Yesterday's realisation that we have (had!) just two weeks to go before leaving the island for the winter has galvanised us into action. We have been out to look at the RV with a cold hard stare, a retractable tape measure, and a notebook.
Our first task was to determine which of our "Really Useful" boxes will fit into the skirt lockers and what is the most useful configuration of said boxes. Then the same routine with the under-bed storage area. My follow-on activity now is to ensure that we have sufficient empty boxes of the right dimensions, bring them into the house and ready them for packing over the coming days.
That is the easy part. The harder task is listing what we want need to have with us and what items are to be stored where. I shall soon have lists coming out of my ears.
I have made a mental note that I need to accommodate one empty box that will receive my OU mailing when we arrive on site and this led to a more concentrated examination of my "study area". I mean... there isn't one. I will be studying at the dinette table, the same area where I shall prepare meals and we will eat them. The same area where we will spend our evenings with Scrabble or Trivial Pursuit or Lego. The same area where Mr L will site his laptop for maintaining his software product and supporting his users.
It is clear to me that I have set myself a distinct challenge and that I will certainly have to brush up on my organisation and tidying skills. I see no way forward other than to dedicate one of my clip top storage boxes to "Beth's OU" and ensure that (a) everything fits into it and (b) it is properly used and stored readily at hand. For each study period I shall have to unearth the box, unpack it, lay out my work area, get stuck in, then reverse the process when done.
Self-discipline is not my strong point and it is difficult to teach this old dog new tricks.
So, this led to some fairly deep thinking about my approach to study. In the past my study habits have been poor. They need to improve but I am not certain that I am up to it.
There will be conflicting needs to address. I have already had a discussion that went along the lines of "I won't be able to sit for extended periods as I used to because it will be cold in the van and I shall need to keep moving." I recognised in that conversation that many advise 20 minute periods for intensive study, with a break in between. So I can get up, move around, make a coffee or take the dog for a walk up the hill and be a perfect student. I'm not sure I'd pack away my stuff though!
Overall I expect that the need to unpack and then pack away again will tend to encourage my very bad habit of studying infrequently but excessively. When I was doing my MSc, I would put the Beethoven Symphonies on the CD changer and sit and work my way through all nine before stopping. There is little wonder that I retained little of that learning.
So, yes, the overall giddiness of having registered at the last minute for a new degree is beginning to subside. The awful realisation that I have no plan for how I am going to make this work is sobering me up rapidly.
Now.. will my stuff fit into an 18 litre storage box or shall I require the 42 litre model? I definitely hope we won't be facing packing and lugging the 64 litre one...
..and why.... WHY is Mr L suggesting to me that we leave earlier than planned!
