Exam results
Went into the department today to double check my results, sure enough there was the line saying I’d passed the second year. Woohoo. I also got a hold of my individual results for each module, which are as follows:
- Algorithms and Data Structures – 43%
- Architectural Support for Languages and Operating Systems – 51%
- Interactive Computer Graphics – 62%
- Fundamentals of Databases – 63%
- Software Engineering II – 59%
- Practical and Transferable Skills – 77%
Not all that good overall, although my average for this semester works out at just under 60% by my rough calculations in the lab this afternoon, which is more or less a 2:1 (certainly a very good 2:2). Slightly worse than my first semester results, but given that I didn’t really enjoy any of the units this semester it’s not too bad overall. Obviously I would have liked to do better but then doesn’t everyone.
I’m glad to see that I scraped through Algorithms, as after my appalling performance in the exam (I couldn’t even attempt one of the questions, fortunately you could skip one but even the others I struggled with in places) I was sure I’d failed. As it happens I probably could have got away with a mark below 40% because I passed all the other units (unless Algorithms is a core module, in which case I would have had to resit it), but it’s nice to go through with a pass if not flying colours.
Architectural Support was as expected, I thought I might have done a bit better than low-50’s but at the end of the day it was mainly based on hardware so I was never going to do particularly well. Hopefully this should be the last hardware-related module I have to do anyway.
Graphics was a real surprise, as it was the module I felt I was weakest in, not just in the lecture material but also the labs where I couldn’t get the hang of views and models as my brain has never seemed to work well with 3D geometry for some reason (which is weird, as men are supposed to have good spacial awareness—it’s what makes us better drivers :P). However I think I was helped by Toby’s questions, one of which was basically “explain the GIF and JPEG image formats and compression methods”, which is the one area of graphics where I know my stuff (and I’d revised it too! :). So it was a nice surprise to see this, a module that I thought I would scrape through, being my second best result for the semester.
I don’t know what happened in Databases though, this was the module where I expected to be getting into the mid-70’s, if not low-80’s. Given that 30% of the marks came from the labs and I know I did well in those (seeing as we get the results straight away, and the scaled versions shortly after), I must have really messed up on the exam (to be fair it was fairly hard, and there was nowhere near enough time to write proper answers in sufficient detail to cover the whole of the question). I’m a bit annoyed about that, seeing as I was expecting this module to pull my average up a bit and it hasn’t done so. Still, there’s nothing I can do about it except work on my exam technique, mutter quietly about how exams are a poor method of assessment and take comfort from the fact that I know I can design/build/maintain databases even if I can’t produce three detailed essays on the subject when sat in silence with nothing but a chair, table, pen and paper.
Practical and Transferable Skills is where the rest of my labs go, they have a really weird system in the department for the second year whereby your labs count for 10% of the relevant module (with the exception of databases, where it’s 30% as I’ve mentioned previously), but they also go towards this special 20 credit module as well. It’s all rather confusing and I have no idea how it gets calculated, but I’m guessing 77% is roughly my average mark in labs which is well into first class territory and gives me a bit of confidence knowing that I can do the actual practical work (which is probably what counts in the real world) even if I can’t spew out pages of written drivel in a short length of time. I think in the long run this ability will probably serve me better than being able to pass exams, even if it is worth very little at this stage.
Anyway, overall exam results were better than I expected, but probably worse than I was capable of. No resits in August though, which is what I was really dreading. I haven’t calculated my overall average for the whole of the second year, but I’m guessing it’s about 62%, which is a 2:1 and hopefully I can turn that into a first class next year when I’m doing modules that I’ve chosen instead of being forced into and of course my third year project.
House hunting
Ramped up the house hunting pressure today and managed to get to look at two properties, one in Withington (Chatham Grove) and one in Fallowfield (Egerton Road). The Chatham Grove flat was quite nice, but unfortunately didn’t have a washing machine, which is probably why it was cheaper than I expected (I knew there had to be a reason). There’s a couple of launderettes nearby so I could probably manage, especially seeing as most of my clothes are dark and can be safely thrown in on a 30°C cycle all together, but it’s not as convenient as having my own machine.
The place at Egerton Road was much nicer, but also £15/week more expensive. Not a huge problem, but certainly something I have to keep in mind. However, this place was also a lot bigger, in fact it was quite large for a studio flat, and although it doesn’t have a washing machine yet the landlord has already got the plumbing sorted and will be putting one in (obviously I’d get him to write this into the contract/inventory to make sure he does if I were to take this place). If I wasn’t seeing three other properties on Tuesday morning then I would probably take this place as it’s in a good area (right near Ladybarn Village), near to bus routes but not directly on Oxford/Wilmslow Road itself. However, one of the ones I’m going to see on Tuesday is on Palatine Road (or Palpatine Road as I keep referring to it as, due to having watched Star Wars too much :), which would be more convenient for buses. I don’t think this one will have a washing machine but apparently the plumbing is there so perhaps the landlord is planning on putting one in—I can’t see a reason for putting the plumbing into a short term rented property if it wasn’t going to be used. Anyway, I’ll double check next week and see if that’s the case. If necessary I guess I can always try renting a machine or even buying one depending on funds and whether I plan to buy a house once I graduate.
