[LizB]

As a history graduate I'll put my thoughts in:

Commuting is hard but it can be done and you can still make friends that will last.
Making friends with people in the first week is great but the one's that will last may not be the ones you get on with right away, be open to making friends all the way through and you'll be well rewarded.

Never turn up late for Emmett Sullivan's lectures or seminars as he WILL make you buy sweets for everyone the following week.

Don't let yourself be intimidated by the lecturers they are generally a lovely bunch and want you to do well. If you are having a problem go see them in there office hours that is what they are there for.

History attracts an odd bunch of people but generally a very friendly lot. Embrace the insanity of the department and you'll go far. Also history students and lecturers tend to be massive gossips.

Don't be afraid to go off the reading list. Sometimes you can't find enough books still in the library but that's fine. Chase the footnotes of those you do have to find their sources. Also a speculative JSTOR search is sometimes a life saver.
If your lecturer has written on a subject read what they've written but take into account the time that's past. If they wrote it 15 years ago they may well have changed their mind.

If you have a chance to do a course at another college. Do it. The commuting in to London can be a hassle but it's worth it for the experience of what life is like at other colleges.

If you want to get a part time job at the SU apply for catering rather than bar as it's less competitive; though you may get stuck on some shifts where you do very little a job is a job.

Yes we do all hate Management, mostly because no one really knows what they do and when you find the library hasn't got enough copies of your books it's easy to resent the people with the shiny new building and inflated sense of their own importance.

[AU79]

(Original post by KentaKobashi)
RHUL Economics graduate 2011 - Stayed in Tuke halls in my first year (Flat 3C, Room 8)

1) Postman Issac is a legend.
2) The SU has it's charm in 1st year, but by 3rd has worn off.
3) My personal best from London Waterloo to Egham is 41 mins, 53 secs
4) Englefield Green is great for parties so move there in 2nd year, but the neighbours are either going to be neighbourly old folk or common as muck extras from Eastenders.
5) Egham is more expensive and therefore full of posh ***** (some are alright I s'pose)
6) RHUL Rugby has a reputation for homoerotic tendencies such as running around halls naked or doing shots out of each others' asses. They think they are "lads" but pretty much everyone thinks they are making up in brashness elsewhere.
7) However, RHUL Rugby put on a SWEET boat party at the end of the year.
8) Geologists rock! (Seriously, they are the nicest department full of enthusiastic and friendly people who don't mind a drink)
9) Opposite can be said about Economics. Most of them think they are hot shot bankers and they ALWAYS try to shake your hand. (We're not at work, why do I have to shake your hand every time you say hi?!)
10) Speaking of RHUL Economics, Hui-Fai Shing, Vinay Nundllal, Sotiris Georganas, Maris Goldmanis and Jonathan Wadsworth are the best lecturers.
11) RHUL gym weights room is TINY, so if you want to use them, get there before 7:30
12) Halls of residence are amazing.
13) When you are renting a house in 2nd and 3rd year, try to avoid Aspens if you can. They never speak to their landlords and you may find at the end of the year that they charge you for damages that were already there in the first place. It's a shame really because they are the biggest estate agent in the area for students.
14) SURHUL Summer Ball is expensive and always will be. So save yourself the time complaining and just buy a ticket or not. SURHUL never change.
15) Avoid SURHUL bouncers and security like the plague. They will kick you out for just about anything.
16) Founders, when it snows, looks amazing.
17) Kingswood is further away than it looks. It's a 30 minute walk.
18) This applies to everyone really but make friends with EVERYONE on your first night. Everyone on every floor of your halls and everyone in EVERY other halls because it makes a HUGE difference.
19) Don't be alarmed if a guy dressed in a Polar Bear costume is walking around campus, he's the mascot.
20) Everyone hates the management department.

I'll try and think of more as time goes on, and then edit it.

But my RHUL experience was easily the best three years of my life. 1st year I met the most amazing people ever, who became subsequent best friends and I met the love of my life. Don't worry about job prospects or anything like that, RHUL is fantastic, no matter what TSR says. It's about what you DO with your degree more than where you went, and for every person that went to Southamption, Warwick, Nottingham and Cambridge, there is JUST as many people who are doing just as well who are RHUL graduates.

Your parents may cry when you move in and you may be nervous during your first weekend but believe me, it is a fantastic place to learn and have fun.

