An Insight into the Perilous Depths of University and Learning

The name is Jacob Jones. Unfortunately I greatly enjoy writing, so I was compelled to participate in this blog. I have the time management skills of an eternally outraged gorilla (and no, they have none at all). So we shall see how this goes…

There’s not much to say on the subject of myself. It’s a crying shame that I’m only 17, I will have to wait to September until I can party myself into a raging catastrophe. I will have whole week of celebrations, and it will be called ‘Epic’. You are all invited. Aspley is my place of residence, it’s not a bad spot to reside. I am the oldest of 5 boys so I have been on the brink of insanity for quite some time. Hopefully university will give me a little time off from the general aggravations of ‘normal’ life.

Oh, I took the holidays for granted. After the excitement (and inherent blurriness) of schoolies, I found that I forgot how to write my own name, so unfortunately it’s a skill I’ve had to re-learn. I am about to enter into 5 years of mental anguish and self-implosion; I’m doing a double degree, law and media communications. Legal Studies was the only subject I excelled at during school, and I’ve always had an interest in the media. However, thus far, it seems that 2 years of legal studies appears to be redundant, as I struggled to keep up with the lightening speed of progress and learning in my tutor group on Monday. Or maybe the recovery time from the weekend took a little longer than I anticipated.

In essence, this week has been like the production set of an epic movie. I have been overwhelmed at the sheer scale of this place. It’s like starting year one all over again. However if I understood back then the onslaught of schoolwork which would come down upon me in the next 17 years, I would’ve run to the hills and lived as a hermit. At least at this stage, although I wouldn’t mind running to the hills or jumping from a great height, the prospect of an exciting career of law (hopefully intellectual property) compels me to stay.

Aware as I am that various benefits will arise from studying law, the actual transition from school to university is daunting. The first thing I noticed was the amount of females (which all guys generally do). However, coming from an all boy family and an all boy high school, it will be a strange new world for me to learn with the opposite sex. Additionally, it will be an interesting experience to learn with them, as they do so very differently to males and many are very creative indeed, (I’m as blunt as a 10 foot Incan man) so their influence could prove to be advantageous.

The speed at which we have commenced is unbelievable. Already for media, assessment is due and the law tutor groups have begun to expect questions answered and reading finished. It was shocking. I was shocked. Thankfully, my hair is still in place and not strewn over the floor from a sudden panic attack or mental rage. Hopefully I will grow used to this accelerated environment. Or else suffer in the nether-world of underachievement.

I admit I am apprehensive about the cavernous reaches of legal terminology and media analysis. I feel like an insect who has been squashed a little too many times against a windscreen. Despite being a self professed cynic, I am looking forward to various aspects of university life. My life will not be complete until QUT law school plays our UQ counterparts in rugby. Hopefully I will play flanker or reside on the wing. Oh, the world will never be the same once we annihilate whatever morale they have mustered.

And so it is, the beginning of the rest of my life. It sounds so damn terrible. Though as awful as it does sound, I take solace in the fact that if I try my best for a good 5 years, I will have a lifetime of opportunity brought before me.

Until next time, goodnight and goodluck,

Jacob Jones