Mastering Something
I've started my Masters application and I take the view that it's better late than never, and/or you're never too old: a number of my colleagues have done further education things in later life, so it's nothing unique, and they have the same 'I'd've known this if I'd've done it then' problems.
I tentatively started it between 2009 and 2012, getting a first-draft proposal together about this time two years ago, but now I've taken the plunge and actually started the online application. And it's hard: going back to a half-arsed proposal and making some sense of it, not to say there's bugger-all guidance about how to write a proposal online! It's also keyed, obviously, towards the most recent degree being the one that's relevant, which is bollocks in my case: OK, it did make me realise that this sort of thing is what I want to be doing, but it's a dead end for me. I've found some relevant guidance from another university so I'll try and follow that, as well as the register and form guidance from Polly last time.
I think the time difference is worrying me though: I've already had two Russian department members who taught me comment on the fact that 2006 was bloody ages ago! It's not that my Russian is more than predictably bad (it's merely predictably bad, may be even slightly better), nor that I don't feel academically able to do this, rather that the guidance etc. online seems geared towards short-returners, i.e. not having left it 8 years!
I'm also somewhat concerned about my health: since 2nd Year the first time round (2003-4) I've had occasional but fairly regular headaches/migraines. It's possible this was due to hormone contraception but the doctors were never worried about it. It's been bad enough at work that I've an Occupational Health appointment next week to see if there's anything work-related I can do to help, although they've been much less regular recently. I am quite worried that putting myself back through parttime education AND fulltime work will nearly kill me.
What I'm not worried about is going back and doing it: turns out I love researching! And the Department is still lovely: there might have been a massive turnover but I always feel more than welcome even with people I hardly know and have no idea who I am. I also think being older and more mature in my methods and thinking will be a massive boon. To be honest, I can't wait! :D
There's lots of things to say, but I've run out of steam: it's Friday, what do you expect?! And if/when I need to have a day off work for this, I'm choosing Mondays, before you ask!
Sahha ohrain.
I tentatively started it between 2009 and 2012, getting a first-draft proposal together about this time two years ago, but now I've taken the plunge and actually started the online application. And it's hard: going back to a half-arsed proposal and making some sense of it, not to say there's bugger-all guidance about how to write a proposal online! It's also keyed, obviously, towards the most recent degree being the one that's relevant, which is bollocks in my case: OK, it did make me realise that this sort of thing is what I want to be doing, but it's a dead end for me. I've found some relevant guidance from another university so I'll try and follow that, as well as the register and form guidance from Polly last time.
I think the time difference is worrying me though: I've already had two Russian department members who taught me comment on the fact that 2006 was bloody ages ago! It's not that my Russian is more than predictably bad (it's merely predictably bad, may be even slightly better), nor that I don't feel academically able to do this, rather that the guidance etc. online seems geared towards short-returners, i.e. not having left it 8 years!
I'm also somewhat concerned about my health: since 2nd Year the first time round (2003-4) I've had occasional but fairly regular headaches/migraines. It's possible this was due to hormone contraception but the doctors were never worried about it. It's been bad enough at work that I've an Occupational Health appointment next week to see if there's anything work-related I can do to help, although they've been much less regular recently. I am quite worried that putting myself back through parttime education AND fulltime work will nearly kill me.
What I'm not worried about is going back and doing it: turns out I love researching! And the Department is still lovely: there might have been a massive turnover but I always feel more than welcome even with people I hardly know and have no idea who I am. I also think being older and more mature in my methods and thinking will be a massive boon. To be honest, I can't wait! :D
There's lots of things to say, but I've run out of steam: it's Friday, what do you expect?! And if/when I need to have a day off work for this, I'm choosing Mondays, before you ask!
Sahha ohrain.