Students taking over the British Library

In today’s Times.  Authors are unhappy that student’s are taking up all the reading rooms in the British Library.  Here’s Tristram Hunt’s take on the matter:

The historian Tristram Hunt said that it was a scandal that it was impossible to get a seat after 11am when students were there. Many people travelling from outside London complain that they cannot get to the buidling any earlier. “Students come in to revise rather than to use the books,” he said. “It’s a ‘groovy place’ to meet for a frappuccino. It’s noisy and it’s undermining both the British Library’s function, as books take longer to get, and the scholarly atmosphere.”

He suggested that passes should be restricted to third-year undergraduates working on dissertations.

Should students be allowed free access to the British Library, or does it need controlling?

Discuss.

Hazing in the UK: “I’d like a pint of vodka with my cup of tea…and I’ll drink it naked.”

Hazing is a term known in the US, but not generally one used here in the UK. It’s all about initiations into clubs and societies. It’s not usually pleasant and it has occasionally involved death.

A report has been released that suggests over half of all college students in the US have experienced hazing when involved in clubs and societies.

But what’s it like in a British uni?

From my experience, the nearest you’d get to an initiation was drinking until you’d collapsed and/or running around campus naked. And it wasn’t exactly compulsory. It may have been encouraged and frowned upon if you didn’t join in (peer pressure, here we come), but it rarely moved towards out and out bullying.

Maybe I’ve lived a sheltered life…

Of course, sometimes it went too far. Yet the same can be said for drinking games, nights out, and so on. Most of us have, at times, gone a bit too far when having fun, joining in, getting over excited, and being pressured by peers. It’s not good, but it isn’t known for doing much harm in the long run.  What are your thoughts?

Wherever in the world you’re reading, have you experienced hazing, organised any initiations, or heard any stories of pranks that went wrong?

Some related articles:

5 Qualities to Successful Leadership Through NOT Leading

I’m sure by now you’ve noticed those people in life who seem to achieve whatever they like with total ease and confidence.  It’s as if they were born leaders.

When you watch someone like this in action, it’s clear that they don’t need to boss people around, they don’t need to labour the point, and they don’t show desperation in trying to persuade others.  It just comes naturally.

What’s so striking about these individuals, however, is their approach to leadership.  A successful leader DOES NOT act like a leader.  Their success can be attributed to an open and friendly approach.

Follow the leader... (photo by Marloes*)

Others feel truly valued and respected, which encourages them to follow.  Leading is not about managing others; instead, leading opens up the possibilities for all involved.

Five common qualities of leaders stand out in particular.  As you’ll see, they look outward to the wants and needs of others, rather than inwardly to their own, private goals.  Yet through this approach, a leader can achieve their private goals with an enviable ease.

With these five qualities, you could be on the way to greater achievement too.  They are:

(more…)

EduLinks: 15 Fantastic Resources You’ll Want to Devour!

In order to catch up on the recent lack of EduLinks, I have decided to post a feature-packed list of big posts from the last month or so. From now on, I aim to place many interesting links available via Twitter, but I may compile a monthly post of some of the bigger links…we’ll see how it goes. Of course, please do write me a comment if you have any preferences.

Without further a do, let’s dive in!

1. LORELLE’S WRITING AND BLOGGING RESOURCES

So many different links and reference sites that you should at least sweep through the lists once. Lorelle aims the series at bloggers, but many items can be referred to as general points of research and information.

2. INTUTE: ESRC FESTIVAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE 2008

Between the 7th and 14th of March, Intute’s great Social Sciences Blog had a 10-part series on the best blogs in different subjects (Sociology, Psychology, Law, Elections, Statistics & Data, Economics, Business & Management, International Relations, Europe, and Politics & Government). It was a great series and it’s bound to include forums, sites, and blogs that you were not aware of.

3. MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER: THE FIFTY SUCCESS HABITS

Craig Harper describes an inspirational list of qualities. If you’re looking for a way forward, I can assure you that there’s something here to help motivate you.

