So third year is still proving to be quiet challenging…but it hasn’t got too overwhelming as of yet!
I’m really enjoying my Social Psychology module, but there is just so much information to take in, and the only assessment we have for this is an essay worth 100% of our grade! So I’m worried if I get it wrong, this module could really bring down my overall marks!! :/ We were giving the chance to complete a practice essay though if we wanted too, which I did, so I’m hoping I’ll get some useful feedback from this which (fingers crossed) might help me improve my skills in time for the real essay.
One of my other modules, Exceptional Human Experiences is equally interesting, but for some reason this module is turning me into a bit of a sceptic. I have always had a keen interest in all things supernatural but after hearing various different accounts of people seeing spirits, having out of body experiences and people who believe they have supernatural powers, I really have started to question the authenticity of it all. I thought this course would have done the opposite of this, but regardless, it is still a really interesting module and I think I’m just going to have to put aside my scepticism and approach it with an open mind as I want to come across impartial in my essays.
My last module of this term is Positive Psychology, where a key area of this branch of psychology, mainly focuses on how to improve people’s happiness and wellbeing through the use of positive psychological interventions. One of our assignments is a reflective account, and requires us to complete some of these interventions and assess whether we think they actually improve our own happiness. The one I recently did is called ‘Three Good Things’ where each night you have to write down three good things which have happened to you that day, and explain why you think they happened…at first it was fairly easy to do to as I wrote about bigger things but after a while it began getting more difficult and I started writing things like ‘I got the early bus to work and wasn’t late’ and then eventually I just couldn’t think of anything to write on a daily basis so I gave up :P I’m not sure whether it did make me happier or not as I didn’t really notice a different, so I’ll see whether any of the other interventions have a more noticeable effect and keep you updated, although feel free to try this one for yourself and see how you get on!!
Finally, my third year project is really coming along. I have finished collecting/entering all of my data now, and have analysed it, although only half of my data was found to be significant :(, It’s better than nothing I suppose, but it still wasn’t the result I was looking for. I am now in the process of writing it all up ready for the draft submission, so fingers crossed I’ll have the majority of it out of the way before January!!
Anyways, that’s all for now folks :) take care x
