THIRD YEAR BLUES
So this week I began my sixth semester at University. And I have to say I'm just not feeling it. Every semester prior to this I've felt excited at the idea of new subjects. New subjects means new ideas to engage with, people to meet, things to read! But this this time, the start of yet another slew of assignments and readings seems foreboding at best. I have a few ideas why I might be feeling this way, but what is truly odd is that it is not just me who seems to feel this way. So many third year students who I have spoken to over the past couple of days have expressed similar sentiments... so why? Why do we get to the end of third year and burn out? In primary and high school we endured many more years of work than this, with far fewer holidays. Is the culmination of too many years of schooling? Or is it that most people leave their least preferred subjects until last? For me, part of the problem is guilt. I am twenty-one years old and am still being supported by my parents. I feel that I should be working by now! Looking after myself and giving my parents a break. The irregular university hours make me feel like a freeloader! Staying at home until eleven feels like I am cheating at life! And yet I know I am not. It is perfectly acceptable in this society to spend the first quarter of your life studying before going into work (whether this should be socially acceptable is another question altogether!
The problem certainly isn't boring subjects! This semester I will be taking the final level of Japanese offered at my university, two Asian Studies subjects; 'Social Problems in Japan' and 'Identity, Ideology and Nationalism in Asia', plus a 'breadth' elective (outside of my discipline) 'Music and Health'. I had some doubts about this last selection - thinking that it had a lot of potential to be pretentious - but after attending the first lecture I can safely say that I will be sticking with the subject - the head lecturer is just so enthusiastic and interesting. And yet... and yet... I still just do not have the motivation that I have been visited by previously. ARGH. Hopefully this will pass soon and I will be able to get back to blogging about things which are actually interesting. That is, not me whinging.
The problem certainly isn't boring subjects! This semester I will be taking the final level of Japanese offered at my university, two Asian Studies subjects; 'Social Problems in Japan' and 'Identity, Ideology and Nationalism in Asia', plus a 'breadth' elective (outside of my discipline) 'Music and Health'. I had some doubts about this last selection - thinking that it had a lot of potential to be pretentious - but after attending the first lecture I can safely say that I will be sticking with the subject - the head lecturer is just so enthusiastic and interesting. And yet... and yet... I still just do not have the motivation that I have been visited by previously. ARGH. Hopefully this will pass soon and I will be able to get back to blogging about things which are actually interesting. That is, not me whinging.
