Having spent my first 3 weeks on my university course, and working with new people, re-establishing a regular writing practice (albeit for university purposes), I am already beginning to make decisions, at least in my head, about where I want to take my writing, both within the course, and after (hopefully) completing the course in 2 years’ time.
The work is intense, incorporating wide and deep reading, discussion forums and workshopping places…Oh yes, the joys of constructive criticism, and critical everything else, reading, writing, thinking back on the agenda. The technology is better than my last venture into higher education, with better sharing and better online learning platforms, collaborative workspaces and a-synchronous communication.
I am re-learning to pace myself to the beat of postgraduate courses again, working in the small spaces as much as ring-fencing large blocks of time, moving from one week to the next, with change of topic for each of those weeks, which helps to keep the interest going, and the awareness of the pace required.
The learning is challenging, for sure, but beneficial, nonetheless, even if that leads to learning what you don’t want to pursue, as much as knowing what you do, but I guess that is just as present in many other aspects of life too.
My aim has been to wind-down a bit at the weekend, but still managing to squeeze-in some of the reading, and domestic chores. On Monday and Tuesday, I have to dramatically switch to the demands of employment, as that remains ongoing for me on those two days. Back to academia intensely on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and back to juggling everything else at the weekend.
I am hoping to keep all the balls in the air with sufficient pacing, but if they do all come crashing down, then hopefully the pacing will ensure that it’s not too much of a disaster, and the occasional rise to the surface to grab a breath, and some fresh perspectives like this, wouldn’t go amiss either.
Fraser
October 2023