Monday 8th

Morning,


So last week we did some presentations in both Study Skills & Communication. On Monday Marta & I got a chance to practise our Spanish presentations, which was useful: having the opportunity to have a dress rehearsal really makes you realise what you have clear and what requires a bit of work. In the Spanish class everything went well, and I slipped a few subjunctives! Observing others on Monday was interesting; the way people used their personalities to overcome nerves & technical issues, the importance of the voice, eye contact and smiling!

Thursday was a little less serious, although the Dragon’s Den programme showed the absolute necessity of good appearance, being very well prepared, being able to deal with tricky questions and keeping cool. From our ‘sales’ presentations I observed that enthusiasm and humour worked well, and it was best not to get too technical.

I worked away on the Communications assessment as planned on Tuesday, did a proof read on Wed, and handed it in on Thurs. I read up a bit for the night class and arranged to meet Sara in a café…but by the time she got there, it was nearly time to go! Again I felt quite confident during the 1st half of the lecture, but the 2nd part just went too deep too quick. I know Sara feels about the same, and I reckon the older lady in the class is similarly bamboozled but what does the girl next to me scribbling away about??? I guess in a ‘heavy’ lecture you will feel a bit worried that you are the only one not getting it…so that’s when talking to other students is really important; you also have to recognise the bluffers!!!

I went over my history essays again noting key points, names, dates, acts etc. The Chartists seemed the most interesting, and I hadn’t written it in such a historical style so I picked it for the exam. I reckon I wrote a good essay which answered the question, covered the main points and was written well…but it sure hurt my hand!!! I haven’t had to write that much by hand since….I don’t know the 80s?? Are there any exercises to toughen up the hand muscles??

I reckon I’ve got those 13 verbs that take etre in the past: aller, venir (venu), retourner, rester, arrive, entrer, partir, sortir, monter, descendre (descend), tomber, morir (mort) and naitre (ne) …As Cedric said, there are a lot of opposites so that helped. Also trying to say a sentence seemed a good idea: Je suis allé au cinema, mon grand-pere est mort en 1992.

At the weekend I realised I had no outstanding work…sure there are always things to do: tidying folders, reviewing notes, revising, etc. but I did feel pretty free. I really enjoyed the gym -I didn’t feel that I should be hurrying myself so I could get back and do some work. It’s important to be able to turn one’s mind off from work and “detach from oneself”!

This week:

I should do some more prep for the Communications presentation: Peru? The History project: Thomas Cochrane? Spanish chat: (what did I agree with Jordi??) Cambios en nuestra sociedad and el turismo?

Tues– gotta get the bike fixed! So do that after Literature, then back to library for a couple of hours…. try for a haircut.

Wed – use time between French & Spanish

Thurs – there’ll be less time as we restart the tutorials, and I have evening work.

Right that’s yer lot!