The Student Room Group

Law and Tea: Pixsoul’s Study Blog

Tea is the solution to all life’s problems (or I at least wish it was :tongue:) and no doubt there will be many many cups needed to get me through the next year!

I’m due to start a law-related masters in about a month from now. I received the reading list a few days ago (:eek: where are Cliffs Notes when you need them?!) I ordered 4 general books that were on the ‘set texts’ part of the list, and two of them feel like the entire Encyclopedia Britannica set. It’s taken me over a month to read the latest Harry Potter (don’t judge! :tongue: I needed something to try and help me get back into a routine of reading) so I don’t hold much hope.

The masters is designed for people who work, so it means that we attend several 3-day “intensive” blocks throughout the year. I’m looking forward to starting. I’d be lying though if I said I wasn’t a little worried about the workload, or about getting there and realising that I know absolutely nothing.

Personally, things are a little chaotic right now, which isn’t really helping matters but I’m hoping they’ll settle soon. I have started drafting a schedule of my time both in and out of work (the work side is pretty much done), which I need to be really strict with, otherwise I’m a ‘start an essay the night before it’s due’ person. For the moment I’m starting small with the reading and hoping to build it up.

So… the rambling mess that is (and will further become) this blog will be my attempt to keep myself on track. I’m sure there will be days where I’m a sobbing mess wanting to quit and move to a remote island but I’m hoping (in just under a year from now) it’ll end with a :woo:

:tea:

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Subscribing :h: Starting small with the reading sounds like a positive mess forward :yep:

:rave: :woo: :rave:
*subscribes* :p:
Reply 3
:popout:

:wavey:
Reply 4
*subscribing*

Good luck for your masters, and a point of advice from somebody who has just finished a masters alongside working full-time: Timing and planing is everything. Really. I used to schedule my writing goals as soon as I got the assignments and plan it into my work schedule and that's probably what saved both my sanity and my degree.
Reply 5
Original post by Anndee
*subscribing*

Good luck for your masters, and a point of advice from somebody who has just finished a masters alongside working full-time: Timing and planing is everything. Really. I used to schedule my writing goals as soon as I got the assignments and plan it into my work schedule and that's probably what saved both my sanity and my degree.


Thank you :smile:

Neither are my strong points - I'd ace a course in procrastination. I've just taken on some extra work, so I need to get to grips with it all quickly.

I was away over the weekend, and usually wake up at my normal work hour, so I had nearly 3 hours to myself both days without any of the usual distractions to just perch with a coffee and read. I'm away from home for most weekends now until the end of November, so I'm hoping I can use that time to read / study in addition to anything else I've been able to plan for during the week. Fingers crossed.

How are things with you?
Reply 6
I don't know if I'm overthinking, grumpy, tired, or it's just because it's getting to that time of year. I've got an assessment to go to on Thursday at my old uni - because it's the closest centre to where I live. They have sent a pre-assessment form to fill in, which is turning out to be more difficult than it should. Apparently I didn't go to the assessment when I was a student there - they said I cancelled it. I'm just not sure what to expect. The person I spoke to said it was a "chat" about what support I might need.

The dyspraxia bit is fine, but I don't know whether to put down the head injury because I don't want to talk about it. On here / in writing generally I can be quite cold / distant about some of it, but I've never had a conversation in person with someone about having been someone's punchbag or football, and the long term consequences of that. I don't know if they'd even ask the cause. When I'm more forgetful than usual or I've dropped a cup for the 50th time, I don't really know if the cause is the dyspraxia, or that my brain is ******. I'm basically trying to decide whether I leave the injury part off completely and just say it's dyspraxia (or to write the assessment off and just go with my usual solution of 'suck it up and get on with it').

I can see why I probably cancelled the assessment before.
Put it down, write down the effects of it, tell them when you get there you don't want to get into the causes, you find it difficult to talk about, and because of your memory it's easier to have written down the impact anyway, and then give them the paper and a **** you stare.
Reply 8
Original post by Ethereal
Put it down, write down the effects of it, tell them when you get there you don't want to get into the causes, you find it difficult to talk about, and because of your memory it's easier to have written down the impact anyway, and then give them the paper and a **** you stare.


Thank you.

Just put some prompts down.

Like this one: :reaper:?
(I'm more likely to be the one running though)

:tongue:

How are you?
Reply 9
Survived.

Wouldn’t say it was fun, but I expected it to be worse.
Original post by Pixsoul
Survived.

Wouldn’t say it was fun, but I expected it to be worse.


:jumphug:
Reply 11
I took the weekend off away from all things work. I needed the break, and some sleep, although the latter just didn't happen. The last week was a bit meh. Panic attacks flared (?) up - something I haven't had for a long time. I'm disappointed in myself I think, like I've gone back in time.Walked for miles, all along the cliff tops; fields on one side, sea on the other.

Spoiler

It helped at least distract me, I just don't like coming back to the real world.

Uni starts on Tuesday. I'm really nervous. New people, place, introductions (and the inevitable "What? We can't hear you" that comes with it), everyone else being super-smart. From the emails that have been sent out, everyone on the course has just been Cc'd in; there's solicitors in there, people working in councils... and I'm just like "I blagged my way here, I don't know anything". That's not just me being self-deprecating, it is what it is - I'm the first to admit I'm not the brightest button in the box.

