Recently in Student Village Category

Heark back if you will to January 2006.  I put to the blogosphere the prospect of my going back to do a couple of years of part-time study in order to upgrade my Adv Dip in Christian Ministry to a Bachelor of Theology.  Today marked the end of that particular journey.  Man, 2 years never went so fast...

I'm  pretty satisfied with my results, 2 credits, 4 distinctions and 2 high distinctions with an average of 80%, and I'm really pleased to have achieved the work required and say I've done my degree but I have to confess I thought I'd be more excited...

Maybe I'm just too egalitarian to think that a degree puts one person ahead of another...  Maybe I'm less interested in the outcome than the process of learning... and maybe my ambivalence is making you wonder why I bothered in the first place.

I bothered at all because a) because I could, b) because if I didn't I would have gone out of my tree LONG ago out of sheer boredom, c) because having now got a degree I'm eligible to pass on some that knowledge to others as a tutor and d) because I can go on to further study in some other areas I'm interested in, and maybe even at such exalted palaces as The University of Sydney rather than a Divinity College.

I'm under a bit of pressure from PIA to do my Masters.  I scoff at the prospect most of the time but I'm actually not opposed to the idea... however, should I actually decide to do it...  I won't be doing Theological Study - I've given God enough grief...

...and I don't want to push him over the edge to a heart attack...

That marathon assignment, that major work of all major works that took me OMG too many sleepless nights and days of mucus to finish, came back to me today.

With a stamp of 89%. That's a High Enough distinction in my book.

Yay.

Totally worth the effort even if I was a little verbose... when you work that hard you really could care less that those extra 600 words cost you marks. Especially when the marks are that good.

That's one point off 90%.

I am v pleased... can you tell?

It's been a long time since this post.

A lot of water has passed under the bridge; 8 subjects with around 3 assignments each, essays, creative efforts, some new friends.

Good Times.

And bloody hard work.

I have to say, given that I'm anticipating having passed all my subjects (I know, bloody girly swot) and now, having handed in my last piece of work today, it was all worth it. I've actually found that in looking back over my earlier thoughts about going to uni, the course met my expectations and in some cases exceeded them, and yes, while there have been moments of sheer insanity, like taking a week off to get assignments done because I'd been not paying attention to term dates and trying to write 5000 words on copyright through the worst case of flu I've had in ages. I've really enjoyed it.

To the point I found myself thinking the other day...

Now... if I was doing my Masters...

Oh Feck... pass the Tequila.

If I've learned anything in this studying game it's that I have to pace myself. Which isn't to say that I usually actually achieve a balanced pace (unfortunately), but I have to look at the obstacles to getting my assignments finished and navigate around them without tripping over the hurdles.

Sometimes that has meant sacrificing marks for the sake of getting the thing done. Which is a tough gig for a 'study to win' kind of girl and frankly it does make me question the value of the education I'm paying for when the marks aren't as high as I'd like. (I know... a little AR, what can I say...)

Sometimes I have to sacrifice the good for the best. In the case of this weekend, good would be finishing the current and (OMG) FINAL assignment on time for its Friday deadline. My penultimate assessment was a major one, and being ill last week actually made some time in my schedule to make a good go of it. I'm really happy with the final result. But by Saturday, my one and only day to get to the library on behalf of the last paper I was still pretty vague. In fact I spent 2 hours at the library and didn't come out any better off. It was a classic exercise in futility.

So when I got offered an extension today there was a big part of me that didn't really want it. I've been facing the final Friday with such great hope of it all being over and of spending the weekend in my fav cafes and with my camera down at the beach.

But I have to be realistic.

Getting a halfway decent mark, and by that I mean one that's good enough to pull me through rather than take me out to the lead is going to be dependent on 2 things. One, actually being able to get my head round what's being asked of me and two, actually getting enough time and energy around that headspace to write passable essay.

So I'm taking the extension and this weekend will STILL be spent with my head in books, and while it's not good.

It's for the best.

Last week I forgot to go to my lecture until 9.20am when Kafx pointed out that I shouldn't be working, but actually be in class.

Thursday I forgot to go to my tutorial until 4 hours after it was over, and this after ringing the tutor the day before to confirm time and place of said tut.

All term I'd not checked when end of term was, which heralds hand in date was for assessments for distance paper so carelessly neglected, until it came up in conversation today with my passenger on the way home from college.

Guess when the last day of term is?

Friday.

Shit.

