University of Lyon 2: University life : Semester 1 :

University of Lyon 2: University life: Semester 1:

A Full Semester at Lyon 2

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After the Festival of Lights here in Lyon, there was only one thing that I had to do before returning to London for Christmas vacation, and it was on Thursday which was the final day of classes. It was a day that I had waited for with impatience and a day that I waited for with a lot of patience too. When I return to London, it will be the first time in around sixteen weeks. The list of things that I had missed was becoming longer and longer with time. I couldn’t wait for Thursday to finish and for the weekend to begin so I could go to the airport to take the last flight of the day to London Gatwick. However, I had a few reasons why I would be happy to wait a million years for Thursday to arrive, as it wasn’t a normal day – I had 3 exams waiting for me during the first three lessons of the day, and these exams were very important for me.

I know that some universities that had sent students abroad for an Erasmus year had placed less importance on exams, and their students were only required to be present in classes. However, for others like me, we have to be present in classes and we also have to pass all the exams. So it was absolutely essential for me to do lots of revision to improve my chances of passing my examinations. I had plans to start revision a few weeks before and for several subjects, and I did a little but it wasn’t enough for me. As the Festival of Lights started the weekend before my exams, I had a lot of concerns. However, I should add that I had had a few problems with my laptop which deleted all of the work that I had done for ‘History of Media’. I frantically tried to recover my documents, and I downloaded software to help me, but ultimately I was wasting lots of precious time and I had no choice – I had to restart my work again. Eventually, I caught up with revision and I made a small plan for the next few days of things that I had to do and what I had to read before Thursday.

After several days full of stress, Thursday arrived. I had never liked the time that I had to get up in order to arrive at the Porte des Alpes campus for 8 am. In fact, it was something that I dreaded more and more each week as the horrible, early start was not getting easier with time. No matter what time I went to bed the night before, I felt that I always needed a few more hours in my bed when my alarm went off, like the cries of a Nazgul from Lord of the Rings, despite the fact I used a relaxing song like Laura Marling for the alarm sound. But this Thursday, hopefully, it would be the last time that I would have to wake up at 6 am. I’m not sure what things will await me when the second semester starts, but if I have the choice, I think I will avoid classes that start at 8 am if I can!

I left for my classes and it was dark like normal. Despite the fact I had left the clothes I was going to wear today on the table, and I had put all my things in my bag the night before, I found myself quite rushed in the morning and I missed the bus which arrives at 7:45 am, so when I arrived at the bus stop, I had to wait for a few minutes in the cold for the next bus to Perrache. After around two minutes, I decided to take a look at the sign that indicates when the next bus will arrive. I found a horrifying message which said ‘there is a strike on Saturday and the TCL network will be disrupted. At that moment, I didn’t know the extent of the disruption. Saturday was the only day that I would be required to use public transport as I had to go to the airport and I wanted to go there hassle-free with my suitcase. However, I was struck by fear and I had lots of concerns. In an ideal world, I wouldn’t have wanted any more worries as I had 3 exams waiting for me when I arrived at the university. It was an unwanted distraction, so I tried to think of other things instead of the disruption, but it was easier said than done.

Unusually that morning, I was able to find a seat for the thirty-minute tram journey without having a small fight with the passengers. Today I had a seat and after a few minutes, I decided to read my notes so I was occupied for the rest of the journey. I took out my binder and I began to read. After a few moments, I took a look around the empty tram, and the majority of students had books and papers with highlighters. I imagine they were doing the same thing as me, trying to absorb as much information on their subject for their exams which were slowly approaching later in the day.

Finally, after my French Language exam which wasn’t as difficult as I was expecting, I was more confident, but I'd only find out the results a few months later - I am waiting with anticipation because I finished quite early and I had the time to reread my notes for History of Media. I had no idea what things I had to do for this exam as the last lesson, last week had been cancelled. However, I had done lots of revision and I felt that I knew everything that was necessary. I completed the first two questions without a problem, it was quite easy for me, but clearly a few students had some difficulty. However, the last question was the most difficult as I wasn’t sure of certain details on this law, but I knew the context around the question so I had something to say which was better than nothing. I must say that I was left quite confused due to certain things that happened during the exam. After ten minutes some students started to leave the classroom. I guess they hadn’t done any revision. When I finished the exam a few minutes before the end of the lesson, it was only me and five other students who were left in the class. On top of that, I was really shocked by the exam conditions. The professor didn’t have much control and during the exams, a few students spoke and others looked for answers on the internet using their mobile phones. I’m not sure if they understood the meaning of ‘exam conditions.

At midday, I had already finished two exams and I was left with one final exam the day before Christmas vacation. Before starting the final exam of the day, French Literature, I ate some chocolate so I had a bit more energy. I was quite worried because I have never been good at literature, even in English. A few weeks before I had done a commentary on a text extract from Cyrano de Bergerac and I could have done better than I had, so I was a little disappointed. Now, I didn’t have the luxury of the internet to help me with my understanding of the text and also, I didn’t have the luxury of time as I only had an hour and a half to complete the exam. I am not expecting to pass with good grades.