Thank you soooo much for your post! It is like it has been sent to me in particular! I am an international student actually and about 1 month, 3 weeks away from university and feeling kind of "What should I expect?" I am planning to study Financial and Business Economics, so if you can say somethings about the professors, I would be so grateful. I mean what do they like/dislike, expect. Whose tests are the hardest?
You have really satisfied me with your post because I am feeling apprehensive not fitting in. Do you have any tips for my Freshers Week and for fitting in? I don't drink alcohol for example but I still do want to go out with friends and stuff like that!

[KentaKobashi]

(Original post by AU79)
Thank you soooo much for your post! It is like it has been sent to me in particular! I am an international student actually and about 1 month, 3 weeks away from university and feeling kind of "What should I expect?" I am planning to study Financial and Business Economics, so if you can say somethings about the professors, I would be so grateful. I mean what do they like/dislike, expect. Whose tests are the hardest?
You have really satisfied me with your post because I am feeling apprehensive not fitting in. Do you have any tips for my Freshers Week and for fitting in? I don't drink alcohol for example but I still do want to go out with friends and stuff like that!

As far as economics goes, just be you. Economics professors have a habit of being quite dull in my opinion, and that's not just reflective of the ones at RHUL; for the most part they are all like that. It's not a personal thing, they're just very busy/would rather spend their time doing research. You've also got to remember that they have been teaching the same thing for years now, so you can understand their impatience sometimes. As I said, Hui-Fai Shing, Maris Goldmanis, Sotiris Georganas, Jonathan Wadsworth and Vinay Nundlall are the best lecturers, though I don't think you will meet them until your 2nd and 3rd year classes.

As far as fitting in goes, it doesn't matter if you drink or not, just again be you, be outgoing and make sure you say hello to EVERYONE at least once really. That way, in the weeks ahead, you can sort of take your pick as to who out of the hundreds of people you have said hello to, are people that you will get along with.

[llacerta]

(Original post by KentaKobashi)
RHUL Economics graduate 2011 - Stayed in Tuke halls in my first year (Flat 3C, Room 8)

I forgot to ask, which block of Tuke did you live in, E or F? If it's F then if we'd started the same year, we'd have been flat buddies.

[Mbax]

i've been hearign good things bout the Earth Sciences department especially the Geologists who ordered a bunch of pizzas on our open day. The laid back nature of the whole department ,more than anything, cemented Rhul as my 1st choice.Really hope i get in :d

[AU79]

(Original post by KentaKobashi)
As far as economics goes, just be you. Economics professors have a habit of being quite dull in my opinion, and that's not just reflective of the ones at RHUL; for the most part they are all like that. It's not a personal thing, they're just very busy/would rather spend their time doing research. You've also got to remember that they have been teaching the same thing for years now, so you can understand their impatience sometimes. As I said, Hui-Fai Shing, Maris Goldmanis, Sotiris Georganas, Jonathan Wadsworth and Vinay Nundlall are the best lecturers, though I don't think you will meet them until your 2nd and 3rd year classes.

As far as fitting in goes, it doesn't matter if you drink or not, just again be you, be outgoing and make sure you say hello to EVERYONE at least once really. That way, in the weeks ahead, you can sort of take your pick as to who out of the hundreds of people you have said hello to, are people that you will get along with.

Thank you so much! Greetings from Egypt!

[KentaKobashi]

(Original post by llacerta)
I forgot to ask, which block of Tuke did you live in, E or F? If it's F then if we'd started the same year, we'd have been flat buddies.

Tuke F. I started in 2008 though.

[vertichalle]

(Original post by KentaKobashi)
20) Everyone hates the management department.

Love this! I'm a management student and even I hate the management department!


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[EarthGirl]

(Original post by LizB)
As a history graduate I'll put my thoughts in:

Commuting is hard but it can be done and you can still make friends that will last.
Making friends with people in the first week is great but the one's that will last may not be the ones you get on with right away, be open to making friends all the way through and you'll be well rewarded.

Never turn up late for Emmett Sullivan's lectures or seminars as he WILL make you buy sweets for everyone the following week.

Don't let yourself be intimidated by the lecturers they are generally a lovely bunch and want you to do well. If you are having a problem go see them in there office hours that is what they are there for.

History attracts an odd bunch of people but generally a very friendly lot. Embrace the insanity of the department and you'll go far. Also history students and lecturers tend to be massive gossips.

Don't be afraid to go off the reading list. Sometimes you can't find enough books still in the library but that's fine. Chase the footnotes of those you do have to find their sources. Also a speculative JSTOR search is sometimes a life saver.
If your lecturer has written on a subject read what they've written but take into account the time that's past. If they wrote it 15 years ago they may well have changed their mind.

