Phew – somehow, some way, we’ve
made it through to the Christmas holidays!
After possibly the two busiest
and fully packed weeks of my life in Southampton so far, the end of term is
nigh. At last I can afford to sit back, relax and enjoy the many festivities in
and around campus before setting off back up North for a few weeks of being
merry, maybe doing a little work (in between films on the telly!), appreciating
family and friend reunions, and best of all, being around a well-stocked,
never-empty fridge (and some decent food not centred on take-outs or beans on
toast)! All is well!
It’s been a while since I last
wrote, but since then the coursework deadlines have been well and truly pouring
in with the need to get everything polished off before everyone heads off for the
break. In fact, I've written close to 15,000 words over the past two weeks
alone, and that’s not including the programming I've had to do to underpin
these assignments in the first place - ahhh! With five deadlines and a third
year project (the Computer Science equivalent of a dissertation) interim report
needing to be tackled, my head has well and truly been in the books for a while
now. However, although it’s not been the most care-free spell of time, it’s been
hugely productive, fruitful and challenging throughout and a gigantic test of
everybody on the course’s mettle – and I guess one to be expected, given the
whole “third year” thing that we’re taking on this year!
But although it’s not always been
easy to try and meet all the deadlines on time – there've been a few late
nights here and there recently! – it's certainly exposed me to a number of
interesting topics, texts and techniques that have expanded the academic basis that
my course has provided me with in the first two years. So it's been well worth
it and, in a fairly weird way, quite enjoyable to have something requiring so
much focus and intensive work! Plus, the recent surge in workload has helped me
appreciate a few other occasions…
… because, ultimately, let’s face
it: it wouldn't be university without a few fun distractions (or ‘opportunities’)
here and there!
Since I last wrote about the
frankly terrifying chance to act in front of a camera or two as part of SUSUtv’s forthcoming ‘mockumentary’, The Society, rehearsals for the couple
of Showstoppers (the Students’ Union’s musical theatre society) productions, Little
Shop of Horrors and Guys and Dolls,
have been in full swing, with a couple in the former being spent trying to
teach me how to dance – definitely not my forte! So far it seems to have
yielded mixed results as expected, as I’m not completely hopeless, but there’s
definitely plenty to work on as well – the whole two left feet thing absolutely
applies to me it seems!
But with both featuring classic
music and spurring storylines that appeal to all ages, it's certainly been a
lot of fun acting (and singing!) with a superb bunch of talented and dedicated people
- as ever! And despite my inherent nervousness about being asked to move in (some
sort of) time with music, it’s been an absolute blast learning how to give it a
go in the cheesy setting of Little Shop and
the slick style of Guys and Dolls, so
if it does all goes wrong on stage (although fingers crossed I won’t step on my
fellow cast members’ toes!), it'd probably only be all the more fun for it! So
when both shows hit the Annex Theatre (on the main Highfield campus) in
February, it's guaranteed that both should truly be a sight to behold, and I
can't wait!
With the arrival of December
(and, of course, the opening of a brand new advent calendar – some things
shouldn't change!), the University has launched into full-on Christmas mode,
hosting brilliant events such as the main campus lights switch-on which
featured winter stalls and huge crowds and was enjoyed by all, while making
sure that, as ever, cheer remains abound across Highfield! The decorations look
brilliant and add to the fervour building round campus as, slowly but surely,
final assignments for term are handed in for courses across the student body,
and people are having a breather and getting ready for a much-needed break –
until revision for January exams should probably kick in at least, I guess!
And what better way to celebrate
the time of year than to spend time with the people who make the University
experience what it is? Last week saw Theatre Group’s Christmas meal (and
resulting night out!) in a swanky venue in Ocean Village (by the docks) last
week, with a great venue, great food, and even better company making for an
amazing occasion as usual! After three months of self-cooked food, most of
which it's fair to say wasn't the best ever, a full three-course dinner
consisting of a scrumptious tomato soup, delicious turkey wrapped in bacon
complete with vegetables and roast potatoes, followed by a traditional
Christmas pudding, was much appreciated, as shown by how everyone seemed to
wolf it down! It was a great opportunity to celebrate all that we've achieved
as a society this term, and to get everyone together for one last group hurrah
before we head into the break.
The annual Theatre Group Christmas meal featured
great food, company and, overall, a great time for all!
On the topic of theatre, I was
also pleasantly surprised earlier this week to wake up to some very exciting
news indeed; I'm delighted and very proud to say that Equus, the Theatre Group show I was lucky enough to be given the
chance to co-direct earlier in the term, has been nominated for six Daily Echo (the local newspaper) amateur
dramatic Curtain Call awards in its annual ceremony. This includes selections of
three individual cast members, a Best Choreographer nomination for the show’s
incredible Lucy Kent, a nomination for myself and my brilliant Co-Director Mike
Cottrell as Best Director of a Drama, and, most awe-inspiringly of all, a
nomination for the prestigious title of Production of the Year; all in all, a
great testament to the whole team involved in it from start to finish! It’s
incredibly humbling to be even considered for these awards, let alone nominated,
so we can’t thank the Daily Echo enough
for their kind words, and, fingers crossed, we can’t wait to head along to the
ceremony at the end of January 2014 – it should be blast!
Finally, to round off what has
been a packed term for all of us, my housemates and I got together and put
together a wonderfully enjoyable Christmas meal – well, with the others cooking
and me taking on the washing up for fear of food poisoning! But it was
delicious, thanks to their amazing cooking, and it was again just another grand
chance to sit down as a full house and appreciate one another’s company – and
another excuse to eat some awesome food! With the traditional crackers pulled,
dodgy jokes told, paper hats worn and daft games played, it was another great
occasion for us all, and provided some much-needed work relief!
A far cry from the usual beans on toast – it
was delicious!
And now it’s all over! It’s odd
to think that this term has shot by quite as quickly as it has but, when life’s
as bursting to the seams with rich and enjoyable opportunities that seem to be
embedded in the very makeup of an average day at the University of Southampton,
time really does seem to fly when you’re having fun!
I hope you all have splendid
holidays, and have a very Merry Christmas!
Robin
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