Who on earth knows where I'll be or what I'll do in the future? honestly if anyone knows please contact me... oh it doesn't matter, I'm wondering how I'm going to continue this blog, short daily blogs or larger weekly ones?
I've had a vote and the people in my head spinning the wheels of my existence have voted 14 to 6 in favour of weekly updates, and since I haven't written in a while, I'm going to start from where I left off... shortly. It's been an amazing few months, from interviews in London to clinching the winning hit in a major university fencing competition... all shall be revealed soon!
There, now you know!
Thursday, 10 June 2010
Wednesday, 28 April 2010
Back to Uni
Sunday 25, April
Holidays are always too brief once you're at uni. My couple days away in Wales to celebrate my girlfriend's birthday was fleeting to say the least. Although we took our best friends down so the drive back up to uni was great fun. I cannot wait til after graduation...
Holidays are always too brief once you're at uni. My couple days away in Wales to celebrate my girlfriend's birthday was fleeting to say the least. Although we took our best friends down so the drive back up to uni was great fun. I cannot wait til after graduation...
Tuesday, 27 April 2010
Party-time
Saturday 24th April
My girlfriend's party is being hosted by her family in their local hall. That's 27 of the main family members, half of them I'd never met. Since we've been engaged since last summer, some thought it would be appropriate to celebrate the occasion as our engagement party, something I was not ready for. Flowers, balloons, cake and presents were the main feature; as an engagement present we got matching towels. As someone with a lot of stress on his mind, seeing matching towels emerge from a present wrapping suddenly brought home the fact that I'm aging... fast. I've read books where the groom-to-be suddenly thinks his life is ending soon and decides to run off and have an amazing adventure. I've got that feeling. Those lovely warm yellow towels were a sign that I need some massive exciting event. I need money for that... so I'm looking for a job. But it will happen!
My girlfriend's party is being hosted by her family in their local hall. That's 27 of the main family members, half of them I'd never met. Since we've been engaged since last summer, some thought it would be appropriate to celebrate the occasion as our engagement party, something I was not ready for. Flowers, balloons, cake and presents were the main feature; as an engagement present we got matching towels. As someone with a lot of stress on his mind, seeing matching towels emerge from a present wrapping suddenly brought home the fact that I'm aging... fast. I've read books where the groom-to-be suddenly thinks his life is ending soon and decides to run off and have an amazing adventure. I've got that feeling. Those lovely warm yellow towels were a sign that I need some massive exciting event. I need money for that... so I'm looking for a job. But it will happen!
Saturday, 24 April 2010
Waking up late
Just thought I'd share a story of what happened in my first year of university. I'm in accommodation on the south end of campus, while my politics seminars are on the north end, it's approximately a 15 minute walk. I missed my alarm and woke up at 10:50, I had a seminar at 11! Somehow I made it... How can you explain yourself? Every time I miss a lecture or seminar it's because of my alarm clock, in my sleep I turn it off, maybe I should have put the alarm on my desk, that way i couldn't reach it in my sleep...
I got a reply from that government job I applied for last night, I had to take a verbal proficiency test on their website. It was timed and I had to read lots of text very quickly and answer very specific questions that tested my reasoning and summarising skills. I didn't get it so I applied for a different position in the same company... fingers crossed.
I got a reply from that government job I applied for last night, I had to take a verbal proficiency test on their website. It was timed and I had to read lots of text very quickly and answer very specific questions that tested my reasoning and summarising skills. I didn't get it so I applied for a different position in the same company... fingers crossed.
Friday, 23 April 2010
Jobs, always jobs
Jobs are the main conversation these days... especially for 3rd years graduating in the next couple months. So much so that university work seems behind me already, I submitted an essay today and have 4 exams to study for; but all I think about is what job will I have.
How far is one to go to get a job? I've applied for a vast number of jobs from technical assistant to sales manager and even to government jobs. Do I want to 'sell my soul to the devil' and become a salesperson? That is a joke by the way, hopefully any salesperson with a decent sense of humour will understand. Do I want to work in an office? Five years ago I wanted to work for a charity and help people in Africa.... now I want a safe life for myself and my fiancee, why the change?
