Bit more positive post this time.
I FINISHED ALL MY UNI WORK. I just need to proofread everything and format it to be in line with the dreadful subject style sheet. Gonna start doing some of that in a bit. But the bulk is done. All the writing, agonising and what not, is finished. I actually can't believe how organised I've been this year compared to the previous two years. This time last year I had only just started writing my focus 2 report on fairytales, and now I have my focus 3 article complete and I have to proofread it and add in my references. It's incredible how much actually being here has helped. I am really happy with my short fictions portfolio, I love my article on censorship in young adult fiction and why it is a bad idea, and then my love/hate relationship with my creative practice final piece has been put to rest. I do like my extended story. I'm gutted it's not the lolhilarious comedy I intended it to be, but it'll probably get a better mark staying as it is.
Hand in is on Thursday. I'm hoping to have everything in on Wednesday to avoid the queues and the rush. Gary's work is in for the same day, although theirs might be electronically. But if not, that'd just be another class of people rushing to B block to hand in. It's always so stressful, and because we have two folders for each module the women behind the counter get all confused sometimes.
Mum rang me this afternoon. She's saving me an Alton Towers voucher. Despite the fact we probably already have enough between four people. Since me and Ben are getting in for free, thanks to mum's bff giving my sister the tickets for her birthday. Clare doesn't like rollercoasters and can't really get there anyway, whereas we can jump on the special Alton Towers bus. That's happening in about 3 weeks. Very excited. Especially since Tom's coming this time too, and me and him and Ben combined is always a good laugh.
This week will be stressful. I had a bit of a cry yesterday. I was trying to edit my classroom exercise on genre, and Julia had directed us towards sci-fi and horror, the two genres I avoid like the plague. And I felt like I couldn't do it. The idea of finishing this course and getting decent grades seemed so far away from me, I broke down. I cried for ages, on and off, then I started thinking about Grandma and all the things Mum said last week before I left to come back to Derby. I hate thinking about the fragile lady that is my grandmother having a nervous breakdown. I hate knowing that she once felt the same way I did. It seems alien, like she didn't deserve it at all. But then begs the question, do I deserve it? Probably not. But it plays on my mind. I don't like to think of her ever feeling more vulnerable than she already is. Also found out today that she doesn't read books anymore, due to her Alzheimer's, because she can't keep up with the story. That's really saddened me. I'm almost tempted to pass on a book of short stories to her, just so she can keep reading. Between them, my mother and grandma were the people that got me reading. I feel like I owe it to her slightly, especially as she was so nice on the phone last weekend and left me a bookmark.
I'm dreading everyone putting things on Facebook this week. I haven't done a bragging status about finishing, because I've been on the receiving end of so many of my course mates putting up statuses about writing a couple of hundred words and needing a pat on the back for it. That, and three of them are downstairs workshopping very early drafts of stories they should really have finished by now. I sound all high and mighty, but I'm really pissed off with a lot of people in our class as of late. We've been setting up workshop sessions in our own time, three times a week, and every time people say they'll turn up and then they don't. So we just did it by ourselves, (namely me, Ben, Annie, Alex) and have gotten our work pretty much done.
So this week is going to be a little strange. The last ever trip to B block, unless I get a wonderful referral for something. Hopefully not though. Between now and Thursday, I'm hoping Mockingjay makes an appearance in the post, as I've almost finished Catching Fire and I NEED to know what happens next. Thursday night is the creative writing social, in which we get drunk with the lecturers at uni and then possibly raid the Jonty. And Friday night is party at ours, then Mosh, which I'm really looking forward to. And then I might go home for a couple of days this weekend. I need to pick up the voucher, and take all The Hunger Games books to Mum to read. Not fully decided yet, although I'm swaying towards going.
I should also probably finish my application to Oxford Brookes. Although at the minute, I'm wondering if it's worth it. My lecturers have been reluctant to reply to my requests of referees, so it's getting disheartening. Plus, my personal statement attempt was dire and I've had no time to polish it up just yet. Tomorrow might be the day. Then there's funding, which I keep pushing to the back of my mind. And I decided not to apply for creative writing, because it'd be pointless. I chose a creative enterprises course at Leeds Met, but I'm not sure I can go through the whole application process again, it's exhausting. Why can't it just be like UCAS where there was one personal statement for them all? Ugh. But yeah, I have a back up if this all fails anyway, a cheaper course that might be a little bit better for me at the minute.
Tonight I need to fill in my pre-counselling sheet and watch The Voice. If those three ever remove themselves from the living room...
