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Maybe I can do this after all....

I still have doubts about my ability to pass this course, but at least now I am physically managing this uni lark. For the first couple of weeks, if I wasn't at class I was asleep. The physical effort of getting around campus, sitting in my wheelchair all day, and all that concentrating (and confusion) were exhausting. Because I was so tired, and so asleep, I was behind in reading and assignment preparation from the outset. I was also hampered by not having any text books until 2 weeks into the semester (I had no money until then) and my chronic inability to focus or apply myself to studying outside of classes.

Now that I am in Week 5, I am much more accustomed to the physical requirements, and my fatigue levels seem to be similar to when I was working (ie tolerable). Although it's come too late to get any of my first assignments in on time (I have extensions for all three; one since submitted), I am at least in a position to try to catch up. I no longer have to sleep until Friday to recover from a day and a half on campus, and am getting progressively better at studying, and for longer periods. My procrastination tendencies will probably always be with me, but I'll keep working on controlling them.

I having been finding sitting at the desk for long periods a bit hard on my, er, bum, but using the cushion from my wheelchair for extra padding is helping. Other than that, cat-wrangling is the one thing I will keep having to contend with. Fred is very consistent and persistent in his attacking of my books, printer, keyboard and paper, and loves sitting on top of my laptop (and often changing settings, turning things on and off, including the laptop itself). He is currently sitting on the printer, rubbing his face on the corner of my laptop screen. Staring at me....

Anyway, I shall be trying to catch up now, and working consistently to get future assignments in by their original due date. This will be fun, as my first Assignment 2 is due in 2 weeks' time.

So I'd better get on with it.


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Comments

  1. Damian CugleyAugust 30, 2011 at 8:37 PM

    Brava! And glad that things are getting easier, even if not yet easy...

    I am not really qualified to offer sitting advice to a wheelchair user but a setup that enables a variety of postures can be better than one that is set up just so but requires you sit in the same way all day. The Pomodoro technique (?ritual) might help as well - http://www.pomodorotechnique.com/

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousAugust 31, 2011 at 12:30 AM

    ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mz JenianSeptember 11, 2011 at 5:54 PM

    I've been inadvertently doing a Pomodoro technique, by setting my timer for set periods of studying, but I'm looking into the Technique further to see if I can get more out of it. Cheers!

    ReplyDelete

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