If you have a chance to do a course at another college. Do it. The commuting in to London can be a hassle but it's worth it for the experience of what life is like at other colleges.

If you want to get a part time job at the SU apply for catering rather than bar as it's less competitive; though you may get stuck on some shifts where you do very little a job is a job.

Yes we do all hate Management, mostly because no one really knows what they do and when you find the library hasn't got enough copies of your books it's easy to resent the people with the shiny new building and inflated sense of their own importance.

I'm thinking of applying to RHUL for history-I love the course content and what I saw on the open day. Any tips for writing PS etc?(;

If I did go there I'd be living at home.How long was your daily commute?Commuting is the only thing that's putting me off from applying-the other Uni's I'm thinking of applying to have better transport links and are quicker to get to.
Also, are there many others who commute every day or does basically everyone live on campus?

Sorry for all the questions!

[gm15]

(Original post by EarthGirl)
I'm thinking of applying to RHUL for history-I love the course content and what I saw on the open day. Any tips for writing PS etc?(;

If I did go there I'd be living at home.How long was your daily commute?Commuting is the only thing that's putting me off from applying-the other Uni's I'm thinking of applying to have better transport links and are quicker to get to.
Also, are there many others who commute every day or does basically everyone live on campus?

Sorry for all the questions!

Knowing roughly where you live might help, just a tad, with working out your commute.

[EarthGirl]

(Original post by gm15)
Knowing roughly where you live might help, just a tad, with working out your commute.

Ah yes, forgot that.I live in West London-about a 40 min drive from RHUL. Public transport wise, I'd have to get to Heathrow and catch a bus which would take about an hour an a half if not more.

[themadone]

(Original post by EarthGirl)
Ah yes, forgot that.I live in West London-about a 40 min drive from RHUL. Public transport wise, I'd have to get to Heathrow and catch a bus which would take about an hour an a half if not more.

And getting to Richmond isn't easier?

[EarthGirl]

(Original post by themadone)
And getting to Richmond isn't easier?

Sorry,what do you mean?

[vertichalle]

(Original post by EarthGirl)
Ah yes, forgot that.I live in West London-about a 40 min drive from RHUL. Public transport wise, I'd have to get to Heathrow and catch a bus which would take about an hour an a half if not more.

I live in Hayes, Middlesex, and drive in: on a good day it takes 25mins! Whereabouts in West London? I'm more Greater London than West I suppose...


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[toastehmonstah]

(Original post by EarthGirl)
Sorry,what do you mean?

if you can get to richmond easier that heathrow you can get the train from richmond to egham

[gm15]

(Original post by EarthGirl)
Sorry,what do you mean?

Really?! How did you not understand that?
He meant that if you can get to Richmond from where you live then you can get a train to Egham. Depending on where in West London (you haven't exactly been specific) it might be quicker/simpler than going to heathrow then getting the bus.

[EarthGirl]

(Original post by vertichalle)
I live in Hayes, Middlesex, and drive in: on a good day it takes 25mins! Whereabouts in West London? I'm more Greater London than West I suppose...


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Greenford, Ealing. Without traffic it should take around 30 mins, but generally I think it would be longer.

[EarthGirl]

(Original post by gm15)
Really?! How did you not understand that?
He meant that if you can get to Richmond from where you live then you can get a train to Egham. Depending on where in West London (you haven't exactly been specific) it might be quicker/simpler than going to heathrow then getting the bus.

As I'm incredibly slow.

Okay,thanks. I didn't know about that route, I'll have a look at it.

[themadone]

(Original post by EarthGirl)
Greenford, Ealing. Without traffic it should take around 30 mins, but generally I think it would be longer.

Yeah, that's quite a lot further north than I'd imagined. It looks like getting a train/tube to Richmond would be a nightmare.

Try plugging your postcode into the TfL website - they might have some good suggestions for how to get to Egham? The postcode for RHUL is TW20 0EX

Driving is probably your best bet though. Whilst you could study on the train/bus, you'd probably value the extra time you save and the flexibility of being able to leave campus whenever you want.

[kiss_me_now9]

(Original post by KentaKobashi)
6) RHUL Rugby has a reputation for homoerotic tendencies such as running around halls naked or doing shots out of each others' asses. They think they are "lads" but pretty much everyone thinks they are making up in brashness elsewhere.

That's pretty much standard for most male uni rugby teams isn't it?