A Relatively Easy Coursework Season To Survive

So it seems to have become a thing for me to write about Coursework Season everytime it comes around again. Previously I wrote ‘Student Life - Surviving Coursework Season’ about Spring semester 2017 and I also wrote ‘Surviving Coursework Season – In Canada!’ about Fall 2017.

This semester I had a bit of a different approach to managing coursework season. Ultimately it has meant that I’ve manged to avoid the worst of the stress that usually sets in as a result of coursework season, anything that helps me avoid stress has to be good for me.

I always write out all my deadlines on a calendar at the start of the semester so that I know what I have due when. This is a great way to get a good idea of when you need to start working on an assignment. It’s also very satisfying to cross off an assignment with a Sharpie after it’s been submitted.

Because of writing my deadlines on my calendar I realised that March was going to be a pretty heavy month for me. I’ve had something due literally every week this month and most of them have been quite lengthy assignments. It was obvious that I wouldn’t be able to go through them all at my usual pace.

Back in January I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do for Reading Week, knowing March was going to be busy I decided that I was going to get started on my coursework in advance. I also knew back then that I was going to Toronto ComiCon and I did not want to be worrying about having to do work over that weekend which further pushed me to get started in advance. 

In Canada most classes seem to have less weekly reading and more assignments. Back in the UK I was definitely doing more reading but on the other hand I was doing nowhere near the same amount of assignments. I think there’s something that I like about both ways off teaching, but I do know it’s going to be slightly strange for me to adjust back into the UK system for next semester.

So basically that’s how being smugly organised has given me a relatively easy coursework season to survive this semester.

My Haul – A Good Start to March

In the first few days of this month I have found some interesting items, so I thought I would do a Haul of them.

Snoopy is at McDonalds! I have collected Snoopy figures for years and years and years. So I was excited to see McDonalds in North America are doing a Snoopy Happy Meal whilst I am here in Canada. So far I have Snoopy as a baseball player, an astronaut, and a detective, none of which I have seen versions of in the UK! I really want to get the pirate Snoopy.

I’ve mentioned before I collect Pez dispensers. In Dollarama I tracked down Jasmine who is one of the most elusive Disney Princess Pez.

Disney Happy Places series 2 hit the shelves of Walmart and I bought the Rapunzel starter pack. For the amount you get (not all items are shown) the starter pack is good value compared the blind boxes, it also includes larger items like cabinets. My favourite items in the pack are the lamp, sewing machine and mechanical pencil sharpener.

Another Dollarama find was a TsumTsum blind bag. I got a Toy Story alien! It comes with a little rocket to display it in and the rocket has the claw attached.

In my February Haul I mentioned I had found Young Justice comics in Dollarama for $3 each. In a different branch of Dollarama I found another three volumes. I love the cover art of Kid Flash on the volume in the middle.

Finally, in my Black Panther review I talked about how I thought Shuri was awesome. In Walmart I found the Shuri action figure and I knew I had to get. I think this is a good figure of her and I particularly like how her gauntlets are removable.

All of these items have been found in the first few days of this months and so I think it has been a good start to March.

Another Semester Is Over!

Well another semester has come to an end today. It really doesn’t feel like it should be time for me to be typing this already, it feels like it was just the other week that I was writing about coming back after Christmas!

Spring is always seen as the season of change and this spring semester is no exception. Thinking back to where I was when I started this semester back in January and where I am now at the end of it in March a lot has changed. I feel like I’m constantly reflecting on how much I’ve changed but it’s true. University is often seen as a massive period of personal change and growth, I think this is one of those clichés which is actually true.

I think in many ways this has probably been my most academically challenging semester yet. Obviously education always steps up a level but there has been some times this semester that I’ve felt really down, both mentally and physically when I got a quite nasty stomach bug. However I am someone who does try not to dwell on the negative aspects of life and instead search for the positive stuff. And I try to get through most things by drinking copious amounts of coffee!

These past few days have been really good and I’ve been feeling pretty upbeat and positive lately. Of course I’m happy at the moment, I’m going to Disneyland Paris very soon! But I also had my birthday recently, which was great. I saw Mamma Mia which I loved! And there’s been all the good stuff that I shared in my post on how March is speeding by. The other day I also made a little Lego DC Superheroes stop-motion animation (which you can watch on YouTube here) and that’s something which I’ve wanted to do for a while so I’m glad I’ve finally done it. On a slightly random tangent I also want to share that I’ve been listening to Super Friend from the recent Flash/Supergirl musical crossover episode which is a really fun song that’s had me smiling a lot.

It’s certainly strange to think that the end to my second year at university is now on the not too distant horizon. I’m trying not to stress about what the future holds for me, however there is a certain sense of apprehension when I think about what my story holds. But on a personal level 2017 has been off to a great start and I’m sure it’s going to keep being a good year for me.

March is Speeding By

I know it’s not quite the end of the month yet but March feels like it’s going by really fast. I had intended to update my blog several times this month but I’ve just sort let it go a little over the past few weeks. Last time I posted was just before my birthday and this time I’m just sharing what’s generally been going on in my life since then.

• I had a really nice birthday. It wasn’t exactly crazy busy or anything but that’s not my style. I just had a fun but relaxed day which was full of stuff that I like.

• I saw Mamma Mia at the theatre the day before my birthday, which was wonderful.

• I don’t have any full on essays due until after Spring Break but there’s been quite a bit of uni work keeping me busy recently. I always like to try to stay on top of my work and get stuff done in advance, in the long run its definitely good to be prepared but the process of being prepared can become quite time consuming!

• I’ve finally got further along with my Study Abroad application and have selected the modules that I am going to be doing during my first semester whilst I’m in Canada. The process of applying is quite strange and longwinded; I initially applied within my home uni to go on a Year Abroad, I then had to confirm that I was certain I wanted to go once I got assigned my place and most recently I’ve had to apply again to the Canadian university which will be hosting me whilst I’m abroad.

• Yesterday I went to see the new live action Beauty and the Beast with a couple of my friends. I really enjoyed it and I definitely would recommend it. Afterwards we went out for dinner at Five Guys. We had a really great time together yesterday.

• Perhaps most excitingly though, is that in a week’s time I’m going to Disneyland Paris with my friends! This will be my fourth visit and we are going to be there for the 25th Anniversary celebrations.