All go

It's been another busy few weeks since my last post! Like Robin, I've completed and handed in my 10,000 word dissertation, along with my final piece of coursework at Southampton. Submitting my dissertation was such a huge milestone - it seems so far away at the start of the year, when you begin your research, yet it comes together so quickly towards the end. It's incredibly satisfying to see all your hard work bound and ready, and it makes all the stress and hard work worth it. Although it was a tiring couple of weeks leading up to the deadline, I've thoroughly enjoyed researching and writing this assignment, which I suppose goes to show the importance of choosing a topic which you're really interested in. It can be difficult at times, as you have so much freedom when it comes to picking, but it seems I chose well (especially as this is the area in which I want to work in the future!).

It always seems impossible until it’s done

After submission, we had the Media Ball, where all the SUSU media societies got together for a meal and to celebrate the hard work that everyone has put in over the past year. The Wessex Scene won the award for Best News, which was fantastic, and it was so nice to relax for the evening and have some laughs with some of my favourite people. 

Looking glam with some of the Wessex Scene committee at the Media Ball

It's now well into exam season, so it's back to the early commute and long days in the Hartley Library. I'm so far managing to keep my stress levels down, stay healthy and get enough sleep, although I feel by the end of it all I might not be able to say the same! It's crazy to think that in exactly two weeks I will have finished at Southampton for good! There still feels like there's so much to do!

Revision, powered by green juice!

I've also begun fundraising for my ICS placement in Nepal. In July, I will be running 100 miles in seven days (with the help of some of my amazing friends) and have already managed to raise over £100 in sponsorship. My target is £800, so still a long way to go, but I'm actually enjoying it far more than I thought I would! 

Training, however, isn't quite going to plan – I hurt my foot last week and have hardly been able to walk on it. On Sunday evening I bit the bullet and took a trip down to A&E to get it x-rayed. Thankfully, I haven't broken anything! It's a suspected torn ligament, so should be healed in a few weeks. For now, it's no running, but I'm still allowed to swim and cycle.

Talk about timing – A&E is always a great place to spend a Sunday evening!

Looks like my 100 miles might be tougher than I thought! In the meantime, I'll continue to hobble around the library. Good luck to anyone taking exams over the next few weeks!

Tayler