We were given the choice of two extracts, one from Flaubert (three tales) and one from Marcel Proust (In Search of Lost Time). Having read an essay about Proust and the influence of impressionism, which is something which interests me and something I have a sufficient knowledge of, I chose the text by Marcel Proust. I tried to bluff my way through the exam as best as I could by analyzing the short text and including everything I could say until the end of the lesson.

Afterwards, I was really relieved to have finished all the exams that I had before Christmas. Before the end of the day, I had only one final lesson, a class of Languages and Cultures of the World. I have the exam for this class in January, and until the end of the Christmas vacation, I had plans to relax a little before starting revision. As usual, the class was very slow, it seemed like I was there for more than two hours. I think the fact that it was the last class of the semester didn’t help because I was eager to return to my accommodation where I could pack my suitcases for my return to England. Each time I looked at my watch thinking that ten minutes had passed, it had only been five.

At the end of the lesson, when we had finally learnt about the principal Indo-European languages that existed before the birth of Christ, our professor gave us some information on the January exam. To begin with, the exam seemed quite simple and easy because there were a few options for each answer. However, it would be a little different, because for each incorrect or unanswered question a mark is deducted. So there’s lots of pressure! I must do more work over Christmas now to make sure I pass the exam.

Overall, I think that my first semester at Lyon 2 has been well received, except for the awful presentation I did for History of Media. I have not had much work to do and the things that I’ve had to do were manageable and I didn’t have any problems. I found that more and more that being on the Porte des Alpes campus is like a high school with teenagers, but I suppose that having all my classes on the same day didn’t help. The majority of my classes were quite small except for Languages and Culture of the World, and I felt quite old amongst the other students who were 18 or 19 years old and often spent class talking with their friends instead of listening to the professor. Often, I felt like certain students, especially in the History of Media Class, were not keen enough to be at university. I don’t think this is the case in England where you now have to pay nearly £10,000 per year.

For me, the classes weren’t difficult to follow and I was able to understand the professors without any difficulty, but I cannot say the same thing for the outfits of certain students. I don’t think that it is completely necessary to pretend that you’re going to a nightclub every day, in huge flamboyant heels. I think it’s more important to be comfortable because university is not a fashion show. In England, students are likely to opt for Ugg boots, tracksuit bottoms and hoodies, but I know that it’s not necessary to judge others because of their clothing. The other thing that I find difficult to understand is the organization here at the university, because if you ask a question to the professor, it is often difficult to get a response, as was the case for the Languages and Cultures of the World professor. It was the last week of the semester when I found out the date of the exam but I don’t know where it is or what time it is.

The long day had been difficult for me because I didn’t like the time I had to get up or the number of people on the tram, especially in the mornings and afternoons when the only thing I wanted to do was go home in peace after a tiring day. But afterwards, I was still relieved and still happy that I could relax over the weekend. Hopefully, I will have the possibility of studying at the campus near to Rhône, as the 8 am lessons won’t be as difficult for me as the journey is around 20 minutes. But I have to wait until January to find out the things that the second semester has planned for me. I am ready for a few changes because ultimately, first semester was quite easy and calm and I would be really lucky to have a semester like that again.

I’ve really liked being a student at Lyon 2 up to now. But I must say it’s like another world in comparison with the University of Roehampton. I miss the greenery and the beauty of the Roehampton campus with ponds and lakes, and the old building near to the big lake. I missed the community spirit of the students and the fact that if you don’t know someone, it is certain that you know someone that knows that person. It is really difficult to feel alone, but here in Lyon I find that sometimes it is really easy to feel alone. Sometimes I feel small and lost amongst the French students. For me, I have had difficulties forming relationships with other French students because I have difficulties expressing the things that I want to say in French and it’s harder to find someone who wants to listen to me. The French seem to keep themselves to themselves, and I know other foreign students who have had the same difficulties.

One afternoon, I was coming back from a football lesson and I was speaking with an English friend on the tram. Our conversation was interrupted by a French girl who didn’t live in Lyon before coming here for university. She asked us questions about our stay in Lyon and our experience as Erasmus students. She asked us if we had made any French friends in Lyon and me and my friend couldn’t say that we had. We had acquaintances but no friends. She told us that it’s normal for French people and that as a French girl she had had difficulties making friends.

I’ve had a few instances where I had the opportunity to practice my French since arriving in Lyon. The guy who lives in the room opposite mine only speaks French so there wasn’t an alternative for us. I think that he likes to talk and he always has the time to ask me questions or to see if I’m well or to offer advice. Plus, I gave some English lessons to a French guy, Henri, who is an older person and really interesting. He is in my French Literature class. He likes opera and classical music and he knows the President of France, François Hollande. I help Henri with his translation work while we drink coffee in la Brioche Dorée. He’s got a lot to say on the subject of French culture.

During the last four months, I have never felt pressure to work because of deadlines and I have liked the absence from the pressure to do well here at the university in Lyon. I hear lots of complaints from my English friends about their the work they need to do to complete the final year of university, whereas I have an approach that is quite nonchalant but still serious, studying things that are for students in their first year of university in France, so I can’t complain much. The classes are really interesting and I liked the fact that Erasmus students can study a large variety of things. I am looking forward to a change for the second semester in January.

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