The Reading List... (dum, dum, dum)

I had a look at the books I need to study for uni when I start in July. Have a look below and see if you can see why I'm worried.

Jane Eyre by C. Bronte
Hamlet by W. Shakespeare
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead by T. Stoppard
Ariel by S. Plath
Wide Sargasso Sea by J. Rhys
Birthday Letters by T. Hughes
Alias Grace by M. Atwood

Now, I've heard of Jane Eyre and Hamlet, but the rest of them are a mystery. Of course, I'll have a read of them before uni starts and, because I'm doing part-time, I may not have to do all of them. But I can see a lot of work coming up next semester. Not that it's a bad thing, I'm acctually looking forward to starting back at uni and having something to do with my time again. I'm even looking forward to tackling that rather intense reading list, in a masochistic kind of way.

~ Australian Kiwi

I'm going back!

Yes, after deliberating with myself for a while, I decided that I was indeed going to go back to uni. I'm starting in July, studying a Bachelor of Arts majoring in English. I'm so excited and I really can't wait, I think I'm just going to eat this alive!

~ Australian Kiwi

Back to Uni?

As most of you will all be aware, I left uni earlier this year after the stress of it all got too much for me. So, you may be wondering why I'm thinking of going back mid-year. It was something my mum put to me this morning and I'm acctually seriously considering it because it sounds like a really, really good idea. La Trobe uni does a mid-year intake for their arts degree and, instead of doing the course full-time (which is four subjects a semester and eight in total for the whole year) I would do the course part-time, which would mean only two subjects a semester and four for the whole year. This would take some of the pressure off and I would only be doing subjects I enjoy. I'm not sure what I would major in, but I know that, out of the three options up here, it wouldn't be Sociology. I did some sociology when I started my social work degree and hated it, so that leaves History and English. I'd probably want to find out a little bit more about each of the majors before I made the decision. If I did go back, I would be making the commitment to go back for six months and stick it out, like a trial period. That way, if I completely bombed out in the end of year exams, it wouldn't be a problem. You'll probably hear more from me on this subject over the coming days as I hash it out. Hope you can put up with it all!

~ Australian Kiwi

Early Acceptance

I am very excited because an early acceptance letter arrived in the mail today offering me a conditional place at LaTrobe University to study social work next year. That takes a lot of pressure off me knowing that, as long as I get an ATAR over 50, I'll be going to uni next year. Now, if my Atar results would just arrive... But that's not going to happen unti lthe 13th. I wish anyone else waiting for results and uni offers the best of luck.

Australian Kiwi

Crazy Student

What the hell is a crazy student? I'll tell you. It's me! I have set up a blog on tumblr which I will update once a week until uni starts and then more frequently once I am a uni student. Crazy Student will detail all my adventures through uni, Australia Kiwi will detail my adventures outside uni. You can visit Crazy Student and see what I've got so far here:http://crazystudent.tumblr.com/

Final Exam!

My last exam is today and I'm excited. No, not about the exam! About the fact that, once it's over, I will have a life! While I'm on the subject of the end of exams, I need to find a job. I won't work in fast food (ick!) but if anyone knows anywhere that's hiring in Mildura, let me know and I will be eternally grateful.

Australian Kiwi

The End...(or is it?)

Well, I just had my last official day at St. Joseph's College, Mildura. It kind of feels, well, dare I say it, normal. Yeah, it does feel pretty normal. I don't think it's really sunk it yet that I've finished high school, well, except for my exams. Maybe it will hit after exams that I'm no longer a high school student. Watdayathink?

Australian Kiwi

P.S. Before anyone else takes credit, those timers in LP were MINE! ;)

People who'd kill for you

People who'd die for you are rare.

People who'd kill for you are once in a blue moon.

I'm lucky enough to know one of those people.

This one's for you, Mich. Thanks for everything!

La belle dame sans merci

Year Twelve Literature can be the bane of my existence some days and the only reason I get out of bed others. This afternoon was definitely one of those 'this is the only reason I got out of bed' days. We're studying fifteen of Keats' poems, starting with La belle dam sans merci and my class spent two hours deconstructing it! Best class of my life to date!

Australian Kiwi

P.S. I put the poem below. Read it! It's awesome! Also, the picture before the poem is my favorite visual interpretation of this poem. :)

"They cried 'La belle dame sans merci thee hath in thrall.'"

~ La belle dame sans merci by John Keats ~

La belle dame sans merci

by John Keats

O what can ail thee knight at arms

Alone and palely loitering?

The sedge has withered from the Lake

And no birds sing!

O what can ail thee knight at arms

So haggard and so woe begone?

The squirrel's granary is full

And the harvest's done.

I see a lily on thy brow

With anguish moist and fever drew,

And on they cheeks a fading rose

Fast withereth too -

I met a Lady in the Meads

Full beautiful, a faery's child

Her hair was long, her foot was light

And her eyes were wild -

I made a Garland for her head,

And bracelets too, and fragrant Zone:

And look'd at me as she did love

And made sweet moan -

I set her on my pacing steed

And nothing else saw all day long

For sidelong would she bend and sing

A faery's song -

She found me roots of relish sweet

And honey and manna dew

And sure in language strange she said

'I love thee true' -

She took me to her elfin grot

And there she wept and sigh'd full sore

And there I shut her wild wild eyes

With kisses four.

And there she lulled me asleep

And there I dream'd - Ah Woe betide!

The latest dream I ever dreamt

On the cold hill side.

I saw pale kings and Princes too

Pale warriors, death pale were they all;

They cried 'La belle dame sans merci

Thee hath in thrall.'

I saw their starv'd lips in the gloam

With horrid warning gaped wide

And I awoke and found me here

On the cold hill's side

And this is why I sojoun here

Alone and palely loitering;

Though the sedge is wither'd from the Lake

and no birds sing -

GREASE is the word (or should that be world?)

I have a love-hate relationship with the SJC Production of GREASE: The Musical. On one hand I love it. Being part of something this big in my last year of school is an amazing experience. I've also never been part of a backstage crew before and I'm finding it to be a very rewarding experience. However, on the other hand, I'm missing a lot of school and I'm so far behind on my school work that it's not funny! Oh GREASE... I'll be sad when you're gone but happy when you're over.

Australian Kiwi

Stress-gust

Forget August, Stress-gust is the name of the last month of Winter. Why Stress-gust? Simple. I'VE GOT TOO MUCH ON MY PLATE! Aside from the usual SACs and all the other stuff that goes with your final year, I also volunteered to help out backstage in GREASE (strike one), then I have a session in Adelaide about enlisting in the ADF, meaning I miss of a day of school when I already miss nearly a week with GREASE (strike two) and, finally, I have to worry about uni applications and what course I want to do next year and all this other stuff that I seriously don't need! Why can't teachers prepare you for the psychological stress of year twelve as well as the fricking exams!

Australian Kiwi