Well. Assignments. I currently have 2 on the go and if you have read any of my previous posts you will not be surprised to hear that they are still in the very early stages of being written. By that I mean the books for my second assignment are all still sitting untouched in the corner of my room collecting a healthy amount of dust, just to make me feel even worse the library keep sending me reminders that they are due back soon. I cannot describe the level of hate I feel for the person who reserved something meaning I can’t renew the one book I need, meaning that little pile will most likely be returned, unread. Fab start Charlotte.
Naturally, instead of sitting down to tackle the second assignment, it’s on the importance of subject leaders in school just in case you were wondering, I know right Primary ed. is just fascinating. But instead of mapping out a game plan so that I can move forward, I have sat thinking about the stages we go through when writing an assignment because it is such a complex procedure. Now I’m sure everyone is different, I have heard some people are actually good at it? You guys just baffle me. I am sometimes successful sometimes not so successful. But here are my 5 stages of writing an assignment:
- That drowning feeling
I am presented with the assignment brief and whatever weirdo wrote that thing was definitely not a friend. No thoughts of oh I like all of these young people who pay my wages and chose to take this course, nobody actually forced them, so I would like to help them do well. Nope, no, nothing like that, they make them as intricate and confusing using as many words as possible to basically tell you ‘Don’t even attempt to do this I have ensured you are screwed before you even begin. Enjoy.’. So scrambling around the reading list I soon realise that it must have been written by the same ray of sunshine that put the assignment brief together as it is more unhelpful than that dry shampoo that turns your hair a lovely shade of grey. Wandering the library I wonder why I even decided to come to university after all people keep saying apprenticeships are the way forward and wait don’t they get paid?
2.Motivation
By some miracle I find books which loosely relate to my topic after negotiating the Hunger Games style maze that is the library I set myself up in a work zone. Tea? Check. Music with a motivational beat? Check (I have to say, as a Taylor Swift enthusiast there is nothing like blasting out ‘We are never getting back together’ whilst pretending to work). I’ve opened a window, because somewhere in the depths of my brain I recall one of my teachers saying fresh air is good for concentration and regardless at this point I need all the help I can get.
3.Positivity
I have a slight clue of where I am going with this and look at that, I wrote 100 words.
*Tea break*
Well after all breaks are important they defiantly told me that in sixth form and I’m sure it wouldn’t hurt to watch a gossip girl I mean I have worked hard today.
10 episodes deep I spot the computer in the corner of my room and drag myself away from the life of the elite to resume my work.
4.Should I drop out?
Sadly the break backfired and now I cannot remember where I was, what I was writing or in fact why I decided to attend university in the first place? Surely it shouldn’t be this hard? Maybe I shouldn’t go to university? The next half hour or so is spent on facebook looking at friends who haven’t gone to university. Their lives have worked out right…
5. Relief
By some absolute miracle I completed the assignment, after my friend told me she had finished causing me to panic and write non-stop ,so it is probably not winning material but no need to think about that now… wait till feedback day, then worry. Relief washes over me and I can relax and enjoy my life again. Until the next one. Roll on graduation.
Charlotte Barber 