When you look for a job, go to job seeking websites like monster.com or reed.co.uk, I put my CV on them last week on Monday night and by Tuesday morning I had a response. On Thursday I had a telephone interview and on the next Tuesday I was on a train down to London for an interview. I didn't get it but was very lucky to have such a fast response. Now I've applied for jobs in business development, nothing in finance, a few jobs in IT, and one in government... which I applied for 5 minutes ago in fact.
My fingers are crossed, but the application process can take up to a year. One thing is for sure: I've never looked at a job and thought 'YES YES YES'... fingers crossed.
How far is one to go to get a job? I've applied for a vast number of jobs from technical assistant to sales manager and even to government jobs. Do I want to 'sell my soul to the devil' and become a salesperson? That is a joke by the way, hopefully any salesperson with a decent sense of humour will understand. Do I want to work in an office? Five years ago I wanted to work for a charity and help people in Africa.... now I want a safe life for myself and my fiancee, why the change?
When you look for a job, go to job seeking websites like monster.com or reed.co.uk, I put my CV on them last week on Monday night and by Tuesday morning I had a response. On Thursday I had a telephone interview and on the next Tuesday I was on a train down to London for an interview. I didn't get it but was very lucky to have such a fast response. Now I've applied for jobs in business development, nothing in finance, a few jobs in IT, and one in government... which I applied for 5 minutes ago in fact.
My fingers are crossed, but the application process can take up to a year. One thing is for sure: I've never looked at a job and thought 'YES YES YES'... fingers crossed.
Thursday, 22 April 2010
Student Jobs
Today I got my first proper student job. I am translating a website into French for a packaging company based in the UK. Since I'm good with computers and am fluent in French I was the perfect candidate. Although I'm really pleased I think it's a shame the cruelty of so-called fate would have me get a job for my very last term of my university career.
Just when I've started looking for a permanent job for after graduation, a lovely little job appears out of the blue. On the subject of jobs, I had a job interview in London last week, but didn't get the job. It was an assessment centre to evaluate my potential as a future salesperson. I failed but another company is offering the same assessment. Should I give it another shot? It's a long way to go but there are two possible outcomes: 1) I fail again and know for sure that sales is not for me, or 2) I pass, reaffirming my belief that I learn fast and can adapt to new experiences. The fact that it's all the way in London makes things quite tricky. I need a job to get money, but I need money to travel to the interview...
At the same time, many of my friends have recently been accepted on postgraduate schemes, teaching courses and job in management for supermarket chains. I'm really pleased for them and am thinking my turn should be soon...
As for living somewhere, there's another issue students face. Do I live with friends and family? Do I go off alone? Of course I'm engaged to my girlfriend so I'll never be alone but it's still a huge step. And how will I pay for it? I need a job. The contract on my university accommodation ends on June 25th, I need a job before then. My parents are living in Dubai for a couple years due to my father's job and I cannot go there looking for a job... fingers crossed!
Just when I've started looking for a permanent job for after graduation, a lovely little job appears out of the blue. On the subject of jobs, I had a job interview in London last week, but didn't get the job. It was an assessment centre to evaluate my potential as a future salesperson. I failed but another company is offering the same assessment. Should I give it another shot? It's a long way to go but there are two possible outcomes: 1) I fail again and know for sure that sales is not for me, or 2) I pass, reaffirming my belief that I learn fast and can adapt to new experiences. The fact that it's all the way in London makes things quite tricky. I need a job to get money, but I need money to travel to the interview...
At the same time, many of my friends have recently been accepted on postgraduate schemes, teaching courses and job in management for supermarket chains. I'm really pleased for them and am thinking my turn should be soon...
As for living somewhere, there's another issue students face. Do I live with friends and family? Do I go off alone? Of course I'm engaged to my girlfriend so I'll never be alone but it's still a huge step. And how will I pay for it? I need a job. The contract on my university accommodation ends on June 25th, I need a job before then. My parents are living in Dubai for a couple years due to my father's job and I cannot go there looking for a job... fingers crossed!
Wednesday, 21 April 2010
Party Time
I've already missed a day of my blog! Doesn't look promising, but I'll keep at it whenever I can. Tonight I hosted a party, mainly for my friend's 21st birthday but also for my handing in my final essay.