So, not a bad day overall really, I’m fairly sure out of five places there will be one which takes my fancy and fits my budget. I’ve already seen one that I’d be happy to live in and another that would do as a backup option plus three more coming up so I should be sorted with respects to accomodation in the next week or two. Unfortunately all the properties aren’t available until the end of July which means I’ll have to leave roleplaying early enough to catch the last Metrolink tram back to Bury in the meantime, but that’s not really a problem as they run until relatively late and although the buses in Bury won’t be running when I get back it’s not far to walk and it’s all along a main road so there’s little chance of trouble. In a way this delay of a month also works in my favour, as anyone looking for one bedroom houses at this stage is probably wanting to stay in Manchester and so will be searching for places available now or at the end of June at the latest so there shouldn’t be much competition. Also it puts me in a relatively strong position because chances are if these places haven’t been rented out yet there’s a real risk to the landlord that they won’t get anyone to take up the property for at least a couple of months and possibly longer than that, so they’ll be keen to sign somebody up.
In other news I’ve moved most of my stuff out of my current house in Withington, although that now means that I can barely move in my room at Bury. I never realised just how much stuff I’ve accumulated over the years, even lecture notes and books take up a lot of space. I’ve also managed to get all the recurring bills cancelled and the final bills will get forwarded to me about a week after we leave so that’s a big weight off my mind knowing that they’re all sorted, especially as all the bills are in my name. My only worry at the moment is whether I’ll feel a bit lonely wherever I’m living next year, since I’ll be All By Myself (cue Bridget Jones, a bottle of wine and bad singing), but I guess if I’m at Warped and Megs two nights a week and there are a couple of other societies I wouldn’t mind getting involved in, then I won’t get too isolated.
Once I’ve got a house sorted I’ll probably be looking for a job, probably in a bookshop somewhere so I’ve got my eye on the Blackwells in the Precinct Centre or Waterstone’s on St. Anne’s Square (which is quieter than the one on Deansgate, although I don’t really mind which one I work at). I think I’d probably do quite well in a bookshop since I’ve always been a keen reader and I have a memory good enough to remember if books are in stock and if so where they can be found on the shelves, which is always useful.
Anyway, back to the grindstone, lots of work to do and relatively little time to do it.
Sorry to hear you’re a bit gutted with your exam results. I think though that if you’ve got the difficult ones you didn’t enjoy out of the way you can look to next year and see that you’ll find things easier. I’m sure you’ll get a kick ass result. You’re clever enough to!
Glad the house hunting is looking up. As you say I’d make sure the landlord puts the washing machine in the contract or has it plugged in the wall. He may have been ‘putting a new one in’ each year…
I’ve always wondered what it would be like to work in a book shop. I’d imagine it difficult if someone just walks in and asks, “Do you have that new book? I don’t know what it’s called or who the author is. It’s got a blue cover….” 🙂
Don’t talk about customers…
“Do you have any big bottles of water?”
“No, we’ve run out”
“You had some yesterday”
“See above”
“Do you have X?”
“Yes, it’s right in front of your nose”
“It’s stolen my five pounds! Aargh, it’s stolen my five pounds! This machine is broken, it’s stolen my five pounds! Help! My entire life revolves around this five pounds!”
“It’s just down there by your knees.”
“Oh yes.”
I’m not “gutted” about my results, just a bit disappointed as I think I know some areas well enough to get better than 60% in.
Thanks. I think I’ll do better once I’m doing stuff I enjoy instead of things I’m not really interested in. I know modules such as Software Engineering are important, but they’re so boring.
I always check the contract over before signing anything as important as a rental for a house, so I’m fairly confident that the landlord won’t get away with just saying he’ll put a new washing machine in. I got our current agency to alter the contract last year so that we had it in writing that they were going to redecorate and put some new carpets down. They sounded a bit reluctant at first but agreed to change the written agreement when they realised I’d actually read and understood it. 🙂
I don’t know what I’d do if someone came in with such an obscure request, I guess I’d try and get more information out of them or if I was anything to do with incoming orders I’d probably have a rough idea what they were talking about anyway.
You seem to have an overly inflated idea of what you’ll be doing in a shop Paul.
You’ll be doing shit stuff, for shit pay.
The most you’d have to do with incoming orders is “Put these out on the shelf”, I’d imagine.
Just because you have a cynical attitude about your job it doesn’t mean everyone else’s will be the same. Besides, if I was putting books out on the shelves then that would mean I’d have a fairly good idea of what stuff had just come in so if anyone asked me I’d be able to point them in the right direction. Anyway, what else do you think I’d be doing with incoming orders—reading them or something? All anyone is going to do with new stock once it’s been checked off as being the correct stuff that was ordered is to either put it into storage or out on the shelves.
At the end of the day, if I do end up with a boring job on poor pay, then I’ll just quit. I can’t see the notice period for part time temporary work being more than a week, plus there’d probably be a probation period whereby I could leave or be fired without any notice.
I’d be quite happy for you to work in the Waterstones on St Ann’s Square, so long as you can get me a discount. It’s over the road from my office and I already spend too much money there.
I don’t know what the staff discount is, I heard it was a third off but that’s from a while ago and I can’t remember whether it was someone working in Waterstones or Blackwells.
Personally I tend to go round the bookshops to browse and then buy from Amazon as they’re nearly always 20% cheaper.