It's extremely slack of me to only be blogging now; especially when its been a good two months since I've left the UK. Since then, university has been taking up all the spare time I have.
I'm taking five papers this semester, and law school is not exactly the most forgiving faculty in terms of the daily workload. Swamped with deadlines, readings, cases, and on top of that, History and English papers, I've been struggling to keep up with all that is required of me academically.
It's nice to have two proper assignments out of the way though! Starting an assignment is always the hardest part (so is getting up to go to the gym, I find), but once I'm actually doing it, and writing it up; I actually enjoy what I'm doing. I'm loving this History paper at the moment, and writing that essay was truly a worthwhile experience. I've concluded that English literature is not worth pursuing- so come next semester, I'll be doing a single major in my Arts degree along with Law. It gets quite frustrating conjuring up content when it's not exactly factual nor substantial.
It's nice to have two proper assignments out of the way though! Starting an assignment is always the hardest part (so is getting up to go to the gym, I find), but once I'm actually doing it, and writing it up; I actually enjoy what I'm doing. I'm loving this History paper at the moment, and writing that essay was truly a worthwhile experience. I've concluded that English literature is not worth pursuing- so come next semester, I'll be doing a single major in my Arts degree along with Law. It gets quite frustrating conjuring up content when it's not exactly factual nor substantial.
The mid-semester break could not have been sooner! I am so grateful that time is passing by quicker than I had anticipated. It's weird that we're already halfway through one semester when it feels just like yesterday I was struggling with my baggage from Durham to London. (In hindsight, I should not have brought that much clothing...)
I miss the UK. I don't know why; but anywhere other than your own country is always better isn't it? The only shit thing about travel is getting holiday blues. It's a first-world-dilemma, and I'm unfortunately a victim of it each and every time my vacations draw to an end.
Maybe I don't miss the place specifically, but I miss how happy/free I was there.
This year has been a mellow one for me. I celebrated my 19th birthday not too long ago with my family, and although I insisted I did not want a celebration of any sort, my loving parents and brother could not help but spoil me regardless. I do not remember a single birthday I've had without a party- so chilling at home in my pj's and eating cake was a nice refreshing change.
I received beautiful gifts from Japan as well! Which was a nice bonus because I've been keeping up a "read a chapter a day" repertoire in my Japanese self studies, and I'll be able to complete Kafka by the Shore by the start of next week. I'm currently on my 39th day, reading my 39th chapter!
It's quite an interesting story. Initially it confused the shit out of me, I won't lie. Only by the fourth or fifth chapter did I realise that there were actually two separate stories and two narrators throughout. The odd chapters are narrated by Kakfa, and the even ones by Nakata.
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| Meet Fatso, the Baby Adipose Monster from Doctor Who! Thanks Koko. ^_^ |
I've encountered multiple narrators in English novels before; but it's easy to distinguish because the font for each narrator would be different. Because Kafka on the Shore is also narrated in first person/third person, it was challenging to grasp who was saying what and when.
This book contains some hidden meaning (as do all Japanese novels it would seem), and I'm attempting to understand the novel as a whole.
It's obvious that the book is a coming-of-age novel; nothing actually HAPPENS, but character development is a key point in the book, et cetera, people change and some things don't, bla blah.
Although Japanese literature is hard- I'm enjoying learning it on surface level; absorbing new vocabulary, revising grammar structures, and improving my reading speed.
The next book I plan to read is "Secret"- and I'll probably take a few months to complete the entire novel. But it has had good reviews from the internet so far, and I'm keen to start reading. I'm hoping there isn't more than one narrator in the book though, because it tends to get quite confusing to remember who did what and why. It seems like its going to be a tragic love story, and that's always good.
Japanese love stories and dramas tend to take a different, slower route than Western literature does.
It's interesting to see how different emotions can be channeled through the reader despite the similarities between characters' dispositions, their reactions, and their situations.
It goes to show how strong culture differences and languages can be.
I'm terribly lucky to have the opportunity to study the Japanese language enough to be able to read novels like these.
Following the Easter break, I'll have a Public Law test, a History essay that's worth 40% of the entire module, an English essay that's worth 25%, four novels to finish reading, AND a Criminal Law test to study for as well. I was so ignorant to think that second year would somehow be less stressful than first year.
Guaranteed the pressure of getting into law school is no longer plaguing me before I sleep each and every night, but the mere thought of growing up is overwhelming beyond words. It's all happening so fast.
How does anyone really do it? Super effective time management, I guess.
But we only have 24 hours in a day, 7 days a week, and 52 of those weeks in a year.
Not sure how it's all supposed to fit- but by the end of it, when it does?
I'll be happy to look back and say "I made it"
All my love always,
April
