It’s strange when I realise that over half of my time as an undergraduate university student has come to an end.
Honestly, not really though…
I wasn’t sure if I would be continuing this tradition this time around. I have lived a quiet and private life these past few months, and writing about it seemed… oxymoronic. I still don’t really want people to know what I’m up to these days. However, writing is a skill that must be honed… by writing. And thus, I will write.
This begs the question: what have I been up to?
To be frank, not much. I only had one module this semester. I can hear the cries of my fellow STEM comrades, drowning in seventeen group projects, and my arts friends, some of whom are in final year now (scary!), mourning their free time, slain by the googolplex of essays (due last month) that they still have yet to submit.
Yeah, pre-placement is a weird thing. I miss having actual classes. Was it slightly stressful not having a placement confirmed by week six? Kind of, but I also wasn’t losing my mind. I knew that I would get one in time. Thank you ESB once again for hiring me, if somehow one of ye is reading this, you will not regret this decision.
The classes were interesting at least, and the lecturer was lovely which is always a plus. Forcing myself to attend extra seminars and grad events to get a better chance of a good placement was honestly worth it. It’s nice doing the hard thing sometimes. It builds resilience, eliminates fear as a hurdle. I sound like Batman right now but we’ll get to that.
Like I said in the subtitle of this post’s opening (stop skimming my articles and go back and read it, ya goof), I am no longer startled by how far into my undergrad programme I am. Like I mentioned previously, a lot of my friends are in their final year now, and while that has been a weird pill to swallow, it has provided necessary perspective.
Weird to imagine not being on campus for any of next semester…
Granted, a lot of them have plans of staying around and doing a masters, so it’s not too tragic. Not all of them, though. Coming to terms with their future departure is taking more effort than I’d like to admit but it’s just another outcome to surrender to.
Sometimes we don’t control who enters and exits our lives. What matters is, when we do choose to let people into our strange and fascinating worlds, we do it for the right reasons.
Another moment of surrealism was my brother graduating in November, leaving me as the final person of my family to be attending UCC. I know I’m on my way out too. All in good time.
So, if I wasn’t bogged down by academia, what was I getting up to?
Well, I’m still employed (trigger warning for my jobless readers). I had my one year anniversary at UCC Staff IT in October and man, does it feel good to not be one of the new kids now. Big fan of this job, my co-workers are still great and the job gets easier with time. I just won’t talk about my bowling performance at the work party for my own sanity, thanks.
Aside from that, I am still the king of side quests. I went to many random society events at uni. Be it murder mysteries or Catan tournaments, I was always on some random adventure, often with an accomplice or two.
I suppose the most important side quest of this semester was my journey with crocheting. Initially, I went to the first crocheting and knitting event of the semester because I wanted to try something new and my friends were going. This is what my first piece looked like:
Beautiful, I know.
Then, I went to another event, and honestly the challenge of it all was invigorating. The learning curve was steep and I felt myself getting frustrated at my own inadequacy. But more than that, I felt that this was another mountain for me to climb, stirring a great trepidation within me to prove that I am who I say I am. Also, I needed something to do outside of ragebaiting my friends and doomscrolling.
So, I signed up for some weekly classes and immersed myself into the craft. By the end of the class, with determination and a want to impress my crocheting teacher, I made this:
My friends were in disbelief at my creation and leap in progress, and not to sound like an arrogant bastard or anything, but I was not. I am a firm believer in the idea that the effort you give something will give you something in return, to some capacity. I fought through the embarrassment of being a beginner and humbly studied and practiced to make what I did.
I think any of us could make a hat. I think not many of us believe it.
Also, I was Batman. I guess I still am.
Making this costume required so much effort and support, my God…
Worth it.
That about sums up everything from September to now, at least what I’m willing to share to the ‘world’ anyway. It’s certainly been a peaceful enough semester, so no complaints here. I will now move on to my favourite part of this blog: The Recap Playlist™.
5 songs – no more, no less – that were essential to my semester in some way, shape, or form. I am aware that some of these songs make me look corny. I have elected to firm it and share them anyway. I’ll live.
I want to look back on something that I wrote in my very first semester recap:
“My hopes are that I gain as much in terms of life experience and wisdom as I do for academia and intellectual development.”
Me, A Recap of my First Semester in UCC
I believe this still applies to the last few months of my life. I am always learning, always changing. I am still figuring this life out, but I’m pretty happy with where I am right now. Amor Fati, and whatnot. My quote for this semester is this:
A tree falls the way it leans.
– Dr. Seuss, The Lorax
Yes, I quoted The Lorax, do something about it.
As always, free Palestine, free Sudan, and free Congo. The struggles that I had this year are nothing compared to our fellow humans across the globe. I will be half way completed my placement by the end of next semester, so it’ll be interesting to see how that recap goes. Thank you very much for reading, I honestly did not want to write this, but I’m glad I did in the end. It is nice to look back and see what experiences I’ve had and how they’ve changed me.
Life is a gift, as long as you’re present.
See you next time!
