This evening has been a very University Challenge-y one.

1) The 2010 team, of which I am one fifth, practised answering questions and took it in turns to be Paxman. Answers ranged from “integration [snort indicating how incredibly simple that question was]” to “Eminem”. A well-timed mobile ringtone (sounding suspiciously like a gong) made the session all the more authentic.

2) We went to the (packed) Union bar to watch Imperial play Edinburgh in the first of two quarterfinals for Imperial. The match was going brilliantly – accompanied by cheers, boos and chants of “HEALY! HEALY!” – when, a minute before the end, disaster! The picture disappeared, to be replaced by a notice informing us that no signal was being received! I can only assume, unless Edinburgh managed to answer a shed-load of questions in the last minute, that Imperial triumphed – in which case, congratulations to them.

In other news, I’m considering changing back to the Theoretical Physics course for which I originally applied. This is because hearing my own attempts at speaking German is starting to get painful.

I have a test tomorrow and ought to be revising. You can tell this because I’m blogging.

I got back to London on Saturday afternoon – I tell you, there’s nothing like carrying a big suitcase to remind you that you live on the third floor. I spent the rest of Saturday finishing off a lab report because I don’t have access to a decent enough office suite at home (plus the annoying “problem with doing things” that I’ve had recently). I no longer care about experimentally verifying the thin lens formula or assessing image quality through the use of a three bar chart. There. I said it.

I got recognised in Sainsbury’s yesterday by someone who reads this blog. It made my day. I’ve never felt more like a rock star in my life. (Okay, so it doesn’t quite count because I already half knew the person, but STILL. \m/)

I had a German lesson and computing labs today. I still can’t string a sentence together in German (or English, but that’s beside the point), but hopefully that will change soon. Computing labs were fun – I like computing, since there aren’t really any opportunities to completely ruin everything through clumsiness and there’s no way dodgy equipment can be blamed for your results being useless. Unfortunately when we were asked if any of us had programming experience and I put my hand up the lecturer didn’t notice, so my demonstrator might be under the impression that I’m quicker to catch on than I actually am…

Right. I can’t put revision off any longer. I’m sure I could give it a good go, of course.

So… this is only a week late. Forgive me – I’m having a considerable amount of trouble with doing things these days.

Here is a list of things I am wishing for this Christmas:

1. Every lecture course ending the way Linear Algebra did (no more details, that would spoil the surprise for prospective physics freshers).
2. More hours in the day. Or a time machine. Or Bernard’s watch.
3. Better academic results next term. I like to think I put a healthy amount of pressure on myself to GET FULL MARKS OTHERWISE THERE IS NO POINT *breathes*
4. The chance to be asked to “get on with it” by Jeremy Paxman.
5. People walking at a reasonable speed on the walkway. Either that or permission to punch slow walking people in the back of the head.

In fact, I got a Fourth Doctor rubber duck and an Apollo lunar module t-shirt for Christmas. WIN.

Here are my New Year’s Resolutions:

1. Cease my apparent mission to buy out every second-hand bookshop in the city.
2. Do more cultural things in Lahndahn (my “one thing a week” goal has failed miserably).
3. Upgrade my netbook to Ubuntu.
4. Stop using my best friend as free therapy (she is a saint for putting up with my moaning during this first term and over the holidays).
5. Blog more (*hollow laughter*) and comment more on everyone else’s blogs.
6. Stop procrastinating.
7. Do some work.
8. Get some sleep.