What's been going on?

Wow, it's been aaaaages since I last posted! What's been going on, you may well ask. Well, I've been super busy with academic work and then extra-curriculars in my spare time, so really I've just had no time.

Work's been going well - our schedule is pretty packed and there's loads of work to do, but I'm trying to be disciplined and stay on top of it. It's really interesting though and I think I'm doing well so far so that's good.

Been spending lots of time with X and also playing a bit of footy (naughty, I know, I really shouldn't, but I want to so much!) and also doing lots of reffing (I can't really not ref as I need the spending money). All in all things are well. Except I have a cold, but fingers crossed that'll pass soon.

Have thought a bit about my thesis, but not so much as to actually be able to do anything with it yet. Am thinking now thinking about finding out the value of the A-Level with regards to those people who do their A-Levels but then don't go on to uni - does it make them more productive/able to demand a better wage/get a better job? Could be interesting and there's probably a lot of analysis I could do there.

Went to the fruit & veg market in Gloucester Green this morning, which was ace since I hadn't been there for years. Bought lots of good stuff, which bodes well for my new "cooking regime" (a bit of experimentation never hurt anyone...so long as food poisoning can be protected against!)

Right, have just finished up my STATA (IT statistics programme) project so am gonna reward myself with a bit of MOTD - Spurs drew with Arsenal in a super dramatic game, woohoo!

Quick weekend update

Sunday evening. Aaah. It is second week already, how comes? Where has the time gone?

Have had a lovely weekend not doing any work, which means lots of it in the week to come, but none for now. Spent most of my time with X, making bread in the bread maker and playing lots of sports, so was in a bit of a funk cos of the comedown after the weekend today, but playing some squash and helping a mate unpack sorted that out. My calves really ache from refereeing yesterday (which was a bit dramatic, but worthwhile nonetheless) and also playing a bit of college footy, which was loads of fun (fingers crossed the knee holds out). So have done lots of sports, which makes all the feasting justified.

Spurs are doing shockingly in the premiership, still rock-bottom and just lost to the 19th placed team. We are yet to win a match, it is getting a wee bit hairy. Hmm.

Ok, I have to run to see if anyone will turn up for Scrabble club tonight. Not entirely sure they will, but better try and see! Have a good week!

Classes and stuff

So I've been very busy, what with it being 1st week and all. Lots of classes and work and reading and new society meetings and dinners etc. Nice and busy, I like it.

Had my first Sociological Analysis class today. Managed to do most of the reading, so felt pretty prepared, but once the class started I realised my essay was actually full of rubbish, whoops. That said, I think I did ok in the actual class, having had previous experience of the argumentative and on the spot pressure style of tutorials. Lots of other people looked kinda caught out, but once I realised he was choosing people to answer questions, I got my answers and points across early so I could avoid the trickier stuff! It was a difficult essay though, especially since it had a fair bit of economics in it as well as sociology, so that could've stumped people. Still, now we know what to expect, next week should be easier.

Apart from that had a tough and long stats class in the computer lab yesterday. Again it was a pretty steep learning curve, especially for people who had no experience of programming. Hopefully it'll get easier, but it was just taught so badly yesterday, in my opinion, that it scared people. Everyone looked totally stressed etc. but people seemed a bit calmer today.

I've noticed that masters students are a lot more serious and hardworking than regular undergrads. Maybe cos we're all paying lots of money to learn this stuff? I dunno. I like the challenge but am not into competing with people, I'd rather more collaboration.

Ok, better run, have lots more society meetings to get to. There's so much to do here that I wish I had more time! Not to mention even more work for next week...roll on the weekend!

Lots of Work!

Phew. I have just finished a super-long reading list. I'm in the library. People are still working. We have a lot of work to do. Phew.

Thought I'd do a little relaxation through the medium of blogging. Particularly salient as I went to a seminar today on Networks and how people use different types of media to maintain contact with one another. Apparently the people who you are closest to don't necessarily get the most contact from you. Also, there are some people who have very small personal networks and use only a few media to keep in touch, whereas others are "heavy users" and are considered hubs of planning and contact.

I wish I had loads of time to attend seminars as they are all on random but very interesting and specific areas of research. Far better than lectures, which are pretty generic. Although I am a bit biased in that today we went to a scary one on statistics and the computer programme we have to learn to use (50% of that module is based on three assignments on Stata, the programme, and the other 50% is based on a 2 hour written exam in 0th week next term, yuck!).

I have pretty much been working today. Caught up with a few people, but my schedule is so busy (especially with the reintroduction of a 4 hour computer lab on Weds) that work is DOMINATING. Plus it's 1st week and no-one really knows what they are doing or how they are doing it yet!

