As I am someone who
does a combined degree (Creative Writing and English), I have recently run in
to trouble regarding my choices in third year.
In my previous blog entry I was talking about how I wanted to do my dissertation
– and had my advisor set up and everything. I also wanted to do a creative
project as that involves actually finishing the novel that I started years ago.
Unfortunately, I have been told that it is not viable for me to do both
options. This now means that I need to choose between the two of them –
something I am finding impossible as of late. I really want to do a
dissertation as I want something academic behind me should I choose to do a
Masters and/or PhD. On the other hand, I want to actually finish my novel and I
feel as though the only way to achieve this is to do it as my creative project.
When you think about the fact that the novel in question was one I showed my
tutor last year and she told me it was publish worthy when it was finished, I am of the mind that I should probably get a
move on.
I have this problem
where I lack motivation. It’s plagued me since the beginning of time, so I
doubt that it’s something I’ll grow out of. I probably should have done so by
now if that were the case. Instead, I am left with this lingering feeling of
disappointment in myself and the need to actually kick myself up the backside
and get a move on. Sadly, this doesn’t seem to be happening. It happens with my coursework. It happens with
my real life. It happens with everything and anything and it’s really starting
to bother me. Don’t let this happen to you! Find something that does motivate you and don’t leave things
till the last minute. You’ll regret not setting a pattern for yourself in the
first year, believe me. I’m trying my hardest to make up for this in the second
year and with my third year approaching, that trying is becoming a lot more focused when I think of everything
I’m going to have to be doing.
In less pressuring
news, I’m enjoying the fact that I have a two week break in France to enjoy
when my studies are over and I break for the holidays. I will still be manning
the phones here in the Enquiry Unit, never fear, but holidays are always
necessary just to remind yourself that there’s a whole world out there that
doesn’t revolve around books and studying and meeting deadlines. Usually the
best friend and I are more adventurous in our travels. We’ve been to Canada,
America and Rome so far, and none of them have been the kind of holidays where
you sit on a beach and get tanned. We like the stimulation of the mind – going
to places where you can walk around and see
things. Canada was our geek-out, as we’re both pretty avid fans of Stargate:
Atlantis and we paid to meet the actors and go around the sets. It was a very
exciting experience. America was actually Florida where we went around Disney
World, Universal Studios (Harry Potter World!!!!) and Sea Life Centre. Rome
included everything you think it would; the Colosseum,
the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican, and all of the Roman ruins we could get our
hands on.
Why France? Pierrefonds
to start with. It’s home to a wonderful castle where they film another of our
favourite shows, Merlin. Then we’re moving
on to Paris where we’re going to indulge our love of sight-seeing. We’re pretty
easy to please and considering this is a holiday that could well have included
a trip to St. Petersburg in Russia or a trip to Greece where we’re not so sure
we want to get embroiled in riots, we’re pretty much taking the easy route.