4. ANYWIRED: BECOME A LIFESTYLE ENTREPRENEUR – COMPLETE GUIDE AND 40+ RESOURCES

Live the life you want, achieve your goals, fulfil your dreams. This is another huge post of links that’ll keep you reading for days.

5. PERSISTENCE UNLIMITED: 107 SIMPLE WAYS TO TURN YOUR DREAMS INTO REALITY

I told you there has been a wave of extensive posts over the last month. The (count them!) 107 suggestions that Brad gives here are sure to encourage you into action. Journal your progress, find a mentor, stick to the basics, teach others, tell the world, don’t be sensible, set rewards, measure your goals, etc., etc.

6. EMPLOYEE EVOLUTION: FIVE COMMON MISTAKES YOUNG ADULTS MAKE WHEN STARTING UP A SMALL BUSINESS

You may be considering your own business after you finish your study. If so, make sure you’ve read this article so you don’t fall into the frequent traps.

7. THE POSITIVITY BLOG: 16 THINGS I WISH THEY HAD TAUGHT ME IN SCHOOL

No need to wait until you’re 28 years old to find out what’s important. Let a 28 year old teach you right now!

8. ZEN HABITS: 18 FIVE-MINUTE DECLUTTERING TIPS TO START CONQUERING YOUR MESS

Mess is bad. I know this because I always fare much worse in life when everything is cluttered. If there’s a method to the madness, or if it’s an organised mess where everything still has a definitive place for you, that’s okay…I was able to handle that type of mess. But if you feel overwhelmed with heaps of unknown junk surrounding you, not even every lifehack and study tip in the world can help you…so get decluttering now!

9. BRITANNICA BLOG’S POSTINGS ON “NEWSPAPERS & THE NET”

A fascinating series of articles on the state of newspapers in the digital age. I wanted to wait until each piece had been posted. Now they’re all available under one link.

10. INSIDE HIGHER ED: WHY YOU SHOULD TAKE YOUR COLLEGE EDUCATION SERIOUSLY

Though based on university in America, this is still a relevant read for any university student. Full of great thought. Here’s just one excerpt…and what a sentence it is, too:

“We could define a university-educated person, then, as someone distinguished by the ability to bring to any phenomenon he or she encounters — a presidential election, a novel, a law, a tsunami, a nervous breakdown — disciplined mental activity, a discipline that emerges out of an ability to assimilate pretty much all at once a reasonable amount of historical perspective and raw data, as well as a sense of multiple and clashing perspectives.”

11. PICK THE BRAIN: 10 EXCELLENT SELF IMPROVEMENT PODCASTS

It’s not just reading material that aims to help you. Let your ears take a bashing too, with these productivity podcasts.

12. STUDY HACKS: THE TASTY INGREDIENTS IN MY PRODUCTIVITY SECRET SAUCE

Cal tells us how he manages to get by and stay organised. The important point to note is that you’re not meant to follow each and every tip, suggestion and lifehack thrown in your direction, but discover the methods that work best for you.

13. ALEX SHALMAN: 5 WAYS CHEAT SHEETS CAN ACE YOUR PRODUCTIVITY

Cheat sheets can be used for pretty much anything, as Alex shows. Of course, being at university means there are plenty of opportunities to create effective cheat sheets, for study and beyond.

14. TELEGRAPH: THE 100 MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE IN BRITISH CULTURE

Who is most influential? Simon Cowell? Ricky Gervais? Keira Knightley? Terry Wogan? J. K. Rowling? Banksy? They’re all listed among the 100, but where?

15. LIFEHACK.ORG: ARE YOU LIFEHACKING TOO MUCH?

Cheekily leaving this until the end of this marathon set of informative links. Joel Falconer discusses a productivity industry out of control. As he states, “The focus is put on consuming information, not taking action”.

So consider this final link to be the punchline…but a rather serious one.