First impressions of Royal Roads University
More aptly, this post might be called, “What I crammed into my first day and a half.” Seriously, though, it’s been a bit busy and this post will not do it justice. This is not to suggest that I’ll be posting recaps of everything I do because there is more MA focused blogging to come. I’m not sure if that will be at a Wordpress hosted blog or this one.
Note: I’ve included a few pics I took today and many more will likely come next weekend. You can view larger sizes as part of the Flickr set by clicking on any picture below.
The surroundings
It’s quite a beautiful campus and location, on a hill sloping down to the water in Colwood, a suburb of Victoria. Situated amongst old growth forest on former First Nations land, the campus is pretty breathtaking. Hatley Castle, and Nelson and Grant buildings, in particular, really show off the military college history of the place.
Plus, there’s a big focus on sustainability and recycling and that’s a pretty big plus for me.
Unfortunately, since I broke the 18-55 lens on my Nikon D40 a couple weeks ago, I’ll be using my lower resolution Fuji S602Z for the next two weeks. Oh well, they look fine for smaller, online pics. On that note, I’m looking for a good deal on one of the Nikon compatible super zooms. I’m thinking one of the 18-200’s, but I digress.
The accommodations
This is not a negative, per se, but they are spartan. Had I decided to apply earlier and booked an ensuite room, I’d have my own washroom, but that’s another story. The upside is that it will be easy to focus on the work at hand, with nary a sofa or TV in my room to distract me. There is plenty of opportunity outside to clear one’s head every so often, there are great hiking trails and I’ve already given the gym a spin tonight, prior to doing the reading from today. It’s all good.
The food
While I’ve only had a veggie burger with salad, I must say that the Habitat Cafe food is actually a pleasant surprise, particularly when one compares it to what’s available at BCIT. The food here is reasonably priced, healthy and appealing and there seems to be a reasonable selection. As a meat-free guy, I’ll always want more good veggie options, but they are apparently open to requests and this won’t be the only place I’ll eat, so I think things are in pretty good shape.
Day one
Truth be told, the first day was a fairly relaxing intro to what’s coming. We had a good orientation this morning, giving us an overview of the amount of work ahead and then took care of student cards and a short campus tour. I’d already had a look around, both this morning and a few weeks ago.
Good lectures on research methodology and article critique rounded out the afternoon, with a little more detail emerging surrounding the coming days’ activities. One of the things that will work very well for me is the focus on analytical thinking and critical analysis. I may actually go two weeks without being told I’m being too analytical …
In closing
There’s plenty more to come - in the next two weeks and two years. I’m hoping to get a few more peacock shots (which should not be a problem) and go a little further afoot to see some of the trails and natural surroundings.
September 12th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Hi James.. I appreciate the time to leave a site on your experiences at RR.. I am starting my masters in October 2008 (or January - havent decided on my leadership stream yet and was interested to here from others what their experience has been.
Hope all is going well for you with your courses!
karen
September 13th, 2008 at 11:35 am
Hi Karen and thanks for your interest. The program so far (in the midst of only my third course) is great. Lots of work and it’s only going to get heavier. The residency is intense but really connects you with the material and your cohort far better than just a distance methodology would.
Most of the RRU posts here were part of a blogging assignment, but I’ve typically blogged a fair bit under different domains anyway. I’m sure as I get deeper into research proposal stage and whatnot, I’ll use the blog as one method of gathering information and feedback on things.
If I don’t opt for the thesis route and end up with second residency next summer I will ensure I book the ensuite room. Far more comfortable for only $15 more per night.
Beyond that, all I can say is that you shouldn’t underestimate the work involved, particularly if you’re working full time while doing this. Even at this stage, I’m probably spending 10+ hours per week on reading.
Don’t be afraid to stay in touch. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on a different program.