RSS 9/48 Lancaster
Filed in BlogLancaster is where I went to university to study German and French. It was the first time I had ever been left to fend for myself and I lived off canned goods for quite some while thereafter.
College was a wonderful experience, full of teenage angst, romance, and wielding swords for the role-players and Dark Ages society. The campus was self-contained so one need never leave, but I made the 4 mile round trip to the town on many occasions. A Sunday staple was to have a pub lunch in one of the surrounding villages.
Lancaster itself has a beautiful gothic Catholic cathedral–a rarity in England thanks to Henry the Eighth–and caters to students with a nice indoor market, lots of intriguing little alternative-clothing stores, and goodies. The University had its own night club where I saw many bands, some of which were awful. I went to a lot of gigs, and a lot of nights where music was played in pubs. I still love live music but don’t get to go to events often enough.
The campus was green with many open spaces. Now, it’s a lot more built-up as it’s grown in popularity and status. I think that’s a shame. I picked Lancaster because they really wanted me: I got a handwritten offer and they wanted BCE for my grades. I got ABC so I was fine. ;) Also, I picked it because it was pretty.
Back in the 15th century the House of Lancaster (symbol: red rose) and the House of Yorkshire (symbol: white rose) had a rather bloody civil war. It was called the Wars of the Roses. This has stuck in popular legend as a kind of (not always) friendly rivalry between the two houses.
I came in for some shtick. :-P
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5 Comments, Comment or Ping
Polliwog (48 comments.)
Wow, very interesting. You’ve had a remarkable life so far Linda.
Jul 28th, 2007
Marina (86 comments.)
OK–please ’splain to us furriners about the BCE/ABC grading system you’re referring to?
Next time you come this way, we will find some good live music for you to enjoy. We have all kinds.
Jul 28th, 2007
Linda R. Moore
Polli: so far, so good!
Marina: It’s all different now, but back then you applied to five different universities. Each would interview you (or not) and would come back with an offer.
You got into uni based on your grades for A-levels. Each subject (studied from 16, the general school leaving age) to 18 was graded separately. At 16 you take your O-levels (ordinary) and at 18 you take your A-levels (Advanced).
So, the schools would get back to you and say “OK, we need you to get an A in English, an A in French and a B in German.”
Or such.
Mine said, “just get a B, a C, and and E and we’ll take you.”
Oh, and we are not forced into studying certain subjects beyond 16. Up to 16 of course you do the basics (maths, English, etc.) but after that you specialize.
Make any sense?
Jul 28th, 2007
Marina (86 comments.)
Yes! Now I even understand the O.W.L.s and the N.E.W.T.s :D
Jul 28th, 2007
Linda R. Moore
What are OWLs and NEWTs?
Jul 28th, 2007
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