Aside from that Oxford has been really beautiful and autumnal today. I am liking being in a north Oxford college (when I have my bike) because I can escape to the quiet of a more residential, and some might say rural, area. I was whipping my way through the leaves that have been falling like rain here, and I could hear the birds, and the kids from the Dragon School chattering away, and it was just lovely. Plus I gave myself a pat on the back for going shopping before lectures this morning, and not using any carrier bags and cycling there and back, making me feel eco-cool. It's much easier to be in control of that here.

Anyway, I'm going to go and chill for a bit. No doubt will be back with more tales of work soon.

On the bus

I am sitting on the Oxford Tube on my way back to college. The tube (underground) journey was pretty rubbish, what with my losing of an Oyster last week (meaning that to transfer the lost balance I had to tap in at a certain tube station) and then part closures on the central and jubilee lines, and then the silly oyster machines debiting too much money due to rail replacement confusions. I finally made it to Victoria but the journey took more than twice the usual time, yuck. Still, I am half an hour away from Oxford proper so nearly there now.

I must say technology has advanced a lot since the last time I was at uni, doing this same occasional commute between Oxford and London. The coach has wireless on it (which is how comes I get to do this on the road) and also plug sockets. I have a new laptop that actually works, so whilst updating this blog I can also play on facebook and check my emails. My phone is plugged in and charging too, so really despite being on the bus, I am as contactable as in Oxford (not including actual face-to-face communication. But then, who does that any more??)

I started doing some work earlier in the journey but then fell asleep. I have my first essay due on Thursday. Interestingly it is about sociological analysis i.e the research and analysis and evidence itself rather than what the theories say. We were told how to write an essay (something that never happened during three years of undergraduate work!) and I've been able to download lots of the articles from the reading list on to my laptop meaning I don't have to sit in the library as much. Despite these advancements, I am still not quite putting work at the top of my list. It's closer to the top though.

Apart from impending academic work, I went to a brilliant day of seminars on Football in the Social Sciences, which consisted of all kinds of junior-ish academics presenting their various economic and sociological theories regarding phenomena in football. For example I saw some really interesting work on match-fixing and the Italian football scandals. I also enjoyed the talk on the decline in the home advantage in premiership football (they attributed it to the televisation of football, but I'm not so sure). In any case, it was cool to see people putting theory and evidence together when it comes to football - it was inspiring to see academics combining their passions.

Last night X and I went to see Zorro at the Garrick Theatre in Leicester Square. It was awesome! Lots of the music was by the Gypsy Kings so we were loving the songs and dancing, especially the Spanish guitar. The cast was excellent, particularly the Gypsy Queen, and the script was funny and serious at the same time. I loved all the stunts such as the fire juggling and the rope swinging (from all over the theatre, including over the heads of the audience), but my favourite scenes had sword-fighting in them, which had been wonderfully choreographed but with real swords so you could hear them clinking and see the sparks fly, wow! We had great seats right near the front courtesy of lastminute.com's half price ticket deals (making the tickets practically two for the price of one when you ignore the booking fee!) It was lovely to have an evening like that too, with dinner and the theatre and then drinks afterwards, it was a proper date.

Ok, my battery is low so best sign off. Have a good week!

Busy in Oxford

I'm in Oxford! And that is why I haven't been posting. I've been busy. Two full days of induction into the Sociology department and lots of work and reading and things to sort out already. Phew, good thing it's almost dinner time.

I've settled into college well and made myself be a little bit sociable, which has been good. Freshers' week is loads different this time round in that there seem to be fewer big opportunities to get everyone together, but then on the other hand it doesn't matter as much to try and fit in and meet everyone etc. People are much more relaxed and so we can just get on with things.

I've met two of my flatmates, who seem nice although I hardly know anything about them at all. Have also met lots of people from my course (there are 28 doing the MSc this year, which is loads!) Some of them are super keen and some of them are super shocked by all the stuff they've been overloaded with. My respect for international students continues to grow, especially those who come from a country where English isn't the first language - how brave and dramatic to come over here! I'm really glad to be returning to Oxford because loads of things are already much easier (you forget how much you've absorbed over the years, and also how nice it is to have a supportive family and people you already know and who will help you out over here). Hopefully all those people will settle in and be ok here too.

What else? Last week was ace, some good educational fun at MyBnk, and some great dinners too. I had loooooads of curry, but it was nice to eat it with X in Brick Lane, and also to see my maths department again (they're all just the same so it was awesome to see them, but then after that I did really miss school, especially after having a cheeky pint with Rosie). Saw the girls on Friday night too, which was good fun, but they are all fed up with work and looking to change jobs etc. It's the quarter-life crisis that seems to be hitting them all at the moment. I'm more than glad not to be in the city, that's for sure. Had a mini bit of drama on Friday night with X after seeing Mohs in the morning and realising I have quite a few things I need to sort out and be better about. Am still mostly ignoring it, but I reckon this year will sort a lot of things out and then I will have to be brave and just get on with it.

Right, it's dinner time and then we have a little pub quiz, and I wanna crack on with some work too because I'll be back in London later this week, so will sign off now. Hope all is well with you.