i started writing this last nite on the train home… i really need to get a pda blogger… here goes the reflection on the first 6 (?) weeks of being a full time student.
it’s now officially easter break because i’ve just talked to my finance teacher n told him i’m going home sick. i’ve been in the country about 8 weeks now & i’m pretty much loving it. it’s starting to get cold now so maybe that feeling will change (today is the first day nyc is warmer than here). i’m feeling a bit shell shocked n i do feel a bit sick (headache and achy) so this won’t be real thoughtful. my main complaint with school is we have so much to read, so much to do, that there’s no time for reflection or outside learning. it’s just slug thru chaper after chapter (estimated 300 pages a week but that slows down the long the semester goes on). i had expected or at least hoped for the chance to do some independant learning esp since only 1 of my classes is org development – where i want to concentrate. i have about 10 books checked out the the library to read this break on that subject.
the past 8 days have been the absolute worst. i had a marketing paper & presentation due monday (which went v well), a finance test on wed (went better than i expected but was a pretty crap grade) and a case study on thursday (no grade yet). then i spent the entire weekend researching & writing a market analysis (which i think sucked b/c i was so burnt by that time). in addition to all this there was the normal reading and meeting with groups to work on future projects. that’s why i think i felt like shit yesterday, came home, drank nyquil & slept for 11 hours.
there’s been more of a cultural difference in being here than in london in some ways. since i hung out with aussies in london, i really felt like au was closer, culturally, to the usa than the uk. so in some ways i was expecting it to be less of an adjustment than london was. but i feel like it’s been more of an adjustment in some ways. the bulk of it has been at school where teachers use lots of examples (aussie companies, tv ads, etc) that i have no clue about. there’s also a relaxation in doing everything that i’m not used to – especially boys who have asked me out (or what i assumed was going out) to then find out that no they didnt mean we’d do something on x date but sometime in the future and then to call and suggest getting together on x nite. ie they’re relaxed & don’t plan anything.
i’m feeling a bit settled now. it’s been almost 3 wks that i’ve been at this apartment i’m sharing in the CBD (central business district). i joined a pilates studio this week. am figuring out how to get around. i’ve met a few people but not a ton since i’m spending a lot of time with school work so i need to work on that. and i need to find a job. this apartment is a bit out of my budget.