Starting College In September...

[Danny Kearns]

Hey guys. I'm starting College in September, the course is a full time course 5 days a week and I just want a bit of advice really.

The course is going to be very time consuming apparently, 5 days a week and alot of work needs to be done at home also. They also tell me i need to go onto University after College.

Now i've been thinking, seeing and it's going to be 3 years at College and then god knows how long at University...Should i just stop riding trials once i got to College in September and dedicate all my time to my course or should i carry on riding whilst at College ?

I don't have any other hobbys apart from bike trials, i dont go out drinking etc or out with friends often.

I really want to do this course and pass and go onto University and get a really good job out of it...Would you say it's for the best if i stopped riding ?

I just want some general advice about it and also what college is like and what i'm to expect and also how different it is from school.

Thanks for your time,

Danny.

[_Owen.]

Not being at college or anything i cant give you much useful advice, however, if i were you, i would not say for definate until you start the course. I'd say, start the course with your mind set on keeping riding, and see what time is like, if you have enough spare time, then obviously you can dedicate some to riding, however i would say things like your sponsor would have to go out the window as clearly riding time will not be too long!

However, if its a 5 day a week course you always have spare time at the weekend, this maybe your only time to ride, i know alot of people who only ride weekends, and ride trials more casual that worrying about having to make vidoes for sponsors etc!

Owen

[Simpson]

They always say all that shit

If your willing to give up trials that easily quit, stop needing your ego massaged

[Gavyn.]

why do you have to quit trials, college is always like that, they tell you your going to have to work like a bitch and you will for the first couple of weeks but it'll soon ease off and you'll have the time to ride again until exams.

usually colleges are a bit more lax on time. you'll be fine if your late as long as you apologize and your class will be dismissed early most of the time.

rules wise they are usually fairly easy going.

you'll be fine, just keep your head down and get the work done. remember you're there because you chose to be there not because you had to be like school so they won't think twice about asking you to leave if your fighting or whatever.

before I went to college for the first time I went in for a half hour at lunch time and grabbed a coffee just to see what the atmosphere was like.

[N.Wood]

Yeah thats bullshit, what course are you doing?

I'm in my second year at uni and ride like every day.

Theres plenty of hours in a day to get work, drinking and riding in.

Even if you're in uni from 9-5 every day (which is very unlikely on the majority of courses), you still have from 5-9ish to ride, then 9 till whenever to go get crunk.

Then just ride/get a girlfriend/a normal life to occupy your weekends.

[BeNNy]

Yeah, what course are you doing?? I'm on BTEC National Diploma in Computing atm and I'm getting shit loadsa free time... 4 days at college a week, the other day is meanna be a "study day", so you might even get one of those. And then further into the course I started to finish earlier.. and free hours etc etc. Besides, as you've said you don't go out drinking alot etc etc. which = plenty of time for riding.

Imo you should just think to yourself "Keep up to date with work, ride when I've finished working". Manage your time correctly and it'll all be ok. On my first year of my course I started at 8.45am and got home at about 5.00pm and still rode after college with mates til about 7ish maybe.., but now I just hardly ride cos bike's broke..

I'm guessing you're doing a First Diploma first, then going onto a National Diploma after it for 2 years??

[Radfax]

every collage corse says this, my apprenticeship manager told me it also. Its not always true.

You will have more than enough time to ride if you want to ride as you will make time. no one on here can tell y ou weather to stop or not. If you want a perfect collage record then yeh give up riding, dedicate every moment of the next 5 years or so to the course. you will soon get fed up after a few weeks. I sure was!

What course is it out of intrest?

[Danny Kearns]

Hey guys. Appriciate the quick replys, very helpful

Im starting with:

'Btec Edexcel First Diploma In Construction and that last for 1 year

Then moving onto:

BTEC Edexcel National Diploma In Construction and that lasts for 2 years.

Then you go to Uni.

[BeNNy]

Hey guys. Appriciate the quick replys, very helpful

Im starting with:

'Btec Edexcel First Diploma In Construction and that last for 1 year

Then moving onto:

BTEC Edexcel National Diploma In Construction and that lasts for 2 years.

Then you go to Uni.

First Diploma shouldn't be too hard... If you do well within the first coupla weeks they might even move you straight to the National Diploma... That's what they did to a couple of students at my college.

Edited April 12, 2008 by BeNNy

[Sam Ward]

i go to college and have soooo much free time, its still classed as a full time course but i do a total of 16 hours, 1 morning and 3 afternoons and the amount of times im stuck indoors doing shit all is unbelievable.

im told the course im on also 15 hours homeworka week, the most ive ever done is about 3, if you work at a reasonable pace in college, wich i dont, you should get most of your work done in lessons. even when ive got 3/4 assignments on at a time i still piss round at college and have a laugh.

as long as you know when you need to put a little effort in you'll be fine.

i consider myself quite lucky though because i no people who do 3 A levels (which is the equivelant to my course) and have literally no free time during the week, but i think as youre doing 1 course not several A levels they try to work the homework around quiet times when your havent got much more on to keep the workload down.

what course is it btw?

i go to college and have soooo much free time, its still classed as a full time course but i do a total of 16 hours, 1 morning and 3 afternoons and the amount of times im stuck indoors doing shit all is unbelievable.

im told the course im on also 15 hours homeworka week, the most ive ever done is about 3, if you work at a reasonable pace in college, wich i dont, you should get most of your work done in lessons. even when ive got 3/4 assignments on at a time i still piss round at college and have a laugh.

as long as you know when you need to put a little effort in you'll be fine.

i consider myself quite lucky though because i no people who do 3 A levels (which is the equivelant to my course) and have literally no free time during the week, but i think as youre doing 1 course not several A levels they try to work the homework around quiet times when your havent got much more on to keep the workload down.

what course is it btw?

