The Great Coursework Panic
At the time, I made a vow to myself that I'd stay ahead of the game; that I'd keep on top of my coursework; and I won't piss about and wait until the end then panic and stay up till 3am when I'm absolutely shattered and have a twitch in my eye. Fast forward to now - it's 1am on a weekday and I'm typing away in semi-darkness, overwhelmed by the massive stacks of coursework that surround me as I try to meet the hundreds of deadlines.
Yes, I have a sense of deja vu. But this time, instead of a relaxed atmosphere of beer drinking and cherry tomato eating, I'm vaguely listening to Radio 4 comedy whilst half-reading the Budget for 2007 in The Guardian. I like to think of it as intellectual stimulant. Oh and I'm completely wound up, and have this horrible twitch that makes it impossible for me to look at the screen.
And to think I laughed at Torquer when he decided to sacrifice the first episode of the new series of House MD in favour of redrafting his english coursework. I watched it (and thought it was great) but now I pay the price; he's probably snug in his bed dreaming away while I'm in a mad rush to complete chemistry coursework. I blame Channel 5. Why would you put the first episode of House MD and Shark on the same day?
To make matters worse, the school has announced there will be no study leave this year. NO STUDY LEAVE. This means I'll be in school before and after these massively important exams. Not only will I not be able to concentrate, but I'll also feel like shit as well. Great.
And another thing, I'm just not getting enough sleep these days because of workload and this is making me incredibly tired. It's like the sleep version of oxygen debt, but instead of lactic acid my body is producing grouchiness.
And I'll finish off there. This post has probably degenerated into inane ramblings but I'm just too tired to read over, or put in the links to Wikipedia so you know what the hell I'm talking about. I'll probably regret ever writing this in the morning...
Edit: Does anyone know how you can possibly collect carbon dioxide (which is heavier than air) in a test tube to measure it, after producing it from calcium carbonate marble chips when reacted with hydrochloric acid? Now that I think about it, does that even produce carbon dioxide? This is what happens when you work in the early hours of the morning...
18 comments:
Yes, yes you can. Since its heavier than air, you can seal the testtube with a cork that has this tube sodomised through it, immediately after you throw the marble into the acid. The offending tube will then be directed face down unto another test-tube, so the heavier gas collects there.
Light a match, throw it into the collection tube. If it snuffs out, then you have your See-oh-2.
You are a legend! Your information hsa proved very useful indeed.
If you want to catch all the gas I suggest filling the test tube with water, and placing it upside-down in a tub of water. Put the tube from the conical flask under the water level, within the test tube.
Then all the gas that comes out of the tube bubbles up into your test tube.
i was gunna offer my wise words of advise but that guy got there 4 me and stole my thunder :( i'm really bored jing! where are u wen i need u? we dont get study leave either it sucks but i get free periods soon wen i finish my art exam on tuesday so its all gd really.
Oh man, all you guys got the thing figured out before I got here.
Ah well scooped again;-P
I remember those nights...probably will have them by next year again *sigh*
Try chocolate covered coffee beans...
Oh had a brain wave, if you actually want some quantitative data, rather than just qualitative then instead of using a test tube use an upturned burette. This way you can take measurements of how much gas you have collected. If you don't have access to burettes then just use a measuring cylinder.
I don't know of anywhere that trusts there students to revise on their own in study leave any more. We didn't. Mind you the revision lessons they give you instead are not all that bad, and once you start having some exams your timetable frees up quickly. Before you know it you'll be at the start of your amazing 11 week summer holiday.
cara: i'm sure those works would have been very wise ;) I'll turn up sooner or later...
idbug: I could of done with some caffiene actually. I'll make a note of it next time!
simon: I've gone for your idea with the burette. Many thanks! This blog has become quite useful...
I can't wait for the Summer! But if I do poorly on the tests, I'll feel like crap for 6 weeks before the results!
About your tv viewing try PIRATEBAY.ORG click on the tv shows and their yous for the picking.
I don't blame you for watching House. Coursework vs TV - it's almost a choice between life and death - and i believe you made the correct judgement, until i guess now, when your slowly dying from overwhelming workloads.
Keep persisting, whatever the result, at least you can come out and say you have tried. And take comfort in knowing that there are bigger and better stuff at Uni awaiting you...
gaz: I'll take a look. Thanks for the link!
sciurine: Damn that Hugh Laurie! I really shouldn't have watched it considering the number of deadlines I have. Oh well, it just means more work over the weekend.
I can't wait for Uni!
Its that time of year again. I need to add a simialr gas thing to my Chemistry coursework. I'll do that in my free time in between finishing geography and starting physics.
so you got your geography back? I still haven't :(
Even if I get it on Tuesday (deadline day) I'll only have until the end of the week to improve it. That's a fine line...
I spent the last couple of weeks before the thesis deadline thinking it was at home when I was at college and at college when I was home. In the last week it occured to me I'd lost it. Fark! Had to do a new one in one week.
I dislike chemistry, as shoufarn can easily attest to. But how I laughed when he said "testtube with a cork that has this tube sodomised through it". Haha. Inventive. I've always thought shoufarn had a bigger and brighter future than most of his other biomed takers. ;)
For some reason, I cannot get into House. Hugh Laurie is an amazing actor with a flawless American accent in his role, and his witticisms are always so original and twisted. But apart from that, and apart from the fact that I always notice his walking stick on the wrong side, the whole show does not do it for me - I just think the other characters don't support the show enough.
If I didnt have study leave then I would be SHATTERED. Kudos to you if you do well, which will probably play out to be the case. Hm, and you seem to have some smart friends here too... *tongue-in-cheek*
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE "House"!!!! The programme, Hugh in this role....it's just great!! Don't blame you AT ALL for watching it.
Hmmmmmmm, time management Jingo...something you need to work on by the sound of it!!
I can tell by the way you write and the things you say, you'll be OK no matter what, so don't stress too much =)
tickersoid: thesis in a week? How did you manage?
gneake: it's undeniable he's a great actor. I loved him in Blackadder and Jeeves & Wooster! House does have its flaws but he makes it half decent!
kb: yes time management. I need to enlist some help for that...
jingo, I'm really sorry for telling you this but, as a former teacher, I've had a lot of fun reading all this stuff.
Don't feel bad for wathing House. Remember that without fun, people go even crazier.
You write very well.
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