When I was first offered this course, I had my doubts but managed to mostly brush them aside for the simple joy of being accepted into a University in the first place, especially one in the UK. I have to say, though, that this is probably one of those times in life where a person's inner cynic turns out to have been right after all.
Some people function at their best when under intense pressure and I happen to be one of them. Unfortunately, the line between pressure-that-inspires and 'the straw that breaks the camel's back' is a thin line, at least for me personally. The autumn term was relatively straight-forward. I had a few issues with one bit of coursework but everything went fairly well at the end. As this spring term draws to a close, however, things have taken a 180 Degree turn to put it mildly. For a below-average, if you'll pardon the understatement, student like myself the barrage of new concepts and coursework has been overwhelming. By the time I grasp the basic concept of the first piece of coursework, I find myself close to, or beyond, the submission date. Needless to say, my work has been...less than satisfactory even by my own standards. If I see a silver lining to all this, it would be that I'm still largely sane, a task in which the combination of caffeine, sugar, music and the wonders of technology have contributed immensely.
Ultimately, this is what I've signed up for and I have no one else to blame but myself. I can only keep a 'stiff upper lip', as the saying goes, and try my hardest.
~ Noel T. Muivah