[N.Wood]

Its only college work, it ain't the hardest thing in the world.

I'd also say that just because you quit riding trials doesn't mean you're gonna get a decent grade and most certainly doesn't mean you'll get a decent job.

You can't learn EVERYTHING out of books, and you'll more than likely just find something else to take up your time instead.

If you feel the need to give up trials then go for it, no one on here is gonna beg you to reconsider. I'm 90% sure you'll realise you now have no life, be resentful of the fact your course is effectively stopping you doing something you enjoy, and you'll gain very little from it.

[Radfax]

First Diploma shouldn't be too hard... If you do well within the first coupla weeks they might even move you straight to the National Diploma... That's what they did to a couple of students at my college.

I did a First National Diploma as a aprenticeship when i was 14 through to when i was 16 and it was petty simple mate! I was a complete washout and i did fine! I am now doing my National Diploma so i can go on to uni when i am 18. To be honest its simple as long as you have the time to learn and dont waste the turots time.

[Danny Kearns]

Its only college work, it ain't the hardest thing in the world.

I'd also say that just because you quit riding trials doesn't mean you're gonna get a decent grade and most certainly doesn't mean you'll get a decent job.

You can't learn EVERYTHING out of books, and you'll more than likely just find something else to take up your time instead.

If you feel the need to give up trials then go for it, no one on here is gonna beg you to reconsider. I'm 90% sure you'll realise you now have no life, be resentful of the fact your course is effectively stopping you doing something you enjoy, and you'll gain very little from it.

Cheers man, you've been very helpful and so has everyone else. It seems College over exgagerate a little then. So, Guess i'll carry on riding then if it's easy enough along side College work. Happy man

[Janson]

it'll be fine.

i didn't ride much my first year at uni, but that was my own choice. i focused on getting to know people (new city) and to get my studies going well. after the first year i continued riding on and off. i've got plenty of time to kill between studying sessions, and i'm supposed to be on a 50+ hour study week...

[Ben John-Hynes]

I'd say that if you keep on top of your work, which will be hard

But if you really keep on top of it and do your work on the evening/night after college

You won't have to do too much work on the weekend,

So you could ride just on a sat or sun all day as a kind of escape from the work thing.

And because you don't HAVE to ride,

you can always keep your bike but stop riding for a while to get the work done.

[Radfax]

I'd say that if you keep on top of your work, which will be hard

To be honest, from my exsperiance. If you listen to what is said to you and do what you need to do in lessons, use your brakes/lunches to do your corsework or whatever you will be ontop of your work with no trouble.

If you are doing a 5 day a week course most likely you qill have a day or two where you go in late and leaver early or go in at your usual time and leave early. What i used to do was go straight to the resource rooms or libary or whatever and do my course work and stuff there. they have everything you need and every one you need to ask about things is there. Do that, and you will be fine!

You will be suprised at how many other lads will probably come along with you, i sure as was!

[Muel]

They are normally 3 day a week courses, so if they are doing it in 5 days, I doubt there will be any work to do at home at all.

My mate is doing an NC in electricianing, and he only does 3 days, and there isn't a big load of home work.

[Haz]

Mate, it's a Btec, you'll never have more free time again in your life if you get into construction.

Carry on riding and don't worry, there will be loads of other kids for you to beat up at 'college'.

[Davetrials]

you have alot of holidays at college to..

[TheCircus]

No, don't do it, the world of Trials will disintegrate without your strong leadership.

[Davetrials]

why would u want to quit, are u telling me that u can possible ride on the weekends cos its gonna knock your concetration so much ur gonna fail college, not matter what happens ur the kind of person(like me so dont take offense) ull make friends and if ur not riding ur just gonna go out with them, simple so theres not point in quitting, plus ull kill ur self in the holidays.

and stop annoning that ur quitting, no one cares either

[Ash-Kennard]

do work, ride when you can...

[bollo you ball-bag]

dont give up riding especially if its your only hobby. i did a quite demanding course at college and it was good to just get on my bike and chill pout with mates. Put the time in at college but keep riding as a way to chill out something different.

[Danny Kearns]

why would u want to quit, are u telling me that u can possible ride on the weekends cos its gonna knock your concetration so much ur gonna fail college, not matter what happens ur the kind of person(like me so dont take offense) ull make friends and if ur not riding ur just gonna go out with them, simple so theres not point in quitting, plus ull kill ur self in the holidays.

and stop annoning that ur quitting, no one cares either

This far from expressing that i want quit riding, i was after advice, you as usual, decide to be an arse. I couldn't give to flying f**ks if your botherd if im quitting riding or not, I'll quit if i wanna' quit, i was just asking if people thought it might help me through college if i stopped riding.

I don't need your arsehole advice dave.

Anyways, it looks as though im gonna' still ride, but when i can, college comes first.

Thanks for all the help guys.

[Mat Smith!]

lmao danny,they told me id have to give 110% commitment for life with all day including weekends constant work and all that crap too.

i do abit over 10 hours a week now, and none at home and ive passed all my projects lmao, if ur gonna quit then do it, if ur not then dont, its pointless.

Matx