The final countdown

This is not about the final countdown to the new year, but to my paper deadline. Sleep deprivation is really fascinating because it numbs your ability to actually feel discomfort. The entire 2 years (already!) saw me glued to my table often, not just because of work, but often it was because of school. When I finally printed out the research portion - 27 pages without references - there was a sense of relief that I got to print it before 2am. I'm not done yet - there is another half which I have completed but not reviewed as a final copy. I will move on to that shortly.

There is some sense of achievement, because I really didn't think I would make this deadline as all the data were very delayed and not having a clear hypothesis or topic did not make things better. I worked on the paper with a fuzzy outline of the topic but halfway through, the title just came together. It was about working in total silence, oblivious to my surroundings and a silent phone. For months, the exact topic was evasive to the annoyance of my supervisor.

I am just looking forward to tuesday, when this will all be over.

I started this project a year ago, if i counted the proposal, ethics application and a 6 week extension. Yet, I actually spent less than half the time working on it actively, since the life of a part-time student is punctuation with other responsibilities like work and cooking.

The next problem will be the issue of grades.

This is unfortunately not a paper written by a honours student simply because I lost my edge sometime ago, when I decided to stop studying and work. It was academic suicide but what had to be done, had to be done - I do have some measure of regret but I would be happy if I simply completed this task so that I could move along to the next conquest.

There is another placement which I need to fulfill before I could actually graduate (again), and that would be the next thing that will occupy me, at least for a month. Although it's a placement, there is a writing component, which is less academic but more reporting, therefore, I feel that it will not be a struggle as much as this was.

For the next 2 hours, I shall devote my line of vision to scrutinise the first half of this report, the review and hopefully, be able to send that to print as well.

I am glad the most difficult part is completed - and although it isn't my best piece of work and I am capable of returning a better piece, it will have to suffice because 2009 was the maddest year in my life.