OverEstimating
Blimus. This feels odd, incredible, nerve-wracking, awkward, weird and semi-wonderful. Not since the very first essay here at Bristol have I completed an essay this early before the deadline. It was unheard of last year: the panicking; long days and night in the build up; all nighters and Night-Trains. Truly, I don't know whether to be delighted or terrified - there could still be as much work to do to make this a decent complete piece of writing as the last two days of writing it.
Maximum Word Limit: 3,000.
Keith has written: 4.750.
I didn't want to stop, and knew it wasn't completed as the deadline came up. I don't know if I've ever chosen a topic with so much substance before: usually questions feel perfect to squeeze just the right amount to hit the word limit, but this one... my tutor helped me to refine just the title twice and cut the scope down by a quarter, and I've still gone well over, and it still feels there's a lot I've left out - there's a potential Masters dissertation in that small circle somewhere. But that might be something to do with the two weeks of preparation gone into this, and I've definitely over-pronounced knowledge and sources in footnotes. I've checked back to the last essay of the calibre of mark I'm hoping for: I used 5 secondary sources and 15 footnotes, in 2500 words. Unedited, this has a cool 19 secondary sources and 41 footnotes. Some of these will have to be sacrificed, but I'm pining. I told Dr. Mason why this was the most important essay I was going to write (and especially since the number per unit has fallen, the weighting of each has fallen, and this is the only piece to be submitted this whole term), and after Monday's meeting, I don't think he believed me. Well, if this isn't the best piece of writing I've ever done, I really want him to see it's the most studied piece I've ever done.
Tomorrow, I have a morning lecture by English Department's personal hero, Stephen Cheeke, before which I'm going to have to ask him if I can make an announcement that I'll be selling tickets for the burlesque-themed Falstaff Ball (cringes). It's essay week, nobody will be there, although with it being Dr. S.C, there is a chance. The committee were quite sweet the other day: they didn't force me to do anything, so I volunteered, although I think I'll be the only committee member not going. After the Prefect's Ball in 2002 being the only one (I think) not to go, I can live with that. Then, working on completing this essay. The degree of reward will depend on progress, I think. I cannot wait for the Aled Jones concert tomorrow night ~ that will be a spiritual replenishment like little else; and if work gets done quick enough, there's a Graduate's Seminar tomorrow afternoon heading by Dr. S.C. talking about Writing for Art, ekphrasis, the unit I'll be taking with him next semester. Most U.G. folk will surely be essay-writing, so I'm betting there will be few undergraduates there, and hopefully space for an idiot.
I'm buzzing: with excitement, exhilaration, frustration, knowledge, learning, discovery ... I'm not sure what, but if I play my word game of the month, I get to Love in the end. I hope everyone is well ~ and hope we all get the treasures we deserve from recent times. Love, Peace, Harmony, and everything. xXx
Maximum Word Limit: 3,000.
Keith has written: 4.750.
I didn't want to stop, and knew it wasn't completed as the deadline came up. I don't know if I've ever chosen a topic with so much substance before: usually questions feel perfect to squeeze just the right amount to hit the word limit, but this one... my tutor helped me to refine just the title twice and cut the scope down by a quarter, and I've still gone well over, and it still feels there's a lot I've left out - there's a potential Masters dissertation in that small circle somewhere. But that might be something to do with the two weeks of preparation gone into this, and I've definitely over-pronounced knowledge and sources in footnotes. I've checked back to the last essay of the calibre of mark I'm hoping for: I used 5 secondary sources and 15 footnotes, in 2500 words. Unedited, this has a cool 19 secondary sources and 41 footnotes. Some of these will have to be sacrificed, but I'm pining. I told Dr. Mason why this was the most important essay I was going to write (and especially since the number per unit has fallen, the weighting of each has fallen, and this is the only piece to be submitted this whole term), and after Monday's meeting, I don't think he believed me. Well, if this isn't the best piece of writing I've ever done, I really want him to see it's the most studied piece I've ever done.
Tomorrow, I have a morning lecture by English Department's personal hero, Stephen Cheeke, before which I'm going to have to ask him if I can make an announcement that I'll be selling tickets for the burlesque-themed Falstaff Ball (cringes). It's essay week, nobody will be there, although with it being Dr. S.C, there is a chance. The committee were quite sweet the other day: they didn't force me to do anything, so I volunteered, although I think I'll be the only committee member not going. After the Prefect's Ball in 2002 being the only one (I think) not to go, I can live with that. Then, working on completing this essay. The degree of reward will depend on progress, I think. I cannot wait for the Aled Jones concert tomorrow night ~ that will be a spiritual replenishment like little else; and if work gets done quick enough, there's a Graduate's Seminar tomorrow afternoon heading by Dr. S.C. talking about Writing for Art, ekphrasis, the unit I'll be taking with him next semester. Most U.G. folk will surely be essay-writing, so I'm betting there will be few undergraduates there, and hopefully space for an idiot.
I'm buzzing: with excitement, exhilaration, frustration, knowledge, learning, discovery ... I'm not sure what, but if I play my word game of the month, I get to Love in the end. I hope everyone is well ~ and hope we all get the treasures we deserve from recent times. Love, Peace, Harmony, and everything. xXx