12 posts tagged “uni”

Today I got back my essay that I have been waiting two and a half months for. I am very happy with the mark but that does not take away from the fact that we should of had them a lot sooner. I mentioned this problem at my personal tutorial this afternoon - where we mainly talked about who my favourite photographers were, WTF - and I got the impression that my concerns will not go that much further.

I think our year have been  a 'guinea-pig year' in many ways where things have been tried out  - like 6 week projects instead of 12 week ones - and the powers that be have come to the conclusion that the experiment didn't work. Next year I think they are reverting back to how things used to be.

I was keen to know my essay results - the one about how we are like Victorians - as one of the lecturers said last week that they had "given one of the highest ever essay marks" to someone in that module. Jokingly, my friend S nudged me rather obviously in class and said "Oh I bet that's you." See, I have a reputation of being a girlie swot.

I went to the pigeon holes this afternoon with some trepidation and pulled out my essay. Yes, it was me. I got the high mark. I am treating myself to an evening out to celebrate. However, this level of essay performance I fear could be the death of me - I have now set an awfully high benchmark for myself, which the lecturers (I hope not) expect me to maintain. Will I be happy with myself if I don't get that kind of mark again in the future? Oh fuck, being good is a headache.

But, for tonight, no worries. Pass the vino collapso would you?

It's all fun here at Bobble Towers - I have subsidence. Well, not me personally, *eyes bottom*, but our building. Prepare for a rant...

We bought our flat in October, our first flat, the object of much London dreaming. Finally, we can afford a flat! Bubb worked his socks off to get a mortgage on his own as I am a lowly student with no income, but we did it. Nearly in Zone 1, by the Jubilee line, perfect. We have big plans, totally rip out the crummy 60's interior and do £20K of work (that's how we could afford to buy so centrally; it's a fixer upper). Now it's all on hold. Good job really the builders have been absolutely arse in not giving us quotes within, oh, two months of asking them.

We got a letter from Southwark Council this week - who are in my bad books for losing three times now a 'we've moved in' form containing a certificate from my college with my student status so we can register to pay council tax - THREE 'effing times I tell you. I just want to pay my council tax and not get taken to court - informing us that 'major works' will be taking place this year including "internal works" to our flat and the flat next door to deal with subsidence of the car park and paths outside.

This work involves injecting foamy stuff (see I'm technical) into the ground under our building to fill a void that has developed. To get any detail or dates or what they actually need to do in our flat we must go to one of their offices, miles away from where we live that is only open 10.00-16.00 on weekdays. Bubb took a morning off work on Wednesday to get the low down...

It turns out they may not have to come into our flat, they are 97% sure they won't but we won't know for another two months(!) for sure. The actual work will take place between June and September for a period of six-ish weeks. If they do need to come into our flat we actually have to move home, that's right EVERYTHING, into temporary accommodation.

So, we are in limbo. Do we do any renovations, or start anything, on the off-chance the council need to drill into the foundations through our newly laid floor and underfloor heating? Everything hinges on what they need to do. To say I am pissed off is mild. I am fed up with not being able to start... I want to have a kitchen that actually works and has cupboards (I have none), I want a bathroom that works and has a bath (I have none).

I thought owning your own home was supposed to make you happy. No more crappy, swindling landlords. Now, I just have crappy, inefficient freeholders who lose every bit of paper we send them and have poor underpaid call-centre workers answer their phones.

The final thing - that really irks me - is if this work has been "in-train" for two years why the hell didn't it show up on our expensive survey? Who hid what from whom?

In other news college started again this week and I have my own body weight in reading. I am already starting to panic about the workload, it's insane.

I need a gin.

God I hate them.

But at least this time, as well as the dreaded peer review, we also had a chance to talk about our own work so we could tell people what it was all about. That is so important as everyone of course has a different opinion on exactly what your work means *deep meaningful thoughts*

I was mostly pleased with my first go at colour darkroom printing  - it is so f'ing difficult I can't say (try aligning paper in total darkness for a start), but I am glad I have another photographic skill. Printing from a negative onto photographic paper just has a 'quality' about it. I can't define it, but it looks a class above digital printing (maybe when I've had a go on the massive digital printers at college I'll compare the two). When you have that print in your hands after hours of test strips and buggering about with chemicals the sense of satisfaction is wonderful and real. I won't go into retouching, it's too painful to mention, just remember kids, dust is your enemy.

