Slow and steady wins the race

After much angst over the weekend, I have decided to drop my elective Italian course.  It pains me to do so but I really need to accept my limitations!  Any student, whether mature-age or not, can understand the stresses involved in balancing a uni workload on top of a life workload and at the moment my life seems to be tipping the scales.  So it is, with disappointment, that I let this subject go but with a sigh of relief that I can now concentrate on my two literature subjects - my shoulders feeling considerably lighter.  My only consolation is that I may be able to pick up the Italian during summer semester enabling me to devote the time necessary in learning this beautiful language.

I've also resigned myself to not having any time constraints as far as finishing my degree goes.  I'll be finished when I'm finished - said the tortoise to the hare!

Early days

I'm still trying to get back into the swing of uni life and swing it does!  I seem to be constantly swinging from the house to uni, to one place or another, to the house and back to uni again. 

I had my 'Victorian Millinery' presentation yesterday, which the lecturer deemed 'stellar' and I was quite happy with the outcome, although I think he looked favourably on us because we were the very first group to present!

This is one class I'm as yet not too sure about.  Not the content of the course - I love everything about this period and the lecturer is quite brilliant...he's just extremely unorganised - a trait that never seems to go down well with me.  It's only been two weeks and he's been late to the lecture both times, which means that instead of getting a quick 50 minute lecture, we get a rushed 40 minute lecture.  Last night, he actually asked us where the tutorial was being held, then when all 50 of us arrived at the seminar room, it was being occupied.  This meant that our 4.00pm tute actually started at 4.25pm.  Add to this somewhat controlled chaos the fact that myself and my group were supposed to present at the beginning of the seminar; a usual tutorial group contains about 25 people (if that), and you can just imagine how jangled the nerves were.

After our 7 minute presentation, we got down to looking at one of Wordsworth's sonnets.  Now, don't get me wrong, I do enjoy poetry although admittedly, I rarely fully understand it.  But isn't the ability of appreciating the meaning of a piece of poetry and literature dependant on your background knowledge of the poet/author as well as the history of the period?  Doesn't our perception and the subjectivity of a text change according to our knowledge of these factors?  Basically, I feel as if the foundations of the course are a little wobbly, mainly due to time constraints and tardy teaching but maybe, once again, it's up to me to conduct my own background research before the lecture.

I'm not feeling as confident as I would like and I was really looking forward to this class!  Anyway, it's early days yet.

Top that

My crude attempt at Victorian millinery

I've been back at uni for a week and I already feel like I'm snowed under.  The reading seems to be never- ending - which is what I should be doing now but to say I'm lacking in motivation is an understatement. 

On top of the novels I have to read for both literature classes, we also have selected readings - some of which are 27 pages long.  And that's digitalised!  Why they can't be given to us in a dossier is beyond me.  The last thing I want to do is sit in front of the computer and read for 12 hours!  Having said that, I have read the first two novels already but feel I should read them again before tutorials start.

Plus I already have a short presentation to give next week.  In our Romantic and Victorian Literature class, we had to get into groups and find a topic from the Victorian era we'd like to research and share.  I just happened to be sitting next to a pair of 18 year olds and for some reason I came up with 'hats'.  Each group had to choose a week in which to present and, of course, no-one wanted next week but before I knew it, we were up to week 10 and I just couldn't put my hand up quick enough.  I finally convinced my partners that to do it next week would be great because we'd get it over and done with!  As usual, I've decided to do everything to the 'nth' degree and have spent the last two days researching Victorian Hats for a 5 minute presentation!!!  Nontheless, I found a craft store which sold top hats and together with some some netting and a long silk ribbon, I've managed to make something which vaguely resembles a Victorian Riding Bonnet - did I mention we had to make it 'theatrical'?

And last but not least, there's Italian.  I am so enjoying this class but don't feel I have a lot of time left to practice which is a must when it comes to languages.    

By the way, on a totally unrelated subject, can anyone tell me how I can stop following myself?  In my effort to try and send someone a message, I've inadvertantly started following my own blog!!!  Technology and I do not a happy couple make.

One week down, 12 to go.

Stylish Blogger Award

Thankyou Studentmum for nominating me for a Stylish Blogger Award and thank you for your support in my blog!  You were my first follower!!!  As far as the four rules go i.e. 1.  Thank and link nominator;
2.  copy and paste the award; 3.  share seven things about yourself and
4.  nominate 15 of your favourite bloggers and tell them - some of these rules may be a problem, as you will see.

These are some of my favourite blogs - some I've been reading for as long as I've been a blogger, so I apologise in advance if you've already received an award!

