I am studying English and American Literature with Creative Writing. Obviously, I expected there to be a lot of work, but oh my goodness is there! Not necessarily written, but the amount of reading we are expected to do is unbelievable. I had to read Oedipus the King by Sophocles and The adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi last week.
This week I am reading Hamlet by Shakespeare and My brilliant career by Miles Franklin. To me, reading is an important part of my life, but these books aren't necessarily what I'd choose to read myself, but I'm excited about them nonetheless.
In this post, I thought I'd tell you a little bit about what university has been like for me at the moment.
My timetable is relatively good. I have to be in for three days a week (not bad, eh?) Only, I have to be in at 9 on two of those days so that means waking up at 6.30 and driving 40 minutes there each day.
My first day was extremely stressful. I didn't know where to park, so I ended up parking ages away from the main campus. When I had my first seminar, I didn't have a clue where I was going! All of the buildings go round and round in circles and I couldn't understand the room numbers. In one building, all of the doors kept leading to the same places and it took me 40 minutes to find it! The teachers insist on you introducing yourself as well, but I never know what to say so I end up mumbling nonsense. I felt completely alone all day and out of place when most people knew where they were going and had made friends.
But when the first day was over, I started to get the hang of everything. I still don't know where everything is, but I can find my way around most places.
My favourite module at the moment is my narrative theory and practice one. We are studying Aristotle's Poetics which luckily I had already studied before. It is the creative writing aspect of my course. I'm hoping to really better myself as a writer through this module.
My lectures so far have been boring as hell. I don't know whether it's because they are in the morning and I'm still adjusting to the day (sound a bit like a vampire), but they are just so dull. I mean, who really wants to listen to someone droning on about Plato's The Republic at 9 in the morning?!
I was surprised by how involved the seminars are. I am a very shy person. I don't like to be the centre of attention. I hate speaking up in a group. One thing I dislike at the moment is how the seminar leaders pick on you, just like in school, which I hate. I mean, if I have an answer and want to tell you, I will. They are also very into presentations!
I am not.
We have to do several presentations throughout the year. I took the sign-up sheets and flicked to the very back so that I could get the very last presentation spots! I didn't even look at what I had to do it on, I just choose some of the last ones. To me, it's all torture. I never used to mind doing presentations when I was in sixth form because we were in small groups and most people were my friends, but I don't know anyone at the moment. Some people seem friendly. But most just aren't. Don't get me wrong, I've spoke to some nice people. But out of all my seminar classes, I think there are about two people I could become friends with. I know, I know. I shouldn't judge people, I've only been there two weeks. It's just, I'm one of these people who knows what people I like to be around. I haven't found many of them yet. Yet.
I noticed a lot of people coughing in some of my lectures. I hate germs! The thought of being in a room with sick people, makes me want the ground to swallow me up. I was hiding underneath my jacket in one of my lectures as a girl behind me was choking away. I can't concentrate on the lecture, because all I can think is 'all of those little germs from that girls mouth are slowly finding a new home - and that home will be me!' Of course, they are going to come for me. I can't avoid it in a room full of sick people. Aggh!
This morning, I woke up and my throat felt like it was being scratched and my ears were ringing. So, yeah, now I'm ill! But luckily, that means now I have an excuse to drink hot chocolate in the afternoon and have soup for lunch. Above is a mug I painted when I was away at Centre Parcs a couple of years ago (amazing isn't it?!)
So yeah, University is going alright. I'm settling in gradually. The work load is pretty tough at the moment. I don't know why, but I didn't think there would be this much to do. You hear a lot about students leaving everything until the last minute and still passing, so I didn't think it would be this bad. Boy was I wrong!
P.S. I wasn't planning on being one of those students who leaves everything until the last minute...
Thanks for reading :D
No comments:
Post a Comment