Here it goes again

Judging by the sheer number of leaves beginning to accumulate in our corridor, as well as the earlier daily oncoming of night-time and the recent ever-so-slight increase in the number of rain showers we’ve been running through (I’m thinking it might be time to invest in an umbrella soon!), I think it’s fair to say that the transition between autumn and winter is well and truly underway! And with it comes the annual busiest period of Semester One, as everyone rushes to pack things in pre-Christmas holidays, while simultaneously trying to keep on top of everything else! After all, with the introductory (and often freshers’ event-filled!) month of October gone, things on the academic front are about to ramp up yet another notch, as deadlines pile on thick and fast, graduate schemes and job applications take centre stage for plenty of students, and multitudes of tempting extra-curricular opportunities also arise (but are obviously taken in moderation – I promise, Mum!). All typical of the usual packed November programme, really! Here it goes again! 

But as I’ve written about before, in my opinion, there really is nothing quite as enjoyable as the productivity and satisfaction incurred by a hectic spell at University every now and then! After all, although having a to-do list double the recommended size might have the side-effect of making time seem to shoot by as you rush to complete everything, particularly when deadlines are approaching (and beyond that, the end of my course!), it does also mean that every day is full of varied challenges, opportunities and experiences to take advantage and make the most of, which is ultimately, in my opinion, what the University experience is all about! 

So I’m honestly glad to say that this past week and a half has been no different. There have been plenty of group meetings for my fourth year Group Design Project (which I wrote about recently) along with study spells in the Hartley Library and Zepler Building (home of the infamous department of Electronics and Computer Science’s labs – always a great place to get some work done!), rehearsals for the February 2015 Nuffield Theatre show Romeo and Juliet, and plenty of Halloween-based activities and other social events, all conspiring to fill up each day and make sure the sleeping patterns have been well-tested for the year ahead! 

Along with all of the above, I’ve also been lucky enough to go along to some other departments, attending the first year Film seminar about blogging which James mentioned last time round and visiting the University’s Auditory Implant Service building to conduct background research on the group design project we’ve been assigned (even getting to observe an implant being tuned, which, now I’m relatively clued up on the theory behind them, was incredible to witness, and an inspirational reminder of the project’s potential!). I’ve also met up over a coffee with a few people, including the first course-mate I ever got to know way back in freshers’ year, Luke, before he heads off for an exciting gap year abroad in Australia (good luck out there Luke – and please send a postcard or two!), and have been visited over the weekend by some of my housemates from last year who I hadn’t seen for a while (which was strange after living with them for three years!). 

It was also, of course, Halloween weekend, and as such it was great to witness once again Southampton’s streets being packed with skeletons, ghouls, cartoon characters, superheroes and other imaginative costumes abound. It’s incredible just how creative some people can be, not to mention how committed many people are, with my personal favourite sighting being a gigantic banana shopping in the middle of a supermarket and blocking an aisle! Unfortunately I’m much less talented (and brave!) in the costume department, but thankfully was well covered by the brilliant shopping centres in and around the city – phew! 

Me (a de-masked ‘Hannibal Lecter’!) with the Fresh Prince of Bel Air (a.k.a. my old housemate Kishan)!)

And in true tradition, the occasion was celebrated with a gathering of many theatrically-based Performing Arts members for a memorable evening, with the dual festivity of it also being my housemate Robyn’s 22nd birthday – so needless to say, a fantastic night was had by all! 

Thus, as we head into what is traditionally one of the busiest spells of the year, it suffices to say that life at Southampton is as busy – but more importantly, as enjoyable – as ever, and I’m looking forward to what comes next. Here’s to a productive month or two ahead – and a happy belated Halloween to all! 

Robin