Today was Day One proper of my Graduate Diploma in Education, which will qualify me to become a high school teacher, specialising in senior English (supposedly; more of that later).
Today, was EXHAUSTING! I have a 3-hour workshop from 8am, two hours off, then another 2 hours of lecture/tutorial. From next week, one of those 2 hours off will be taken up with another lecture, and I think I may even gain another tutorial from 5 - 7pm.
So, although I am totally stuffed after today's effort, I got off lightly. There was a timetabling mix-up, which meant that 2 of our tutorials (or "tutes", to use the vernacular) were scheduled at the same time. I thought I had stuffed up my enrolment, so un-enrolled from one of the modules, but then found out this afternoon that I can re-enrol, because they are rescheduling the 2nd tute (thankfully, not to Mondays).
However, if that does leave me with an 11-hour day, I might have to stay un-enrolled, and hope I can catch this other module next semester. I really don't think I can manage that much in one day!!! I'm pretty sure Dexter can't, either.
Apart from the incredible brain strain - this intense level of learning is very different from working - I am not used to being in my chair all day. Whether at home or at the office, I would be in and out of my chair or a desk chair (couch/recliner at home) and walking about in short bursts. At uni, although I transfer to a different chair as much as I can, I'm not getting the opportunity to walk about.
However, my doctor agrees that I need to find a way to do this, so that I can maintain this level of in-chair-ness, and I think I have found one way, at least. In my 2-hour break today I went in search of a comfy chair, and found one in the Student Guild bar (Student Union bar to UK peeps). It's only a few steps away from the bar itself, so I could use that for my walking about time, as it is relatively safe. If I stumble, I can either grab onto the bar, or land on the squashy sofa (depending on the direction of travel!).
I will probably get to walk about a bit more in tutes, as I get used to the surroundings and can warn people that I can't move quickly, or backwards, or sideways, and that sometimes I stumble, but not to panic.
I hope I will become accustomed to all of this mental and physical exertion (there is great accessibility at QUT (Kelvin Grove, can't speak for the other campuses), once one knows how to find all the ramps and lifts (I took a very convoluted route to my 8am lecture, not knowing that there was a ramp on the other side of the library, and I just have to go through the library to get to it), but even on the "level" there are distinct inclines, possibly only discernable to people in wheelchairs), and just to make sure I can cope with it all, I am trying to ensure I am eating really well. I have exceeded my grocery budget for the month, but at least I can take nutrient-packed lunches and snacks in to uni. Cheaper than buying it on campus, at least.
I have classes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays as well, but those days are nothing compared to Mondays. I still start at 9am and 8am respectively, but I finish by lunchtime each day. After which I will of course go to the library and do lots of studying. Of course!
Today, was EXHAUSTING! I have a 3-hour workshop from 8am, two hours off, then another 2 hours of lecture/tutorial. From next week, one of those 2 hours off will be taken up with another lecture, and I think I may even gain another tutorial from 5 - 7pm.
So, although I am totally stuffed after today's effort, I got off lightly. There was a timetabling mix-up, which meant that 2 of our tutorials (or "tutes", to use the vernacular) were scheduled at the same time. I thought I had stuffed up my enrolment, so un-enrolled from one of the modules, but then found out this afternoon that I can re-enrol, because they are rescheduling the 2nd tute (thankfully, not to Mondays).
However, if that does leave me with an 11-hour day, I might have to stay un-enrolled, and hope I can catch this other module next semester. I really don't think I can manage that much in one day!!! I'm pretty sure Dexter can't, either.
Apart from the incredible brain strain - this intense level of learning is very different from working - I am not used to being in my chair all day. Whether at home or at the office, I would be in and out of my chair or a desk chair (couch/recliner at home) and walking about in short bursts. At uni, although I transfer to a different chair as much as I can, I'm not getting the opportunity to walk about.
However, my doctor agrees that I need to find a way to do this, so that I can maintain this level of in-chair-ness, and I think I have found one way, at least. In my 2-hour break today I went in search of a comfy chair, and found one in the Student Guild bar (Student Union bar to UK peeps). It's only a few steps away from the bar itself, so I could use that for my walking about time, as it is relatively safe. If I stumble, I can either grab onto the bar, or land on the squashy sofa (depending on the direction of travel!).
I will probably get to walk about a bit more in tutes, as I get used to the surroundings and can warn people that I can't move quickly, or backwards, or sideways, and that sometimes I stumble, but not to panic.
I hope I will become accustomed to all of this mental and physical exertion (there is great accessibility at QUT (Kelvin Grove, can't speak for the other campuses), once one knows how to find all the ramps and lifts (I took a very convoluted route to my 8am lecture, not knowing that there was a ramp on the other side of the library, and I just have to go through the library to get to it), but even on the "level" there are distinct inclines, possibly only discernable to people in wheelchairs), and just to make sure I can cope with it all, I am trying to ensure I am eating really well. I have exceeded my grocery budget for the month, but at least I can take nutrient-packed lunches and snacks in to uni. Cheaper than buying it on campus, at least.
I have classes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays as well, but those days are nothing compared to Mondays. I still start at 9am and 8am respectively, but I finish by lunchtime each day. After which I will of course go to the library and do lots of studying. Of course!
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