The Blythe people photo series looked great on the wall and everyone liked it - I got good to excellent (65-75%) mark in my peer review and we get our actual mark / the work back in mid-January after the lecturers can be arsed to deal with it.

I forgot to take my camera in, so I didn't get the series in situ but I will re-photograph them all together when I get them back and put them up on my flickr. When I can scape together the postage I will send out the full size prints to those who took part...

Now one more essay (and another over Christmas) and I can relax.

I've been struck down with a cold. I'm achey, tired, snotty, blocked and headachey and everything seems to take three times as long. I was fine Monday night, just a slight sniffle down the pub, and now whoomp a big horrid cold. I'm hoping I'm better by the weekend as I have discovered I am trebled booked for Saturday night. Hey three Christmas parties, three parts of London and a tube map... I'll be fine right?

I'm 'pleased' to have fallen ill this week as it has been hell on wheels at Uni up until now. But my documentary project is nearly done and I just have a quick essay to dash off before the 14th so that's a relief. I am sure I won't be saying that next Tuesday come the crits but hey... Again, they don't seem to schedule enough time for us to carry out our practical work. One of the main problems is that as a year group of 60+ students there just aren't enough enlargers/space/lecturer time to go around...

Knowing what it was like on our last photography project, Landscape, (which I got 71% for, go me) I planned a really strict timetable for myself knowing I'd be out most of week four in Venice. Bloody good job I did really as I've been sleeping pretty much yesterday and today. My classmates are stressing out/fighting over the colour enlargers this week.

Note to self; I actually like colour printing. I don't know why, as it seems ten times harder than black and white (being totally in the dark, no red safe lights here to help you cut your test strips or position your paper) and takes three times as long to get a decent print (between 1.5hrs-3.5hrs depending on how 'difficult' your print is). That said I get a real feel sense of satisfaction when the colours pop out just right. It's amazing. It looks even better at 30cm x 40cm too.

Next week is the last week of term. Then we have the best part of a month break. I don't know really what to make of term one but I think I expected (in this age of client service relationships) more for my three grand a year fee. A good few times in my practical lessons we've been given ten minutes instruction on say strobes or medium format or colour printing and then told to get on with it. I'm all for reading around a subject and taking an equal responsibility for my own learning but really. I feel that I'm learning mostly by myself.

Our theory lectures are a bit different and are actually excellent. Our two main tutors there are very down with the information and realise that what they are teaching really isn't self-evident. Consequently, I am becoming a bigger theory geek than ever. Still hate the essay writing though.

Because of the above I've decided not to work all of Christmas break and concentrate on teaching myself everything I ever wanted to know about off camera lighting. It's going to be a big part of our course and our lecturers don't seem disposed to teach it. They'll probably concentrate on big studio lighting situations which for me is not what photography is all about. I'm a big fan of available daylight and using flash only when I have to... maybe that'll change (and I'll start carting around even more stuff), who knows. I also have another essay that we are lumbered with over Christmas... thanks lecturers.

Hope your December's are going well so far and you're are not getting caught up in holiday season panic yet? Hey, with the holidays approaching I might even start blogging more regularly.

TTFN.

PS. New flat still exactly the same. Applying for permissions and all that boring stuff. Hopefully we'll start ripping out stuff in the New Year.

Mark and I got back from Venice late Saturday night - had a fabulous Birthday four day break. I even got a bowl of tiramisu complete with 'Happy Birthday' written on it in chocolate, candles and the waitress singing happy birthday to you. I am now back to reality with a bump.

A special thank you goes out to Miss Sith who's card I got when I arrived back home - the most perfect card a girl could wish for - I love you K!