I wonder if it's to do with change. Although work has been a special kind of hell over the last few years, it's part of a routine. Uni, and not being home at weekends for a while, throws new things into the mix. I don't know why I'm stressing over things that haven't even happened yet :facepalm: Need to get a grip.
Original post by Pixsoul
I took the weekend off away from all things work. I needed the break, and some sleep, although the latter just didn't happen. The last week was a bit meh. Panic attacks flared (?) up - something I haven't had for a long time. I'm disappointed in myself I think, like I've gone back in time.Walked for miles, all along the cliff tops; fields on one side, sea on the other.

Spoiler

It helped at least distract me, I just don't like coming back to the real world.

Uni starts on Tuesday. I'm really nervous. New people, place, introductions (and the inevitable "What? We can't hear you" that comes with it), everyone else being super-smart. From the emails that have been sent out, everyone on the course has just been Cc'd in; there's solicitors in there, people working in councils... and I'm just like "I blagged my way here, I don't know anything". That's not just me being self-deprecating, it is what it is - I'm the first to admit I'm not the brightest button in the box.

I wonder if it's to do with change. Although work has been a special kind of hell over the last few years, it's part of a routine. Uni, and not being home at weekends for a while, throws new things into the mix. I don't know why I'm stressing over things that haven't even happened yet :facepalm: Need to get a grip.


Huge hugs. It's not about needing to get a grip. Change is really really scary, as is starting something new :afraid:

Don't be disappointed in yourself that you had panic attacks - you can't help it and it's not your fault.

Sorry I can't write more - need to go to bed - had such a long day xxx
Reply 13
Soooo... feeling less "omg *sob*" than the other day :colondollar:

Finished the first module. I'm tired (not a morning person at all :tongue:), getting there has been a bit more of a headache than anticipated - it takes 2.5 - 3 hours each way.

People seem nice, and some of the things we covered were really interesting - more so than I thought they would be.

Conversations during the week have given me another idea for my dissertation (I was worried I'd be at the point of needing to give them a final title and having nothing because my first idea was a bit rubbish, but I've got a back up so I'll see what I can find for both and work from there).

We were given the assignment titles for this module on the first day - we have four to choose from. 5000 words suddenly feels so much bigger than it really is. Again I'm deciding between two - one title seems much broader than the other, which could be good or bad.
Original post by Pixsoul
Soooo... feeling less "omg *sob*" than the other day :colondollar:

Finished the first module. I'm tired (not a morning person at all :tongue:), getting there has been a bit more of a headache than anticipated - it takes 2.5 - 3 hours each way.

People seem nice, and some of the things we covered were really interesting - more so than I thought they would be.

Conversations during the week have given me another idea for my dissertation (I was worried I'd be at the point of needing to give them a final title and having nothing because my first idea was a bit rubbish, but I've got a back up so I'll see what I can find for both and work from there).

We were given the assignment titles for this module on the first day - we have four to choose from. 5000 words suddenly feels so much bigger than it really is. Again I'm deciding between two - one title seems much broader than the other, which could be good or bad.


5,000 does sound a lot before you start it - I remember all my coursework module essays for my MA were 5,000 words and that felt like a hugely daunting prospect each time :eek: Especially as my undergrad essays were often accused of being on the short side :ninja: The reality, though, is that once you get going, 5000 seems quite a good length: long enough for you to really sink your teeth into the topic and discuss things in detail/at length, but short enough to be a contained stand-alone piece of work :smile:

:rave:
Reply 15
Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd
5,000 does sound a lot before you start it - I remember all my coursework module essays for my MA were 5,000 words and that felt like a hugely daunting prospect each time :eek: Especially as my undergrad essays were often accused of being on the short side :ninja: The reality, though, is that once you get going, 5000 seems quite a good length: long enough for you to really sink your teeth into the topic and discuss things in detail/at length, but short enough to be a contained stand-alone piece of work :smile:

:rave:


Aye :smile:

It's just the initial :eek:

I need to be organised (the days of doing an essay the night before it's due are over!)
Reply 16
Words written: 0

Today has been horrible. It started off badly anyway, and then this afternoon got a message to say someone in the family has died.

Going to London on Monday evening until Wednesday morning for work. Looking forward to escaping.
Original post by Pixsoul
Words written: 0

Today has been horrible. It started off badly anyway, and then this afternoon got a message to say someone in the family has died.

Going to London on Monday evening until Wednesday morning for work. Looking forward to escaping.


Really sorry for your loss :frown:

Posted from TSR Mobile
Reply 18
Quite a lot going on this next week.

The assignment is... hoping to have it finished by Tuesday though. I'm rusty; I wouldn't say the finished essay will be one I'm pleased with, more that I just need to have something to submit.

I have four days in London, starting at the end of next week - the thought alone makes me feel a bit sick. Funeral on Friday; I haven't seen my immediate family in well over a year (although we speak often it's "how's the weather?" type conversations really). There hasn't been a fallout, we're just really not close. I feel awkward going back; home isn't home.

The rest of the time I'm there for work stuff again.

Roll on the Christmas break!
Ooh is this new? I'd better add it to the sticky.

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