Two days down!

So, I have now experienced my first few classes… hurrah. Some look interesting (like the one that focuses on the history of early art and is so exciting), some look less appealing (I have to watch horror films for one and I’m a complete coward!). All in all, however, it’s been a good start to the week, and, indeed, to university.

I must admit that I’m being hyper organised at the moment with doing reading as soon as it’s set and

so on. For those of you who don’t know me, this isn’t normal. I just know that if I start of really organised there’s a chance of me managing to keep up some façade of control until at least half way through the course! Anyway, this has meant that I’m actually quite surprised by how sudden the work load has started. Some of the reading is actually quite heavy stuff for people who haven’t started the course properly and I really pity those who are tackling it in something that is not their native tongue. In addition, there are some assignments that are due rather early like a presentation which counts towards the final grade which I am giving, with my group, on Friday before we’ve even had a real class… bit strange.

How I’m surviving Week One. By Week 16 this will be replaced by gin, no doubt

The other thing that I’ve been finding really difficult for the second time in my life is my vision problem (the first time being when I had to leave French because of discrimination and formal proceedings happened). The teachers views have kinda ranged from you’ll just have to manage to disorganised but nice. The art history teacher, for example, basically said that she had taught a student with 15% vision before and, although she tweeks slides in advance so there may be some little issues, she’ll print them off and we’ll find some way to manage… just remind her. She was lovely and 100% human about it. Some of the others have treated it a bit lightly, I think. Banning laptops in your class is one thing but when one of your students is disabled and needs to use one for some reason then you either work to find an alternative or you make an exception. See, the thing is, because my vision doesn’t generally impact on my academic life, some people just view it as a silly quirk. Just because you can’t see how it impacts doesn’t mean it doesn’t. Just because I don’t have 15% vision doesn’t mean that I don’t have my own needs. This turned into more of a rant than I intended but it’s kinda unfair that in two out of four classes I am actually worried that I’m going to be at a disadvantage because of something the uni knew about before they accepted me. It’ll get sorted no doubt but really, more stress?

Whoops. Rant over now, you’re safe!

I can no longer moan about my empty shelves.

So, the books have finally arrived, except one which was out of stock so I’m not too worried about that. I’m really pleased because I’ll get to have a dip in and out of these as I want, and, of course, as I need. It’s great not to have to search out the lucky one who already has the book (thanks to the lovely Dania for helping me out with one of the books the other day). That said, there’s a lovely community spirit with people helping one another here. For example, when my books arrived today, along with two other parcels, I was asked to take some parcels for others. One gentleman from a higher year, who I don’t think was even picking up post, kindly offered to help and indeed did help me carry this bundle. We’d never met before but all the same he said that if I needed help I could contact him. Now, I probably never will because I’m not one for asking for help at the best of times but that’s a heart-warming human experience. It’s almost as though the shared ‘AUC family title’ allows people to ignore the social boundaries that say “don’t talk to strangers it’s weird” and both give and receive help.

Oh, and I got a parcel from home today containing underwear which was kinda a joke gift because I’m always short on socks. In my defence, back home, my family steals my socks but anyway. It also contained a beautiful little owl card and I must admit I did cry just a bit. I love it here but I miss the people back home.

Owls and glitter, could this card be any better?