Friday 27 March 2009

Its enough to give you a headache

Whats the big difference between studying a subject full time or part time?

Its just clicked. I know it takes me a while for obvious things to sink in, but I have realised this evening what the MAJOR disadvantage is in studying the BVC part time. I was happy go lucky until now.

Three weeks ago I was given a pile of homework to do. Admittedly, by the standards of BPP it was a teensy weensy little pile, but to me it was a mission. Lets not forget that I have a full time job to hold down, and my part time job as a strip-o-gram to fit in.

So Criminal gave us four items. Civil gave us four. Ignoring the weekends, because I don't want to study during them if I can help it, so we have fifteen evenings available.

What I usually do, is apply myself to homework between say 5pm and 7.30. Then I stop for din dins. Sometimes I do more, often I do less. I have always managed to do whats been required, I have seldom been able to do more than is required, but that has been the gist of my academic life throughout. I am desperate to change that, desperate to shine on the BVC, but its just not happening, life keeps getting in the way.

Anyway, three weeks ago I did the first session of homework, read the text books, made some notes, checked on-line a little, thought about it, worked out my plan, and job done.

The next evening I was out, but the following one I did session 2. Etc etc.

Now, the evening before the weekend of lessons, I have looked at the first piece of homework I did, and I can't remember doing it. Not one part of it is familiar, and the reason that I think I wasn't responsible for it, is because it is shite!

As my dad would say, Shite on a stick!

Mum would say that if it looks like shite, it is shite! (My parents have a way with words)

So three weeks ago I knew it, now I don't. Tomorrow I will turn up for classes, and be clueless aver something that I did know, but have forgotton.

Had I been doing this game fulltime, I would have read it tonight, gone to class tomorrow, done the business, been given the next piece to do, and how easily it would have flowed, a steady drip drip of homework and lessons, all intermingling into a simple, straightforward delight.

Biggest scare of all, is what happens at exam time? I have flicked through past work in panic to see if any of it did sink in, but its not looking good.

I have a feeling of impending doom before me.

I have a headache.

Swizzle (on a stick)

9 comments:

Barmaid said...

Well there's nothing else for it then. The side line strip o gram job has to go and apart from anything else, everyone is bloody sick of you turning up as a barrister each and every time.

Welcome to ground hog day. I'm like it every month with the old memory, but it does have it's advantages, I can watch a film time and again and still be on the edge of my seat because I don't remember what happens at the end:-)

I'm sure you'll be just fine. Now where did I put my handbag...

CLG said...

I don't think exams will be a problem will they? I always imagined that that would involve last minute cramming anyway, nobody needs to actually remember it all year round... right?

But I agree with barmaid, you'll be fine. Finger painting is like riding a bike... ;)

barboy said...

Only 2 1/2 hours a day. Swiss, you big girl's blouse. Pah, for the BPP eilte, that's a mere warming up, before the real study action commences.

Not entirely tongue in cheek, have you had cause to receive medical attention for exhaustion ? No, I thought not. You CoL lot are nothing but a bunch of soft sissies. You need to toughen up. A good start would be to demand that CoL give you vast quatities of practitioner material to read, and without any meaningful guidance or instructions over why. That would knock you into shape sharpish.

Swiss Tony said...

BM, You do have age against you with dementia and stuff setting in. Remember, I am but a mere slip of a lad.

CLG, Usually when you approach exams you can remember some of what has been taught. I am beginning to worry that I won't have that advantage. Its very much different to the GDL which was all fact and figures. This is processes and all sorts of tricky points to remember.

BB, right, see you outside school tomorrow and me and my gang will sort you out. You have gone one step too far now, and we will dish out Chinese burns and stick bubble gum in your hair. You can't call us sissy's and get away with it.

Swizzle

barboy said...

But, Swiss, the last time we offered you out for a ruck after school, you and your CoL possee all started blubbing before you'd even been given a dead arm. And then your mums called you in because it was time for your tea.

Aspiring Rainmaker said...

I did my degree part time so feel ur pain a little. People used to ask me how I did it. My answer was "with great naivety"!

Swiss Tony said...

Bar Boy, but it was getting late, and we had alphabeti spaghetti on toast for tea.

I managed to spell BAR BOY IS A WUZZ with my tea.

Grisham, naivity is a good description. Madness is another!

Minx said...

My Dear Swiss,

I'll bet its not HALF so bad as you suppose and will go far BETTER than you think!

Swiss Tony said...

Minxy,

In all honesty, by head was in a spin with it all, and I was very confused about what I was supposed to be doing, but as you say, it did go OK on the day.

Trouble is I now view it as a 'difficult area'

Blimey, if only that was the only 'difficult area' and I would be laughing!

Swizzle