Funny thing happened: I was washing up a jug and found the bottom inside half was green, not your average spinach and broccoli green, this was fluorescent. I turned to my girlfriend (who cooks while I wash up) and caught her attention. Thinking ahead of what I was going to say and what tone. In all seriousness I said 'Why is this orange?'. So if any of these words I'm writing make absolutely no contextual sense whatsoever I apologise in advance. I think it's the sudden lack of work, although I do have exams soon, that is making my brain either shut down or say random words. Later today I have a job interview; just a little thing for my last 10 weeks of university... fingers crossed!
Funny thing happened: I was washing up a jug and found the bottom inside half was green, not your average spinach and broccoli green, this was fluorescent. I turned to my girlfriend (who cooks while I wash up) and caught her attention. Thinking ahead of what I was going to say and what tone. In all seriousness I said 'Why is this orange?'. So if any of these words I'm writing make absolutely no contextual sense whatsoever I apologise in advance. I think it's the sudden lack of work, although I do have exams soon, that is making my brain either shut down or say random words. Later today I have a job interview; just a little thing for my last 10 weeks of university... fingers crossed!
Monday, 19 April 2010
Photo finish
I did it! 2500 words in 6 hours, and I'm cheerfully impressed with the final product. I expect a decent grade but nothing shocking, after all I did write it after a long day of running around fields, flying kites, improvising a game of volley ball on a rugby pitch with a foam football... yes I had ages to write it but I enjoy being social, and if that means drinking beers and watching funny movies until 1am then I guess essays will just have to wait.
I jest. The essay was written three weeks ago but somewhere down the line got lost in my recycle bin, probably because I don't give my documents proper names when I write late at night. So last night I decided to give it some finishing touches (nice font, pages numbers...) and couldn't find it, hence a hectic night of furious writing and research.
What's next? An essay for Thursday in exam conditions on why Scotland can be considered a superpower before AD1100, and then exams. No! The War of the Roses kicks off next week, a very exciting event that deserves an article to itself... eventually.
I jest. The essay was written three weeks ago but somewhere down the line got lost in my recycle bin, probably because I don't give my documents proper names when I write late at night. So last night I decided to give it some finishing touches (nice font, pages numbers...) and couldn't find it, hence a hectic night of furious writing and research.
What's next? An essay for Thursday in exam conditions on why Scotland can be considered a superpower before AD1100, and then exams. No! The War of the Roses kicks off next week, a very exciting event that deserves an article to itself... eventually.
This is typical
It is 5.20am, the morning before an essay is due, I'm halfway through it. I'm discussing Nietzsche's views on the 'herd' in Thus Spoke Zarathustra. Thrilling stuff as you can imagine, so much so that I've started this blog. How should I plan this essay? I began writing your basic intro/3 paragraph/conclusion but that rapidly turned into a 1000 word discussion. Thankfully it's relevant.
Incidentally, this is the last essay I'll ever have to write for my undergraduate degree. I'm doing History and Politics at University. It's been a terrific 3 years, full of ups and downs, luckily more ups but the few downs have been quite low; mostly because I tend to leave essays to the morning they're due in, despite having 3 months notice of the deadline, the question, the lectures and seminars, and the reading list... it's a bit late to revolutionise my study method. My last ever essay... and I've chosen to do it on Nietzsche. Why couldn't I do it on something easy, like basic International Relations? or the difference between the Labour and the LibDem party?
As far as this brand new, squeaky clean, fresh, altogether promisingly interesting blog is concerned, I've still got to magically write 2300 words in the next 4 hours. Should be possible. Must be possible. Let's get cracking...
Incidentally, this is the last essay I'll ever have to write for my undergraduate degree. I'm doing History and Politics at University. It's been a terrific 3 years, full of ups and downs, luckily more ups but the few downs have been quite low; mostly because I tend to leave essays to the morning they're due in, despite having 3 months notice of the deadline, the question, the lectures and seminars, and the reading list... it's a bit late to revolutionise my study method. My last ever essay... and I've chosen to do it on Nietzsche. Why couldn't I do it on something easy, like basic International Relations? or the difference between the Labour and the LibDem party?
As far as this brand new, squeaky clean, fresh, altogether promisingly interesting blog is concerned, I've still got to magically write 2300 words in the next 4 hours. Should be possible. Must be possible. Let's get cracking...
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