Firsts and Forethoughts
Remember that 2,000-word essay I stayed up for 36 hours to complete? Well, I got a 72 for it. I don't mean to boast, but: fuck yeah! It's actually a fantastic feeling that I'm finally (and independently) becoming the A-student that everyone kept telling me I ought to be throughout school and college, and that I'm doing it for the qualification that will feed my life more than any other.
I've had three grades returned to me since starting my second year (those in my friends list who are not at uni, of which I now realise there may actually be none, should note that marks only start affecting your final grade after the first year), achieving two 72s and one 68. I'm averaging as a just-about-First student, which I'm hoping to keep up once I get my grades back for my recent exam and the documentary I (and no-one else in my group) worked so hard on, though I think I'll lose out a bit on the latter as I didn't hand in a portfolio with the film. I might be able to catch that up if I add amendments into my end-of-year portfolio, though.
So, that's uni so far. For this semester, I have a 5-minute 16mm film project to direct (fiction, though, thank god), for which I'll reduce my stress by assuming control of it all from the outset; an essay on world cinema that, given my interests, will be like taking candy from Baby P (too soon...?); and a research paper on spectatorship and audiences, for which I have a preliminary idea that involves the title "Slicing Up Eyeballs: The Evolution of Shock from Un Chien Andalou to Za Ginipiggu and Beyond". I'm looking forward to that one.
In other news, I'm starting to realise just how significant the coming months might be with regards to myself and almost everyone who reads this.
I'm looking to move to Southampton as soon as possible. Not in August, as planned, but sooner. There are many reasons: For one, Steve could do with moving back home for a few months so as to finish college with minimal stress, and he's killing himself working full-time to fund his living here; he'll be going to study Neurosurgery at Suffolk in September, where he can finally get a student loan and a part-time job, and have a good time ballsing about with rowdy medical students who won't all be 5 or 6 years his junior like his current co-eds at South Downs. Another reason I'd like to move is to get away from Nina, who still plagues our house despite not being with Phil, and who still manages to waste tons of our power while ill-informedly yelling at us all about chores that don't concern her in the slightest and, contrary to her opinion, are actually Phil's responsibility and not ours. I just can't stand the woman and wish she'd fuck off and get a job instead of spending every night hopping between our house, her mother's house and her 'friend' Rick's house to avoid having to spend money on her own electricity or food shopping.
But the main reason is that I want to make my life, and Sej's life, easier. I want to be able to live in the same city I study, and I want Sej to have more opportunities with her writing (there's shit-all in Portsmouth, and many independent music journals around Soton to aid her foot through the door). I want to be able to go out with the people I see more than anyone else - especially since I so rarely see anyone here any more. And, what's more, I want to make my venture gradual before I move to London next year, from which I probably won't return.
Which brings us to the significance of my moving: I'm starting to doubt that, after I've moved, I'll see many of you again. I won't have a reason to come to Portsmouth unless I'm actually invited for occasions I'm able to attend, and so often won't be able to just randomly meet up for a drink or a night out or whatever. I do that so rarely even now, and I still live here, nearby.
And I'd love to kid myself, but I don't think you'd come to me. I know we may still talk online, and there may be the odd event which might actually juxtapose us, but it won't be the same as it was. I'll be a friend of the past.
So, everyone... I guess I'm warming up to say goodbye to you. I'm sorry.
I've had three grades returned to me since starting my second year (those in my friends list who are not at uni, of which I now realise there may actually be none, should note that marks only start affecting your final grade after the first year), achieving two 72s and one 68. I'm averaging as a just-about-First student, which I'm hoping to keep up once I get my grades back for my recent exam and the documentary I (and no-one else in my group) worked so hard on, though I think I'll lose out a bit on the latter as I didn't hand in a portfolio with the film. I might be able to catch that up if I add amendments into my end-of-year portfolio, though.
So, that's uni so far. For this semester, I have a 5-minute 16mm film project to direct (fiction, though, thank god), for which I'll reduce my stress by assuming control of it all from the outset; an essay on world cinema that, given my interests, will be like taking candy from Baby P (too soon...?); and a research paper on spectatorship and audiences, for which I have a preliminary idea that involves the title "Slicing Up Eyeballs: The Evolution of Shock from Un Chien Andalou to Za Ginipiggu and Beyond". I'm looking forward to that one.
In other news, I'm starting to realise just how significant the coming months might be with regards to myself and almost everyone who reads this.
I'm looking to move to Southampton as soon as possible. Not in August, as planned, but sooner. There are many reasons: For one, Steve could do with moving back home for a few months so as to finish college with minimal stress, and he's killing himself working full-time to fund his living here; he'll be going to study Neurosurgery at Suffolk in September, where he can finally get a student loan and a part-time job, and have a good time ballsing about with rowdy medical students who won't all be 5 or 6 years his junior like his current co-eds at South Downs. Another reason I'd like to move is to get away from Nina, who still plagues our house despite not being with Phil, and who still manages to waste tons of our power while ill-informedly yelling at us all about chores that don't concern her in the slightest and, contrary to her opinion, are actually Phil's responsibility and not ours. I just can't stand the woman and wish she'd fuck off and get a job instead of spending every night hopping between our house, her mother's house and her 'friend' Rick's house to avoid having to spend money on her own electricity or food shopping.
But the main reason is that I want to make my life, and Sej's life, easier. I want to be able to live in the same city I study, and I want Sej to have more opportunities with her writing (there's shit-all in Portsmouth, and many independent music journals around Soton to aid her foot through the door). I want to be able to go out with the people I see more than anyone else - especially since I so rarely see anyone here any more. And, what's more, I want to make my venture gradual before I move to London next year, from which I probably won't return.
Which brings us to the significance of my moving: I'm starting to doubt that, after I've moved, I'll see many of you again. I won't have a reason to come to Portsmouth unless I'm actually invited for occasions I'm able to attend, and so often won't be able to just randomly meet up for a drink or a night out or whatever. I do that so rarely even now, and I still live here, nearby.
And I'd love to kid myself, but I don't think you'd come to me. I know we may still talk online, and there may be the odd event which might actually juxtapose us, but it won't be the same as it was. I'll be a friend of the past.
So, everyone... I guess I'm warming up to say goodbye to you. I'm sorry.