study. Other subjects that they can take modules from include Anthropology, English and Theology. However, assuming they meet the criteria, students can study any subject from across the university to some degree, even the sciences.

The Liberal Arts programme can also function as an Integrated Masters, which means students can choose to undertake a fourth year in which they take Masters level modules and complete a research dissertation or project.

The degree is designed to prepare these students for a competitive graduate marketplace by providing emphasis on flexibility and intellect rather than an in-depth knowledge of one subject.

Professor James Clark said: “People tend not to stay in the same career for their entire working life these days, so they need skills which are transferable, and the ability to apply their intellect to all sorts of problems and situations.”

“Our aim is to develop students intellectually so they’re got the critical skills, experiences and cultural intelligence that employers are after in key sectors like consultancy, charity, the arts, the civil service and journalism; areas where you need intellectual tools and flexibility, rather than in-depth subject knowledge necessarily.”

“The end result, we hope, will be incredibly intellectually curious and well-rounded graduates, who aren’t limited by disciplinary boundaries. We think this makes much more sense with the way the modern world works and is much more in line with the knowledge and skills that many employers now require.”

For more information on the new degree or to download the brochure click here.

Giverny Masso, Online Arts Editor

“Ultimately, with my entire grade resting on so few pieces of work, what am I paying for?”

Emma Holifield, Books Editor suggests that the University should set more frequent, smaller assessments to take the pressure off students than set large essays all for the end of term.

With exam season upon us I have suddenly suffered from the unfortunate revelation that I’ve forgotten how on earth to write an essay. My ability to churn out vaguely interesting thoughts under stressful timed conditions at A Level is a distant memory and the idea of all too soon having to produce coherent critical commentaries and thought-provoking arguments fills me with dread.

“Although I love my English student timetable (or a blank piece of paper), for the cost of my degree I am receiving very little feedback”
Photo credits: Emmafoto

Although no doubt an idea that will be ill-received by many, I am of the opinion that writing more essays would help solve this sudden panic. At A Level, my ability to write under pressure was only kept up through practice. But with such huge gaps between summative assessments, I am increasingly coming to find that each time an assignment is set I almost have to learn how to write again.

Madness, I hear some of you protest, more essays is a ridiculous idea! But in my opinion, being set more frequent, smaller assessments would actually lessen the pressure. By the end of term, when the English department seems to bizarrely think it is a good idea to put ALL their deadlines, I’m often so worn out that I produce work vastly inferior to what I could have written earlier in the term. Additionally, if more frequent work was set, each piece could count for a smaller percentage. This would provide more leeway, meaning one poor essay written during end of term madness wouldn’t bring down an entire module’s mark.

Equally, although formative essays are supposedly there as an indicator, I know I’m not alone in finding the grade I get for these is often wildly different to my summative assignments; in one module my grade differed by 22 marks! The feedback received for this formative work is also often of little use, with attempts to provide ‘fun’ preliminary assignments meaning the rubric often bears no resemblance to summative requirements.

Additionally, although the jump from school to university is huge, in first year the only writing guidance we seemed to receive was focused on the dire topic of referencing skills. Although we’re not here to be spoon-fed, having some extra guidance would be incredibly useful.

And ultimately, with my entire grade resting on so few pieces of work, what am I paying for? Although I love my English student timetable (or blank piece of paper as my housemate often calls it), for the cost of my degree I am receiving very little feedback.

I am in no way a workaholic asking to write more massive essays. Equally I understand this isn’t primary school, at university we’re not going to be given a gold star saying ‘keep up the good work.’ But for me, being wildly out of practice and having received little feedback, having a few bits of prior work to fall back on would relieve the pressure of exams no end, something I’m sure many would currently appreciate.

Emma Holifield, Books Editor

Would you rather smaller and more frequent assessments throughout the year or is a frantic exam season a price worth paying for a quiet term? Leave a comment below or write to the Comment team at the Exeposé Comment Facebook Group or on Twitter @CommentExepose.