The bookworm emerges

I can hardly believe it is over a month since I last blogged. The pile of books that needs to be read this semester grows daily. Making headway with primary English reading but have less than six weeks to get the secondary reading done for three essays and all of the exams.

To be honest, it's all a bit head-wrecking and at times it all seems to be too much. Add in (of course) the daunting amount of work needed to keep up in Spanish and - well the only word for it is 'meltdown'. Last Wednesday, after yet another confusing grammar class, during which I managed to get almost everything wrong, ended up in floods of tears all over two of my friends from class. This was probably the best thing I could have done as they told me that I had hit 'The Wall' - something that they and a few others had done over the previous couple of weeks. It seems to be a phenomenon peculiar to mature students and worst for high achievers. My friend explained it to me as a natural reaction to the increased workload of the courses this term after doing well in the first semester. It just isn't as easy now and, after setting a high standard to begin with, you feel compelled to continue getting top grades and end up with the mistaken belief that you are useless and shouldn't have dreamed that college at this time of life was an option. Yeah - for supposedly smart people we can be really dumb!

The goal is now to get through the exams at the first attempt, get all essays submitted on time and just do the best I can without turning myself back into a blubbering lump of jelly. Ease off the pressure girl!

This is Rag Week and, with the return of the sun, campus is lively and the bar is packed. Lectures and tutorials are half-empty with only the 'oldies' like myself turning up. My college 'madness' has been to colour my hair red this afternoon instead of going to a Philosophy lecture. Keeping away from the boozing and taking advantage of extra space in the library to work.

Oh, after 10 weeks, I'm finally off the crutches and receiving Physiotherapy for the knee. One less thing to worry about. Now, back to the books!