HELLO

Sorry about the shouty greeting, but I need a way to release my stress. The past couple of days have been a bit mental. I’ve had a ‘take-home exam’ to do for uni (Syntax, the worst subject ever…), so I’ve been stressed up to my eyeballs. If you’re unfamiliar with the term ‘take-home exam’ (as I was), it’s basically a mini, high-speed coursework, done over four days instead of three weeks. Exactly the same type and amount of work, but done in about a sixth of the time. God knows why. And if you’re unfamiliar with syntax, firstly I envy you, and secondly it’s to do with sentence structure and grammar… but not grammar as you probably know it. Did you know, for instance, that sentences can be represented in tree diagrams? I wish I didn’t. ALAS, on the plus side, I’ve now finished uni for the year, but more excitingly, I’ve finished syntax forever!

ANYWAY. We’re now over halfway through our shorthand theory, and it’s really getting difficult. I’m finding it all hard to remember, and I come out of every session with a thumping headache. Remembering that many rules and that much theory gets really tiring and stressful. I might do another post soon comparing the first few pages of shorthand to our more recent work. Tomorrow we’re starting unit 12 of 20, which is mental.

I can’t believe we’re four weeks into the course already. It’s going INSANELY fast. Probably because I’m actually enjoying it.

I’m performing a mental juggling act at the moment. I’ve had to keep on top of writing and coming up with ideas for studentbeans.com, writing my own community stories, and then just extra little freelance things I’m doing of my own accord. I have a couple of interviews to write up, including one with my friend and electronic musician Chris Andrew, and soon I’ll be conducting my medical student interview. Hopefully, my rather controversial interviewee is still willing to speak to me, but I’m keeping the actual interviewee under wraps until it’s all confirmed. I think it could be a really interesting piece, but really heavy to be honest.

AAAAAAAHbfkrfre I really am shattered. I keep going to bed at 11pm, which is ridiculously early for me, but I just need sleep so badly. Several of us on the course have reported being kept awake by thoughts of shorthand. I keep waking up at around 3am with images of shorthand outlines swimming in front of my eyes, and one of my coursemates woke up thinking he was a shorthand outline (‘will be’, in case you were wondering). It really takes over your life!

OK it’s nearly 11, dangerously close to my bedtime, hahaha oh god.

Goodnight and don’t miss me too much.

Kayleigh