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Thursday, March 14, 2013

First Week of Classes/Writer's Update

Well, that picture over there was me at 7am on the last day of O-week. The mentor's in each house came around before 6am banging pots and pans and telling us all to wake up and get out. That's Vegemite on my face, by the way. As much as I love Vegemite, I prefer it on toast. Most of us were still in our PJs and we were all given a bin bag to wear... I managed not to get any flour, eggs or milk on me, but I didn't get out of the jog. Well, I guess that's initiation for you. :)

Anyway, I've just finished my first week of classes. My units this trimester are Writing Craft, Writing for Professional Practice, Contemporary Journalism A, and a Philosophy unit of Love, Sex and Death. I loved every moment of classes, my teachers are great and the fact that I've got a four day weekend is just awesome.

My first assignment is due on 25th of March, and I have to sketch a picture in 500 words. I made the first draft in just under an hour, and I'm 300 words over. That's okay. First draft. I'll get my editing on and cut it down and make it better.

In other writerly news, the Deakin Writer's Club had their first meetup yesterday afternoon. I've got to say, considering it was just a meet and greet outside the on-campus bar and no writing was actually done, it was awesome. It was really encouraging to meet other student writers who were eager to share their work and workshop with others. It was also another great opportunity for me to socialize. I love how easy it is to make friends simply by starting a conversation around here. There's no shortage of people with things in common and I can just tell that this is going to be one of the best years of my life.

Last of all, seeing as JeffO was the only participant in last week's little competition, he wins by default. Congrats to JeffO, as little piece was quite awesome!
He stared in the mirror, appraising. Made minute adjustments to the tilt of his collar, the knot of his tie. Practiced the smile: indifferent, maybe even arrogant, but with just enough lift at the corner of his mouth to bring out the dimple. Ran his fingertips along the smooth curve of his ear, tamed a stray hair. Perfect.

He reached into his breast pocket, fingered the cold vial tucked beneath his silk handkerchief. Insurance, in the unlikely event the clothes, the hair, the smile, the attitude weren't enough.

"The night," he said to his perfect self, "is for hunting."

JeffO, I'm pretty sure you already have my email, so let me know what you'd like as far as a reward goes :)

I need to get back into 'Katherine' this weekend and work out a study plan (not that I'm likely to stick to it). What's everyone else been writing and studying? 

- Bonnee.

19 comments:

  1. Banging pots and pans at 6 AM--are you in college, or boot camp???

    I'm curious about the educational system in Australia--do you not have to take math/science type stuff as well, or did you just choose not to mention it? And how's the food?

    Glad things are going well. I feel guilty about winning by default, but I suppose I won't let that stop me. I'll have to think about this.

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    1. It's uni, I'm sure of it... the res kids just like to have a bit of fun with fresh meat. :p Shoulda seen it coming, really.

      We don't have to do any maths/science subjects if we don't want to :) Which is fine by me, I really dislike studying both science and maths. Are they compulsory in the US?

      Also, we're not being catered. Some places do, but Deakin doesn't. We have to fix our own food. So far, so good :)

      Don't feel guilty. It's not your fault no one else participated. Let me know when you decide.

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    2. Funny, I don't think it's compulsory in the US, because I don't think university level is administered by the government in the same way elementary and high schools are (Hmm, that's probably something I should know about my own country, isn't it?). Most colleges here have something called a 'Core Curriculum.' You have to take so many credits in certain areas, such as humanities, human behavior, etc. The idea (I presume) is to turn out well-rounded individuals. So, despite my own science major, I took some basic level courses in Psychology, Microeconomics, Philosophy.

      All that and cooking for yourself? That's probably a good thing. You'll probably come out much more 'adult' than Americans, who are now pushing adolescence into the mid- to upper-20s.

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    3. The only things that were compulsory were two of the units in the actual course. 8 credit points is a major, and I need 24 credit points over the course of three years. Because of this, I'm also doing a second major is Philosophy, and then the rest of the credit points are filled in with a parallel study (I think it's also called a minor study) of 4 credit points. I'm doing Journalism for my parallel study. The rest of the credit points are made up of electives, and most of mine are still writing based.

      Definitely like the idea of cooking for myself :) I like having control of what goes into my body.

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  2. Okay, so I'm super curious: what's the story behind the pots/pans and you all having to jog? What's the initiation for?

    Sounds like you're having an amazing time! How awesome that you have a writing club on campus. It'll be such a great experience! :)

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    1. It was just the second and third yr students having a bit of fun with us first years. Not surprising really. They were friendly about it, not mean. It's just to 'welcome' us to living on campus.

      I'm so happy there is a writing club here :) Thanks for your support, Shari :)

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  3. You're going to have a marvelous year! Enjoy every moment :)

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  4. It's nice to see another picture of you. Hairstyle is much different than the picture in your profile. Reading your profile of "About Me" again, you might wish to update it to being now a university student. It's great that you take three different writing classes, preparing you for many paths as a writer. The title of the fourth class is very interesting, so I guess many students take it.
    I;m curious about your first assignment. You have to look at a picture and describe what is in the picture in 500 words?
    The Deakin Writers' Club sounds like a great place for you, to mingle with other writers and you can read each other pages and help to make it better.
    Congrats for JeffO, and you might want to put your writing of KATHERINE aside for the first semester and focus your time on getting good grades in your four classes. Once you'll do well in these classes, professors will notice you and will be more helpful. The classes of Writing Craft will help you to improve KATHERINE when classes are over.

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    1. Oh, I forgot about the About Me stuff! I'd better fix that up...
      The first assignment is essentially taking any object we can see and describing it in approximately 500 words. No pre-existing picture required. I've written mine about the pin-board in my room.
      I don't want to neglect my writing, but at the same time, it will be my second priority for the next little while. I am really looking forward to letting my classes improve my writing. Thanks for your support, Giora. :)

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  5. Heya Bonnee!! :D
    Wow Im happy to hear your actually at college, not just lazing around doing nothing and rubbing it in my face! Haha but whyyy did they wake you up with pots and pans?? Golly, and at 7!!!! I feel sorry for you!
    But anyway, glad to hear your classes are going great and your settling in well. Lucky for me, I've only got a few weeks left of school till the holidays which I cant wait for!!
    And keep it up with Katherine, I find that if I leave things for too long its too hard to really get back into the swing of writing afterwards.
    Anyway, keep enjoying!
    Love EJ xx

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    1. Hahaha it's really not such a huge surprise that they did that. It was just a silly little bit of hazing the first years received from the older kids.
      Hope you have some awesome school holidays soon :) Aside from the few days around Easter, I don't get holidays until June. Does that make you feel better about me getting an extra month of holiday in the summer? :)
      I'm scared I won't be able to get back in to it if I neglect it for my studies! So I'm just going to have to learn to balance it, so I can do both :)
      - Bonnee xx

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    2. Hahaha oh okay :D So its kind of like Year 12s picking on Year 7s yeah? I get it.
      And yeah I will coz its the holidays when i go to JAPANNNN! WOOOT!
      and yeah haha i s'pose it does.
      I have to try and do that too, ive got looaaddss of homework and struggle to find a lot of time to write nowadays but like you i s'pose ill have to learn to balance it xx

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    3. Oh that's right, you're one of the many people I know going to Japan this year... so jealous... grr...

      But yeah, it's like yr 12s picking on yr 7s :)

      Find the balance, EJ! Use the force!!! I'm mean, what? xx

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  6. banging pots before 6am????!!! Yikes! Nooooooooooo!!! You might be able to tell I'm not a morning person ;)

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    1. Oh neither am I! I figured it was best to take the incident in my stride though...

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