With just two days at 'school' under my belt, it is already time to submit my first graded essay Assignment.
It is, in fact, the first essay I have written in 15 years, although my study at that time was in physical anatomy rather than literary anatomy. There's a big difference. It has been 30 years since I last wrote an 'Arts' essay.
Assuming an air of undauntedness I do not really feel, I consider the comparability of our modern day depictions of Cleopatra with Roman writings about her. We are to choose a film or TV depiction to focus on. I choose 'Carry on Cleo'. Judging by others' comments, I am the only one to even consider choosing this version but I like the silliness of it far more than the pseudo-epic and romanticised nonsense of the most of the other options. I find I have a lot to say but the word limit is 500. That's a tough call for a supreme waffler such as myself.
Part 2 of this assignment is a close analysis of a passage from Dr Faustus. Oh, hello English Lit, long time, no see... Alliteration, assonance (getting the rhyme wrong!) prose and blank verse. Into the mixing pot they all go for a stir and, again with a 500 word limit, some serious time in reduction.
Methinks assignment 1 is all about the art of minimalist paraphrasing.
Astoundingly, for someone born with a current and recessive 'late' gene on both sides of my family, I submit my assignment 4 days before the cut off date. Glowing with pride I am at that. My tutor is heroic and has marked and returned our papers ready for release at midnight on the cut-off date. I am grateful not to have a long and agonising wait.
88% for my first grade. I am immediately disappointed that it wasn't 100% or even in the 90s, but that's me. Perfectionistic self-sabotage is a sneaky little trait I'm going to have to keep quite a close eye on. Regardless, it is a seminal moment of truth. For the first time since hatching this plan 4 months ago and signing up to student loan funding and committing to all of this, I know for sure that I am capable of at least surviving the first year and I am so happy!
I have no idea how anyone else has got on as we have a 'no results-sharing' policy on the group website. I am perfectly happy to be in my little bubble of ignorance on that one!
Moment of Truth
With just two days at 'school' under my belt, it is already time to submit my first graded essay Assignment.
It is, in fact, the first essay I have written in 15 years, although my study at that time was in physical anatomy rather than literary anatomy. There's a big difference. It has been 30 years since I last wrote an 'Arts' essay.
Assuming an air of undauntedness I do not really feel, I consider the comparability of our modern day depictions of Cleopatra with Roman writings about her. We are to choose a film or TV depiction to focus on. I choose 'Carry on Cleo'. Judging by others' comments, I am the only one to even consider choosing this version but I like the silliness of it far more than the pseudo-epic and romanticised nonsense of the most of the other options. I find I have a lot to say but the word limit is 500. That's a tough call for a supreme waffler such as myself.
Part 2 of this assignment is a close analysis of a passage from Dr Faustus. Oh, hello English Lit, long time, no see... Alliteration, assonance (getting the rhyme wrong!) prose and blank verse. Into the mixing pot they all go for a stir and, again with a 500 word limit, some serious time in reduction.
Methinks assignment 1 is all about the art of minimalist paraphrasing.
Astoundingly, for someone born with a current and recessive 'late' gene on both sides of my family, I submit my assignment 4 days before the cut off date. Glowing with pride I am at that. My tutor is heroic and has marked and returned our papers ready for release at midnight on the cut-off date. I am grateful not to have a long and agonising wait.
88% for my first grade. I am immediately disappointed that it wasn't 100% or even in the 90s, but that's me. Perfectionistic self-sabotage is a sneaky little trait I'm going to have to keep quite a close eye on. Regardless, it is a seminal moment of truth. For the first time since hatching this plan 4 months ago and signing up to student loan funding and committing to all of this, I know for sure that I am capable of at least surviving the first year and I am so happy!
I have no idea how anyone else has got on as we have a 'no results-sharing' policy on the group website. I am perfectly happy to be in my little bubble of ignorance on that one!