How to: Complete your Mountain Leader Training during week 4 of Uni

Thinking of doing your Mountain Leader Training, but you find your summers are just too full? Here are 6 top tips on how to complete your ML during term time (Disclaimer: DON’T ACTUALLY PLAN TO DO THIS)!

Look over there, a mountain.

1. Make sure your Degree is in the Humanities department.

This way you don’t miss any pesky labs, or actually have any contact hours whatsoever (£9k a year you say?!). Also, you can print out all your reading for the week in advance and do it during the evenings, when you definitely won’t be tired from all the training/walking. Failing that, you have a reading week in week 6. (I understand that if you’re reading this, and you’re a member of UBES, it’s probably too late to change your degree. However, I would still highly recommend the humanities as a career path if you a) love thinking whilst outdoors, and b) aren’t too worried about getting a job, ever.). Hint – you will need at least £5 worth of printer credits.

Awesome guide and views included.

2. Be super keen in your first year so you get a UBES Grant.

Befriend all the committee members and be (annoyingly) keen. That way they’ll realise they can’t get rid of you easily, will take pity on you, and then may give you some money to go do some training so you’re slightly more useful. What also works is taking a long degree like medicine or vet science so you have many years of UBES service ahead of you, however if you do this just to get the UBES grant then you might want to check your numbers and analyse if it’s really worth your while….

3. Avoid all social interaction the week before you go, so as to get ahead on work (but make sure you actually do it).

Create an air of martyrdom due to the fact that you’re busy working to prepare for your week away in the mountains. Keep reminding people if they forget. However, make sure you ACTUALLY do the work during this week, rather than going to Bloc and watching Salomon TV on YouTube.

4. Pick a training course date which coincides with a UBES Snowdonia trip

Unsuspecting (awesome) UBES Freshers

What’s better than 6 days in Snowdonia? 10 days in Snowdonia! This way you can practice all your new skills on unsuspecting freshers immediately after your training, and remind others what a selfless human you are for prioritising UBES over your degree. Other advantages include: questionable UBES slop, people to sing along with in the car on the way home, more mountains, friendship etc, etc.

5. Don’t tell your parents

This one doesn’t need any explanation. (See also: “No Mum, I did not spend my student loan on gear, what a ridiculous suggestion.”)

6. Feel completely content in the mountains.

When you finally reconcile the angel and the devil on your shoulder, you remember that, no matter how much you love your degree (and Bristol), mountains are always home, and UBES people are the best kind of people.

Who wouldn’t compromise their degree for this?!

Many thanks to Paul, Pete, Mo and everyone at Paul Poole Mountaineering for another awesome Mountain Leader Training!

http://www.paulpoolemountaineering.co.uk/