Calling all Freshers!

Currikula
Currikula
Aug 24, 2017 · 4 min read

Universities…Academics…Grades…

August is coming to an end, which means two things — summer is ending, and school is starting. Those back-to-school commercials are starting to air, offering pens, paper, and other various tools at a discount. But they’re few and far between, more often than not it’s a Curry’s advert offering you a great deal on a new laptop. The only time students these days will wield pen and paper is in a stuffy and under air-conditioned exam hall.

No hands were raised this day.

Luckily it’s now more common than ever to have a laptop in lectures, whether that’s to genuinely increase the speed of your note taking or to subtly play games, or to sink behind the screen and have a nap.

Fresher’s Week

If you are attending university, you’ll likely be moving into your new residence shortly. That means reuniting with school mates at the local pub, or a week long clubbing expedition during Fresher’s Week. You will forge friends for both life and those that you’ll look back on and wonder — “Just what was I thinking?

It is a time to reinvent yourself. Few will know who you were or where you came from. You will just be another fresh face in the sea of smiling teenagers. Want to be an Ultimate Frisbee player? An environmentalist? A DJ? A club promoter? A member of the student government? There are groups for everyone.

Your first lecture

After the alcohol has evaporated your system, you attend your first lecture. The professor will speak about course expectations, the official textbook (which they probably wrote), and, of course, evaluations — scores, marks or grades — whatever you want to call them, you’ll be receiving them before you know it.

Evaluations, those assessments that determine whether you receive a 1st, 2:1, 2:2, or, dare we say 3rd, are what you pay attention to most. There used to be an unwritten rule that when you went to university all you needed to do was a graduate. A 3rd would do, that was your parent’s era. Then that rule crept up to a 2:2, and now a 2:1. It is only going to keep stepping up. Employers, now more than ever, are looking for candidates that excel academically.

What are we doing and why is it important?

Unless your course evaluation is based solely on an end of term exam (and God have mercy on you if it is), you are likely going to write at least one assignment. To recap from our previous post, the Currikula Team have been working hard to build a system ensuring that essay is the best it can be, so your evaluations score closer to a 1st, not a 3rd. Below are some questions you may have while we approach the start of university.

When are we launching?

Soon. Like very soon. Chances are you’ll be able to sign up for Currikula before the end of fresher’s week. You can visit www.currikula.com on September 18th to register for an account.

I know we are excited to…

The more important question is, when should I be using Currikula? Before I start my essay? During research? After my first draft?

Our best answer is — near the end. Currikula is best utilised after you have completed at least one full draft. You have written what you want to say, have a jumbled reference list, and only a few paragraphs do not quite make sense yet.

You’ll upload your essay and Smart Source will find appropriate references, InnerText (coming soon) will proofread your essay, and Bibliography Builder will complete your reference list. You can export your reference list and consolidate your essay before submission.

With this in mind, you will probably not need to upload your first assignment until October.

You keep saying InnerText is coming soon…when is that?

InnerText, the system that provides assignment analytics and feedback, is very, very complicated. We are working night and day to make it available before the end of the year. Right now, please take full advantage of Smart Source and Bibliography Builder.

We look forward to having you sign up to Currikula!


For more information about Currikula, please see our previous posts or visit www.currikula.com. For early access or to contact us, please email team@currikula.com

Don’t forget to follow us on social media:

Instagram — @currikula
Twitter —
@currikula
Facebook —
www.facebook.com/currikula

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