Crazy curly hair result of experimenting with foam things.

I went to the doctor today to find out why I’ve been coughing madly for the last six weeks, and generally tired and unhappy. Turns out I’m actually, apparently, rather ill. I don’t believe it, cos I don’t feel that bad. However, when you’ve been prescribed “at least 8 hours sleep a night” I’m quite happy to carry out that particular treatment.

Lucia had a tattoo yesterday as the final part of her 21st celebrations. I had fun videoing and taking photos, all of which will follow. I didn’t do any work afterwards, and watched about four hours of Supernanny. Yay.

If you’ve been reading through my blog as I’ve written it, you will remember the Design Study woes of last term. I’m sad to report that this isn’t entirely over. Tomorrow, we have business presentations, where we get to present our business plan to the rest of our classmates and the chaps over at the Business School. We’ve been given no guidelines, are expected to be there from 12.30 pm to 6 pm, and have to talk for 20 minutes on approximately nothing.

Our design, probably shouldn't be putting this up here, but as the idea doesn't belong to me anyway I don't care.

The design study has spanned across my whole third year:

- introduction to topic beginning of first term
- research into topic, first term
- research into topic, first ideas and start write-up, beginning of second term
- write-up, proof-read and upload to digital copy, end of second term
- technical presentation, also end of second term
- write-up of business plan, also also end of second term
- presentation of business plan, beginning of third term

This has given some really interesting insights into life as a researcher. I can’t say I’ve particularly enjoyed the group work – partly because I got thrust unwillingly into the role of “person who emails, rings and texts everyone else to make them do stuff” and had to stick to my guns and follow-through. Ugh. Also, famously, there is always ‘the one who isn’t there’. If you’ve done any group work at all, you know what that means.

The design study group.

I am mature enough to realise that it’s better to do this now as a UG student, than for the first time when you are working in a company/other research group/any other career, and I recognise the things I’ve learned. Doesn’t mean I have to be happy about it! We have had some really amazing times though, when we haven’t been panicking about deadlines and trying madly to get 800 words cut down or reworded into proper English. The guys are all comicly scared of me – good times when I want to get Carlos to run to the shop for me! I’m starting to feel a bit nostalgic. From tomorrow, third year will be over in terms of the whole class together. Some will be graduating, meaning I will probably never get to see them again. After GCSEs and A levels you would think I’m used to it, but I don’t think it’s something I will ever get used to.

Just about to start.

On Friday night my term ended for good – in fact, apart from those damn exams, third year is now over (but it’s only five weeks and counting, eep). This was after another week of deadlines, in which we hastily learned how to do business plans, all wrote presentations and gave them.

Saj trying to pay attention to other groups presentations after two all-nighters in a row.

We then had the Sinfonietta end-of-term concert, which went really well – I think it’s the best Sinfon concert I’ve played in (even though I messed up, a lot). Lucia, Minyi, Kathy and Luisa came to see it, which was very kind, particularly as Lucia doesn’t really like classical music.

During the interval, looking far too happy for my own good.

After the concert, the girls retreated to the RSM while all the Sinfon lot packed up…I was being v bad and skiving from my exec position, oops. I’m just going to add a disclaimer right now – mum and dad, and any other family members, if you are reading this and don’t want to know about all the naughty things your daughter gets up to, stop reading now. Please. I’m going to add another picture to give you time to close the window…

Lucia finds a big book in the RSM cafe which is pretty cool.

OK. So Lucia bought some tequila, which has become our favoured drink of choice, and we decided to do something really stupid, and drink the whole thing in an hour. This is one of those famous ocassions where I don’t know my limits very well, over-indulge, and vow never to drink ever again, lasting about six months before peer pressure and exam-end fun kicks in. It was fun, until I got very sick. I’m only including this for a) the sake of honesty and b) a warning to anybody who thinks that drinking is cool. It’s very, very not when you do this, and I’m incredibly embarassed and annoyed with myself over the whole thing. I won’t say exactly what happened, suffice to say the Union staff were trying to persuade Tom to take me to a medical facility more capable of dealing with me.

Changing in the RSM to party clothes.

Continuation of the party.

I know everyone thinks ‘yes, lets go to uni and be students, we can drink all we like and do what we want.’ It’s bad, but I’m going to stop preaching now.

Tom and I went to the cinema on Saturday, in an attempt to forget about the previous night. We saw “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”. Neither of us had read the book, and I had noo idea how grim it was in terms of explicit content…but the film was really good despite the graphic scenes and rather scary bits, and I recommend it if you have a strong stomach!

On Sunday, my friend Jodie and I went to see the Van Gogh exhibition I mentioned a few months ago. It was really good – sadly, mum couldn’t make it cos she developed an illness, but I really hope she will get a chance to see it, and if you are so inclined you should definitely make the effort. I loved it, and Jodie did as well.

I’m now starting exam prep in earnest, copying notes of the few lectures that I missed and starting to count up how much I have to do before I get back on the first day of term, for my first and possibly hardest exam. I shall post regularly – just perhaps not so regularly, it depends on how the panic goes!

Finally! The Design Study has been handed in! This doesn’t mean we are finished with the project by any means - the final deadline is the 6th of May, eep. Friday is the deadline for a business plan and a presentation (which I should be writing now, but the pressure of not having written a blog for like three days is seriously getting to me). My group were a bit astonished when I told them they were only allowed one slide per minute, but experience shows that that is more than enough. If you don’t believe me, the next time you try talk for three minutes with ten slides, tell me how it goes for you.

It’s really sunny at the moment, so nice. I went and sat on Queen’s Lawn with Toby, Tom and Caroline yesterday, and experienced for probably the first time since I started my degree the loss of motivation that almost made me sit there all afternoon. I didn’t – I dragged myself off to work for three and a half hours, followed by orchestra and fun times there. At least I got my fifteen minutes of Vitamin D!!

The election results were announced last night – my favourite candidates won and lost in equal measure. IC doesn’t do elections like any other uni I’ve been to. The last time I visited Warwick Uni was during election season, and EVERYTHING was covered in flyers, posters, banter, socks….we are relatively tame in comparison. People were getting pretty passionate about it though, particularly the Felix and Live! editors. They’re still complaining, but it’s over now. Time to accept and move on.

To liven up this thoroughly boring post (I’m sorry, my wit, spark and enthusiasm is distinctly lacking today), here are the pictures of the most epic weekend I’ve had since last year.

Ash partying at a rave.

Waffles on Sunday night.

Lucia and I sharing the love.

At the pie-place.

Greg and Lucia dancing in the RSM.

The packed rave place that I didn't go to cos I'm lame.

Look at the size of that CAKE.

Lucia and Luisa ball-rooming it up.

High spirited at Orient House

I don't know what they are doing, but we are at Orient anyway.

The final product. Excuse my deadness....this is about 36 hours since I'd last slept

Lucia practices her quick-step (she is a ballroom genius)

Oh dear....