Day One

The first day of school has not come too soon. As per usual, the summer break dragged on much too long and I have been anxious to get back into my study routine. Well day one is here and my books sit beside me on the lounge.

Of course, I'm watching the coverage of the Australian Labor Party leadership spill. As a student of international relations and, to an extent, political science, I have a real interest in the goings-on of the political scene. The last leadership spill was around 18-months ago and not nearly as drawn out. I heard of it while preparing to go to sleep and was unable to sit in wait to see the results with an exam first thing the next day.

So I sit and wait for confirmation that nothing changes so I can get stuck into my day. As I said the other night, I have already completed my work for the first week in one subject, with only the light reading for my three law subjects remaining. My stack of textbooks scaring me, I'm almost hoping I find a reason to do something other than study.

Surely starting one day later can't cause too much harm.... right?

So close, yet so far

I write this post as I am part way through listening to a lecture for a class. 'A lecture? But it is Saturday night!' you say, 'Not to mention that the semester has not yet begun.'

Well of course, it is Saturday and classes do not begin until Monday!

This semester I am taking an external subject for my International Relations major. The course is run out of my university, but has students from other parts of Australia and all around the world taking part. I'm quite excited about it as it allows me to be quite flexible. While I still have to wait for each lecture to be recorded and uploaded, the lecturer plans to upload his lectures on Fridays and Saturdays. Rather than tutorials, we have a weekly blog entry which we write based on the assigned readings. My hope with the subject is that I can take the time now, before my law courses destroy any hope of a healthy study-life balance, that I can get right into my readings for the next few weeks. If I am able to be ahead of the game early on in this course, I feel like I will be able to work well in my other courses.

While we aren't required to write an entry for the first week, I obviously have a bit of an interest in blogging so I have been reading up on the marking criteria.  Our blog shouldn't take a personal or opinionated stance on any theory and must be scholarly. We also have to stick to around 300 words! I have no idea how I am going to be able to stick to such a low word limit! We are able to post multiple entries, though only our first contributes to our grades, so I can't see that posting multiple entries will be vastly beneficial, other than creating a good study tool later on.

With students all around the world, a conventional exam is not a possibility. In it's place we have a take-home exam. It is a 2000-word essay which we have 72 hours to complete. Based on the information I have seen thus far, we may get some guidance beforehand as to the topic. While I don't like to admit it, I am like most other students so 72 hours to write a huge essay shouldn't be too bad. I'm a little unsure of how I will tackle the time frame at this stage as the 'exam' takes place over days that I have classes! Do I focus on getting the essay done and ignore my other classes or do I continue on as a normal law student! The decisions!!!

Although I technically have not begun my time as an external student (for one subject at least), I'm almost positive that it is going to be a great experience! I'm not the biggest fan of our tutorials, something which I will write about in the coming weeks, for numerous reasons. One of the reasons is more to do with my bad luck and lack of skills in choosing the great tutorials. I have a tendency to end up with tutorials scheduled hours away from any other classes and I make the effort to get to university and the class is a huge let down, although not so huge as it only goes for an hour. The blog that my external class has allows me to actively participate, by both having my opinion and engaging with others, without being such an inconvenience.

Okay, maybe I don't mean inconvenience, but the flexibility is great! If I have an essay due on Wednesday, I can do my blog entry on Thursday night or Friday Morning. If I have nothing on the following Monday, I can partake then. The blog is going to allow me to be in control of my learning, at least part of it.

If you are a regular reader you probably wouldn't be too shocked to read that I am already looking for more external courses that I can take. Yes, semester has yet to start but I just know it is going to be a good one.

I haven't jinxed myself at all, have I?

Organising for the new semester

So I write today as I am faced with a dilemma. I could continue my unpacking (no thanks!) or I could organise my materials for the new semester. I've decided to go with organising my class materials.

I use a Livescribe Echo Pen (which I plan to write about soon), so my lecture notes need to be taken in special notebooks. I like to take notes from textbooks and cases on looseleaf paper so I use 2-ring binders to keep everything organised and together.

Now in the past I've used dividers to organise my work in different sections for readings, cases, slides and other print-outs (for courses where they are provided) and other materials. Now I'm starting to think that it isn't necessarily the best way to go about the organisation process. I've now decided (after having bought enough dividers for all four subjects) that the ideal way to organise would be based on topic, generally a section for each week of the course. A major benefit of this method will be the ease for open book exams. While I generally make a summary of all my notes whether or not an exam is open book, I still like to bring all my materials in with me.

Ah the organisational possibilities of a totally new desk and year!

How do you organise your notes? Do you have a particular method?

