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Monday, 26 March 2012

A dilemma approaches!


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.

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