Guess what I did tonight? I drove off to Koorong to get the textbook I have to critically review. It cost me $49.95 and I'll be using it for all of 48 hours... small price to pay for not having to pay a late submission fee... Can I just say, thanks to Koorong for having such ridiculous opening hours? From Monday to Friday they're open till 9pm. Because, you know, Christians could have a theology crisis at any minute and may need to pop on down to get the latest Bible translation or preachng/praise/worship cd...

Weird.

I'm not complaining of course, saved my [ahem] backside today, it did...

So right now, what am I doing?

Blogging... because this book I have to critically review is only 624 pages and as such I will be able to do it with my eyes closed.

Speaking of which, pull up a chair and pass the speed.

I'm going to be here all night.

Last night was one of the end of year functions.

Important in that it was college graduation and marked the end of the college career for my full time classmates. Me, being part time will finish at the end of next year. (as an aside, can you believe it's been a year since I was agonizing over whether I could cope with study on top of everything else??? I know... amazing what you can do when you forego a social life... no wonder I'm still single... )

Anyway... You know how the graduation things are right?

Yawn with a capital Y.

Still... I couldn't have been more proud of the girls in my class, all 5 of them; the first ever graduates of the degree program offered by the college. So the 2 hours spent clapping as people walked past us and shook dignitaries hands wasn't really a bust. It's a great school, setting people up for great futures. And I'm sure that Dixie, Carry On Vicar, MiniMich, Shwobble, & Bathtub will certainly fly!

Congratulations!

I'm just really bummed I have to make friends with another new set of classmates next year. And no doubt they'll be even younger than this year's crop...

I think it's time for Botox.

I am in the middle of a week long study intensive exploring Aesthetics, the nature of beauty and truth. It's been an interesting couple of days and I'm happiest about it because it's caused me to finish a poem that I started a couple of years ago.

I had no idea when I wrote it that this was how the poem would end, I'm sure it would have been far different if I'd finished it then. But I presented it in class today, and I present here to you and for posterity as well.

The lecturer asked if it was written for reading or written for hearing and I thought hearing, as the writer I have specific areas I like to emphasise which would be lost if simply being read off the page... so here's a link to the audio version ... [Link .about 1mb, 2:47 in length.]

Thoughts welcome!

What sweated brows and callused hands did labour long with block and stone?
What mighty, heavy tools did serve to rend the boulders square?
Who cracked the whip and shouted loud above, beyond, the din and clatter?
What bonded slaves were pressed upon to build this mighty temple here?

Did sand and dust from floor and crevice bring a tear and burn their eyes?
Did the weight of beam and burden force them down upon their knees?
How loud the strike of iron hammers bearing down on solid granite?
What god of man or human idol did Master Builder seek to please?

Day by day the walls grew strengthened, rising from the dusty ground
A place of glory built to show, to one and all, the face of God.
But from above the one who viewed this monument of all that’s holy
Saw no more than sand and ashes shrine of nought but dust and sod.

Unique amid the thronging clamour toiled a craftsman tried and true,
Worked he solely with the purpose, give glory only where it’s due.
His stone, shaped fair ‘neath skilful fingers, drawing out the block’s true form,
This mason’s feat, to wrest a figure, cold to touch yet somehow warm.

All the while the Mason laboured; the Master Builder cracked the whip.
The temple building loomed above, the Mason sculpted, chip by chip.
Within the Mason’s heart, his Maker whispered where to make each cut.
Soon the shape became apparent, a landscape formed from ridge and rut.

A thing of beauty, and of sorrow, was the Mason’s altar piece,
Made to hang above the plinth, where priests would pray for man’s release.
Sculpted scenes of grace and mercy told the tale of One who came.
One who humbly bore the sentence, paid the price and took the blame.

Those aside the gentle mason quietly found their spirits moved
Moved by his passion and his practise, faith in trial soundly proved.
All the while they watched his progress as he trimmed and shaped the stone
Renowned now for its striking nature, though by the Builder, yet unknown.

And so, the temple now is finished; Builder rubs his hands with glee.
“At last! My masterwork is done, how all mankind will notice me!”
What hasn’t come to his attention, that the Mason’s fame has spread.
Not for the building do they visit, but for the altar piece instead.

Unlike the boastful Master Builder, the Mason slips out far from view.
Seeking not to take attention, preferring credit where it’s due.
Unseen by all but He who made him, bows the Mason to his knee.
“To you alone be all the Glory, to you alone who rescued me.”