Rantings of a Middle-aged College Student

The Secret Life of an Unknown Housewife

The Non-traditional Student Blog 

College Mummy

Back to School at 40 (or41)

Diaries of a Neurotic Non-trad

Going the Distance Three Credits at a Time

Seven things about me -


1.  I'm not really 'internet savvy' - hence the inability to copy and paste the award.  It won't work!!!!
2.  I don't have a lot of confidence
3.  I procrastinate regularly
4.  I love chocolate
5.  I can be extremely lazy one day and extremely hyper the next
6.  One day I hope to live in a foreign country for at least two years
7.  I'm obsessed with the zodiac and need to know everyone's sign when I meet them in order to suss them out!

What happens in the shower, should stay in the shower

http://www.presentationmagazine.com/

After reading Diaries of a Neurotic Non-Trad's blog post, Famous Non-Trads, I was inspired to shout to the world about the trials and tibulations of mature age students.  I decided that our little minority group deserved recognition on campus and promptly emailed the uni newspaper and suggested doing a story on this phenomenon - the struggles we must face as we balance family, career and study.

This little discussion with myself continued as I hopped in the shower and I came up with the brilliant idea to start my own uni newspaper aimed at the mature age student.  As I whipped my hair up into a lather (but not back and forth), the possibilities of this idea seemed endless.  I remembered early last year in my film analysis class, a young student made the bold move of starting her very own film mag and it finally got off the ground with the first edition coming out in the last semester.  If she could do it, why couldn't I?  I must send her an email and see how she went about it, I told myself.

I jumped out of the shower as my creative juices seemed to be overflowing with ideas.  I could call it Mature Age Monthly - Mature Age Mag or The Non-Trad News.  I printed out a template of regular articles I could include such as, What's your story? - a monthly article on a mature age student which covers their life and motivations for studying and how they balance family, career and study; Movie and Theatre reviews, Book reviews; Cultural reviews of events around Brisbane; What's on around campus; Resources and Mature age trivia (inspired by Diaries of a Neurotic!)

Now, in the harsh, dry, light of day, I'm forced to reconsider my 'brilliant' idea as the usual thoughts of self-doubt creep over me.  For a couple of hours the possibilities seemed endless - now it just sounds ridiculous!  How would I even do such a thing?  Where would I find the time?  Who would want to read it?  It would probably get laughed at and thrown in the bin.  But even amongst the negative thoughts my mind is so capable of creating, there is a tiny voice inside me that still thinks it is a possibility. 

I wonder, did JFK junior have the same nagging doubts when he created George?  I know, I know - my piddley little idea doesn't even compare to a political magazine created by America's Prince, but from little things, big things grow. With a little bit of self-belief anything is possible.  Unfortunately, my big ideas and self confidence only occur either in the middle of the night or while I'm in the shower, which is probably where they should stay! 

Bliss

At long last my course outlines for this semester are online.  With uni starting back in three weeks, I've been keen to see my booklist and assessments for each of my courses and I've got to say, I can't wait to get back into it!  I never thought I'd say that, but obviously the break has really helped me relax after the semester that almost broke me!  I'm beginning to see the different stages in my emotional and physical wellbeing, post-semester.

Exhaustion - For the first four weeks of my break, I couldn't concentrate long enough to even read a novel for fun.  I think I started about four books before I finally gave up and just vegetated!

Joy - After four or five weeks of veging, I became relaxed enough to actually start enjoying the time off.  I found a book I enjoyed and actually finished; I did lots of cooking, caught up with family and friends and was just generally in a state of bliss.

Excitement - Now, with just three weeks to go, I'm itching to get back to using my brain and learning.  Now I've been able to see my course outline, I've started reading the required novels in order to get a headstart.  And the books I will be reading is what has me in a state of excitement!  Frankenstein, Oliver Twist, Middlemarch, Northanger Abbey, Dracula - I get the shivers just thinking of analysing these fantastic novels!!  Yes, it's time for me to go.

Three things Feb (Three things that have made me smile today)

1.  Although we had a couple of hours of continuous, heavy rain early this morning, No. 1 Son's much anticipated first cricket game of the season was NOT cancelled and he played a great game.

2.  We have airconditioning and get to escape the stinking humidity outside.

3.  No. 1 Son tried to put my hair up in a hairband at the dining table and the feel of his broad, strong, growing hands in my hair was delicious!

Three things February

Because I feel I do have a habit of not always looking on the bright side, I've decided to try College Mummy's/Sarah Rooftop's "Three things February".

So...3 things that made me smile today -

1.  I woke up this morning and had breakfast with my BFF after a wild night of laughter, wine and scrapbooking.

2.  SH No. 1 came home and we enjoyed a leisurely lunch together.

3.  No. 1 son and I managed to forget about his ear infection for an hour or so while watching the totally absurd, but incredibly funny, 'Anchorman'.

Wow, that was harder than I thought it would be.  Definitely worth thinking about every day! 

By the way, if someone can tell me how to copy and paste Sarah Rooftop's 'Three things February' logo, I'd really appreciate it!  I must be old or something but I tried 3 or 4 times without success.  If only my Gen Why? was here!