I've shot all my films for my project now; tomorrow I go into the darkroom for a few solid days printing... I hope my lecturers like them. This term has been the most whirlwindy thing I could have imagined - two projects back to back and a bushel of essays.

I got my first project results today, the landscape one... a first (71%) woot! There is no way I am keeping this up though.

I'm uploading some digital scans of my latest project on my Flickr if you fancy a peek.

Back to the workbook.

I urgently need the help of all of my London or near London and Brighton based Blythe friends! I am shooting a documentary project at college this term and would like to shoot some of you lovely people holding your favourite girl. I am trying to get permissions/lecturers to agree my project at the moment so I can't say it is definitely going ahead until next Monday... but with that in mind:

I would need eight people either based in London and/or Brighton who would be available for a shoot either next week: Tuesday or Wednesday daytime, Wednesday evening (London only), Thursday or Friday afternoon/evening (London only) or next Saturday daytime. Ideally I'd like daytime shoots for better available light but I know many people obviously work.

I would come to you to shoot; so it could be your home, your work, a bar, a park - anywhere you like! It will take about an hour. I will be shooting film and will probably take half a roll to a roll for each person. You will of course get a lovely print/s for your generous time when the project is over!

Now, I know a lot of people are shy. I plan to shoot in two ways to get around this - people can hold their Blythe at waist height and will only shoot you from the shoulders down or you can hold your girl in front of your face. Hopefully this will encourage people to come forward! People volunteering will not be identified in any way in the pictures/titles/text and the pictures will be seen at most by 2 of my lecturers and 10 of my class at my critique at the end of term.

If you think you might like to take part please please get in contact  - bobblelife [at] gmail [dot] com

Even if I do not get the go ahead I shall still do the project anyway (though over the Christmas break rather than next week) for my portfolio.

Thanks so much everyone!

I'm being assessed for the first time. For two whole freaking days. By other students.

Nothing about that to fear eh?

I am more nervous than if I was waiting to have all my teeth pulled out. Other students talking about my work with no idea as to my concept (which is so not obvious) in front of 60 people!!!!

Save me someone. I'm just thankful that the 'proper' mark comes from the lecturers in two weeks time when they can see my concept, my sketch workbook, and all the reasearch I've done.

I go back to the studio in ten minutes for the torture session. Wish me well.

I love all my college library books with their obscure sounding titles and yellowed dog-eared pages.

But, I am feeling a little overwhelmed. After not exercising my critical muscles for a while it is amazing how easily ones brain can sink into a mode of comfortable fluff and superficiality.

I'm looking at my desk filled with books, academic journals and photocopies of materials for my four critical theory essays this term (I have two major photographic projects to complete with their own theory elements as well.) The sheer amount of reading is boggling; even though I am trying to be a 'smart-reader'.

     "You did sign up for this so there is no room for complaining here Bobble."

     "I am complaint free! I'm just feel buried." Runs the conversation with myself.

Flicking through the dog-eared pages produces a 'slurry' of theory smooshing together into a paragraph like this:

"... such doctrines involve a peculiarly neopragmatic rhetoric of assent in the process creating a self-enclosed signifying system in that it creates an irreducible disequivalence of the symbolic and mortgaged penis as referent whereby the hermeneutic code morphemes is thermatization. Distended, the functional nuclei furnish intercalating spaces like the orders of simulacra and the analogue of Baudrillard's metanarrative now fast approaching the stature of platitudes. A Weberian or a Durkheimian position  has distinguished the para-Marxist tradition for understanding aesthetic modes of working différance but the historical and epochal unfolding of being proceeds from the psychical impotence of the anal fixation*..."

I shall go bald with hair gnawing I fear.

*I hate Freud already.

Well I had my library induction today and it taught me two useful things:

1. Head librarians can be weird - but very useful - people, who may sweat a lot
2. Those who run fast get book

For my £3,000 yearly fee I am clearly expecting too much - like that there will be more than 8 copies of each key text in the library. A combination of running and guile ensured I snagged four books which are deemed essential reading but I have a mere week (damn those one week loans) to read a particularly heavy going critical theory book on landscape photography... oh and did I mention I'm trying to pack and move house at the same time?

