Every couple of months all the smaller tutorial groups in each region are gathered together for what's known as a 'Day School'. Big kid that I am, I'm excited at the prospect of a new thing with more people and bigger classes. There is a choice of lectures, six in total, of which we may choose four. Subject titles which would make most people's bones freeze in an instant have me gnashing my teeth that I can only choose four when I want to do them all. Eventually, I decide against 'How to Write a Great Essay' and 'Music for the Terrified' in favour of poetry analysis, Plato, the use of historical data and 'Tradition and Dissent'.
My insanely tolerant partner, on realising the location of my planned day out, rallies up some friends we happen to have in that locality. He then offers to drive me there and book an hotel so that we can have a night out with the friends once I'm done with school. Brilliant plan! As it turns out, this plan probably saved my life as I face the two hour journey there in no fit state to drive and doubt I'd have made in one piece. Not only is it a reasonably early hour but also comes on the back of my daughter's 18th birthday party two nights previously (which had ended at 2am with the calling of paramedics) and 'Friday Cocktails' with girlfriends the night before, leaving me with a total of about seven hours sleep in forty eight hours, a scenario I decide I am far too old to cope with these days. Waking that morning, I can barely see and my mind is slipping about like a box of sedated eels. I am very grateful not to have to drive and not at all sure how well I'll be absorbing new information in this condition, although I've composed myself to a degree by the time I arrive, fortified with coffee and chocolate brownies.
I am dropped off by 'daddy' in the school driveway and stand there for a moment, wondering which way to go, before spotting people sitting next to a window away down the left side of the building. It looks promisingly like an entrance so I trot hopefully down the path, clutching my Costa cup and trying not to trip over my own feet. At the entrance, I tug at the door. Nothing. It doesn't move. Is it me being dim, or pathetically weak? I tug again. People notice.. I grimace pitifully through the glass and am met with a lot of grinning, pointing and gesticulating. Apparently it's the door on the other side of the building I need. Great. Off I trot again hoping this isn't a premonition of how the day will play out.
I'm aware that there are a few people here I've interacted with on the module page and so, having memory issues with names and faces, I've tried to make a mental note of those I might expect to meet. I recognise a grand total of two, not too bad for me really. One of those is on my degree pathway so I'm very glad to connect with her as nearly everyone else seems to be on literature or history degrees and our paths will diverge at the end of this module. There are a few from my tutor group there so I do have some friends to play with at break time, although everyone is very friendly and chatty.
Four different lectures and four VERY different lecturers, but all of them excellent in my book. The first is sound and pragmatic in her approach, interesting and engaging, definitely there to impart fact and knowledge but in a warm and genuine way. The second is tiny and airy, light of voice but amusing and happy to go with the flow, taking up people's suggestions and, by the magic of the internet, bringing those ideas straight to the board as resources. She's fun and she knows her stuff. After lunch (café is not open.. I'm glad I stocked up en-route) the first session starts with a non-working projector and a seemingly rambling monologue, but I am not fooled. This guy knows a lot of stuff. I later understand that his style put a couple of people off but I engage with it immediately, not being a fan of structure in any case. I loved it, felt like we were on a random journey with some mad professor who has so many ideas flying round his head you have to just hang on and hope to catch a few as they fall out along the way. Personally, I took in some big concepts but a few left the classroom with bewildered looks on disbelieving faces. Lastly, brain already saturated, is a philosophy session which revolves around an analogy to do with bees. I have a sensation of a swarm buzzing around in my head, that's for sure, but I liked it in a comforting, nothing left to lose kind of way. She was great but my addled, sleep deprived mind was all but out for the count by this point. Despite this, I feel the day has ended too quickly. I've enjoyed every minute.
I'm picked up by 'daddy' and am swept off out to dinner (and very welcome drinks) with a lovely group of friends who plainly think I'm mad and don't envy my idea of fun one bit.
They don't know what they're missing!