Adventures in IKEA

Yes, I went to the fantastical evil store that is IKEA. Now, don't get me wrong, I LOVE IKEA! Absolutely! It's just that every time I go there I end up buying so much more than I need! As I write I am sitting on a mattress in my room (because I do not yet have a bed) and staring at a partially assembled desk and a ridiculous pile of wooden pieces that apparently make some drawers.

While it is impossible to go to IKEA without buying much more than you wanted to, my impulse purchases were relatively few. Lamps (and so many spare lightbulbs), a mirror and a frame are the only extras I snagged, although it must be said that I am currently planning yet another trip

A few hours later...
I've now finished putting together the drawers, which form the base of my desk on one side, also now assembled. FINALLY! While I have my desk, I'm sitting on the floor with my computer. I'm sure the desk is perfectly solid, something my mother affirmed, but I know my skills and I don't really trust myself.

Having my desk set up is great as it means I can finally get started! I picked up my textbooks yesterday and have basically moved in. Of course, nothing is actually unpacked yet but already my room is infinitely larger than any room I've had in the entirety of my life! That's my next task... right after I finish watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer.....

Back-to-School

As I'm sure regular readers will attest, I'm a bit of a stationery-freak! Now as a law student, I have a great need for stationery all through the year, but there is nothing like the beginning of a new year to stock up. At last I know I'm not alone in my back to uni routine loving!

The thing is, I'm about to move into my own place. Well, not MY OWN place, but I'm moving in with some friends after living on campus for a few years! That means right now I am frantically trying to pack to prepare for my 7 hour drive early in the morning. While I left most of my uni supplies with family and friends, I still have quite a bit to pack! As you can imagine, it doesn't leave much time for stationery lust!

Next week is O-Week at my university, so in between buying a desk (and bed, and couch et al) I'm going to try and cram in scoring freebies and perhaps cracking open what is sure to be a giant pile of textbooks (which I also have to acquire). I also want to have a massive trip to my local Officeworks and Kikki.K. While I have a HEAP of stationery already (including so many coloured manilla folders) there is nothing like starting a year afresh!

Over the past few years I've been stuck using whatever desk set-up that has been supplied at my college so I'm glad to be able to have total control over my workspace! Realistically, I probably have almost as little control as before but it certainly feels much different to be in total command!

So be prepared readers for what I'm sure will be a week filled with posts of my desk and stationery gains!

The Plan!

So as I've suggested previously, I'm going to put together my plan for this semester and post it here so I'm accountable. While you and I may not be acutally hanging out on a regular basis physically, I'd like to think that you'll be stopping by for chats every now and then! Whether or not you do, and whether or not anyone reads, here is my plan for Semester 1, 2012.

From readings, to classes and even exercise! It's all in here! Yes, that's right folks, I'm planning to plan every inch of my life from here on in. This is my letter to myself, here for you all to read so I'm accountable.

Promising yourself for motivation

As I write this I am sitting on my bed refreshing Ticketek and waiting for 9am. Yes, I'm buying tickets for a concert that I desperately want to go to. The problem is this: it is during exams.

Fortunately it is in the second week, so there is still a chance I can go. This was my dilemma a few years ago. I had bought two tickets to go to the last ever show of a certain band (ahem-Powderfinger-ahem) and ended up having to sell. I had used that concert as something I was working towards. I knew exams were going to be awful and I knew I was going to want to die but I had the concert.

Hopefully I can go to this concert I'm buying for today. What is slightly frustrating is I am buying pre-sale and I know that more shows will be released. Do I just wait for those and hope they will be later in the week not earlier? Do I buy tickets and sell them if the other concert fits better! The dilemma!

But seriously, promising yourself is a great way to stay motivated over a long period of time. As you may have read in earlier posts, I recently returned from a trip to the United States. I used that trip as motivation through my exams last semester. While it worked great, it probably wasn't the greatest source of motivation as once I finished exams I still had three months to wait!

On a smaller scale I've done this too. If I'm working in a library during the day I'll bribe myself to work hard and say if I work solidly for an hour I can buy myself a coffee. Of course, I quite often move the goalposts when it's about working hard, but I think it does the job!

The more I think about it the more I realise I do this, not just while studying but in everyday life! Even when I have to go into work on holidays I make myself mental promises: It's okay! All I have to do is finish tonight and I can relax in front of the TV. At the shops: If I'm good and get all healthy food, I shall reward myself with marshmallows (yeah I know it's hypocritical!).

So yes, I think I shall buy myself a ticket. It may be in the second week of exams (on a week day too) and I may not be able to go but I'd rather buy a ticket and miss a show than to be free of exams and miss out all together. Plus exam timetables aren't out for another few months, so there is still plenty of time for the show to be motivation!

How about you? Do you ever promise or even bribe yourself to stay motivated? Does it work for you?