Moving day is set for next Wednesday. We get the keys on Monday and I am actually counting down the hours until I will have a shorter journey to college. A bus, two tubes and a walk can mean a journey of 16km can take anything from 1 and a quarter hours up to two hours. From Wednesday I will just have two tubes to cope with. Living on the edge of Zone 1 will have it's perks.

My first practical classes were on Monday and Tuesday this week. Besides a disgreement with one of my lecturers they were fun. I also stuffed up my first film ("A learning experience." Go me!) due to me not having operated this particular camera in total manual mode before. For me 35mm is SLR digital and Medium Format is for film manual. I am an apeture priority kinda gal you know. So, I downloaded the manual for said camera when I got home on Monday night. I know now you have to have a certain switch on for M mode to work fully ;) Ah well, my workbook/sketchbook will state it all in positive outcome terms; though I think I've got about 6 decent frames from a 36 exp roll.

My disagreement was my tutor misunderstanding why I wanted my final project assignment for this module to be in a geographical area that I can easily get to. She gave me a speech in front of the whole class about how I must get used to toting around lots of stuff about. I think she thinks I'm just moving from one set of halls to another. No love, I'm moving a whole fricking house worth of stuff. Next week my wordly chattles will be going from SW London to SE London and the darkrooms are in NW London. Although I had my hand up for a Barbican assignment the tutor ignored me and my request (I nearly got lumbered with a Harrow on the Hill one mind). I ended up with City Airport so it could be worse.

Surprisingly the critical theory class today was entertaining, inspiring and funny. I must be more of a geek than I thought.

Tomorrow = more critical theory.

My first week at Uni seems to be going well. We aren't really doing much as it's enrolment and Freshers stuff this week. Next Monday lectures start in earnest.

We had a bit of a surprise on Tuesday though. After being spoken to about module choices - sadly we don't find out until next week if language electives fit into the timetable so doing Japanese is still not decided upon - we were challenged to go out and grab some shots in the next 20 minutes on campus. Eeek taking photographs on day two!

We were each given a word and told to take as many shots as we desired then narrow that down to one to submit for an exhibition on Friday afternoon. At the display all of the course (including 2nd and 3rd years) would be present and all the lecturers.

*wobbly knees moment*

I had 'translucent' as my word. After getting over the shock I actually took about 30 shots and narrowing it down was definitely that hardest part. We'll see what the audience think on Friday...

Yesterday was involved queuing for an NUS card (which now costs £10; wow it used to be free). They take your photo digitally now and you have a number like a credit card number on your card - so the days of forging a copy of a card for your mate on photoshop are over. I then exercised my student spending power in Boxfresh (lovely autumn collection this year boys and girls) and Superdry (so many funky Japanese tops) in Covent Garden.

I've met a really nice girl in my tutor group called Emma. She is a mature student too and we are very alike in our likes, temper and photographic leanings. I'm really glad as I was scared before the start of term that everyone would be 18 and think me positively ancient as I'm over 30. In fact there are three other mature students in my tutor group and one of the guys (there are only two of us girls) is 35 so I'm not the oldest! Talking of tutors we got them appointed totally at random and I prayed that I got the lovely Andre who interviewed me. Anyone who had such stylish glasses as he must be a nice person! Being a B in the alphabet was on my side and I got Andre as my personal tutor. Phew, having someone you don't like as a personal tutor for the next three years would be very hard. He's lovely. He's Swedish-German with kind lively eyes and a soft voice - very reassuring! In fact our lecturers are a very cosmopolitan lot with 4 Scandinavians, one American and one Japanese lady amongst them.

Last night I went to dinner with my photographic mentor Caz. She is such a lovely funny lady and she brought me a spare manual 35mm film body for me to borrow. The secondhand one I bought from eBay doesn't have a cable release socket. That was duly added to my growing camera equipment pile: three medium format cameras, two 35mm film SLRs, one 35mm digital SLR and one compact digital. I definitely need a bigger cupboard.

Today, we are off to an exhibtion - but that doesn't start until 11.00. Lovely.