Darlo's World

With one more day of lessons left, conveniently a day with just one lesson, it’s pretty fair to say that the Winter break is just around the corner.

Just around the corner by ~xXxFucked-UpxXx on deviantART

It seems I’ve been spending a lot of random time in London lately; participating in the UK Rock Paper Scissors Championships, handing in my application for a job in Japan, taking the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. But, much to my parents pleasure I’m sure, I wasn’t involved in the recent ‘student’ activity in the capital. It is unfortunate that the cost of going to University will rise, but at least loans and grants are still there for us poor saps, and I’m just thankful I’m supposed to graduate this year.

So what are my plans for the long awaited winter break?

Well to be honest I’m not planning on venturing out an awful lot. Going out means (generally speaking) money spent. I will be heading back to Telford at some point for a few days, but will definately be venturing back up to Leeds before New Year.

On Sunday I have a Poker Tournament at the Alea Casino, something I’m really looking forward to. As normal my game plan will simply be “don’t be that pillock who’s out first”, though I guess I’ll have to wait and see on that one.

There are many project that need my attention aswell so I want to be able to spend a bit of time on those.

Of course studying and preparing for the January exams will be high on my list, as well as making a start on my dreaded dissertation. 8,000 words to write, give or take 10%. So I guess I’d better get off my arse and make a start on something. Catch You later.

Living with no internet, or that is to say, very limited access to the internet is a real P.I.T.A (pain in the arse). Though I have been lucky in that the Uni’s Wi-Fi just reaches my house (sometimes, that is) it’s speed has been lacking a lot of lustre and not to mention there are some websites that are blocked from accessing on that connection. We’re looking into getting our own connection, just a matter of finding a decent provider at a decent price.

I managed to submit my ‘Year Abroad Report’ on time last week, and though I won’t put it up online for you all to view (mainly because if you look back through my blog you’ll be able to see everything anyway), the 2500 word limit meant I had to cut a lot of what I wanted to discuss from the report. Looking back over all the things I’d done (despite an even longer list of things I wanted to do) and all the people I’d met made me feel really nostalgic. This was especially hit home when I stared blu-tacking some of my photos on to the wall and chatting to a Japanese friend on Skype. It made me realise how I’d made Japan my home, and how, for the first time in my life, I was homesick.

So now I don’t (technically speaking) have to do anything until September (though I am re-studying what I balls’d up on for my re-test), I’ve been on the look out for a part time job. In the news there’s been a lot of information about graduates struggling to get into jobs, but what hasn’t been covered is the current students who are struggling to find part time jobs in order to stay alive during their time at Uni.

Seriously, last week I printed off 50 CVs and went into town. I only saw one place actively hiring anyone (a gents hairdresser looking for a full timer), but what really shocked me was the number of places that wouldn’t even take a copy of my CV. These shops told me they had either just taken on people, or had no intention of hiring in the foreseeable future. But come on, taking the CV gives me a glimmer of hope. Even though there’re no signs in the window and you could just as easilly bin it the moment I leave the store, giving a straight up ‘no’ is just irritating.

So I guess it’s down to pasta and meatballs and minimal pubbage so I don’t exhaust my penny jar before my next student loan payment … in September!