Life or something like it

So, the first week of fourth year is over and I can honestly say I am EXHAUSTED. Between all of the talk of dissertations, presentations and articles, trying to decide between radio and print and catching up with everyone I haven't seen for months, I'm feeling very overwhelmed (but in a good way). The decision between print and radio is a big one. I thought I'd go to radio and be a bit "meh" about it cos, let's face it, my heart is and probably always will be in print. But I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, it sucked that the class took place at 9AM on a Friday morning in a room with no windows, not to mention the fact I'd been out the night before celebrating my brother's 18th birthday and was a bit worse for wear, but it was really interesting and I found myself wondering if maybe it is what I want to do after all. I'll have to see how print goes first, of course. But I've a feeling this is going to a much more difficult decision than I'd anticipated.

My final year is already a bit of a headache and I'm feeling SO overwhelmed, but I'm also strangely excited about the work that's to come. That probably sounds a bit weird, but I've always loved my course and that hasn't changed despite the amount of stuff on my shoulders. Being in college is great. I love the atmosphere of the place, even though it's a pretty small building. I get along with practically everybody in my class. There are very few people I have absolutely no time for (and I avoid them completely, so it's grand). Luckily, the bitchiness that characterised the first year or two has pretty much gone. That's not to say that there aren't people who get on everybody's nerves, ask stupid questions, talk about others behind their backs, shoot dirty looks across the classroom or whatever. But those people aren't really being entertained anymore, which is good. We're all growing up, I guess (okay not all of us!).

The fashion in college has been pretty impressive. K and L (the two best-dressed in my class, I believe) look awesome as always, in on-trend sparkles, ankle boots and denim, and vintage with a twist respectively. O has been mixing oversized and tight stuff together to great effect. Saz, of course, has been her usual funky, mod ballerina self. She and I went shopping during a three hour break on Thursday and I got new, grey skinny jeans and a pink Criminal Damage dress (because they've finally opened a shop in Dublin downstairs in Arnotts - I'll never leave!), both of which I LOVE. I still need a winter jacket and some more woollen stuff for winter. I really want a short leather jacket too, but I just can't afford any of that now. I have very little money, but new clothes are difficult to resist. Sometimes I buy em instead of lunch!

I got through Scott Pilgrim volume 5 on the bus in and out this week. It's not a particularly long read, but I was dragging it out because I really didn't want it to end! It was great, albeit kind of sad. The emo has compared me to Ramona (main character's girlfriend) a lot, even though her actions in this book weren't the nicest. I love her, though. I think she's cool and mysterious and really different to most girls, let alone female comic book characters (who usually have big tits and do nothing). She's been broken down by evil ex-boyfriends and she's still dealing with a lot of shit from her past while trying to have a healthy relationship with Scott. I like her a lot. But I like him a lot too, and he reminds me of the emo in his sweet, caring, fun-loving, laidback attitude. I don't know if I can wait till January for the final instalment...

My college playlist, so far, has been quite varied. Since I've been reading newspapers, magazines and, of course, Scott Pilgrim on the bus in, I've just been switching on playlists and playing them through. I've still had lots of Slipknot and Radiohead of course, along with the usual angry shit too. Honourable mentions go to Dead Memories (Slipknot), Party in the USA (live) (Miley Cyrus), What Goes Around (Alesana), My Plague (Slipknot), Strawberry Gashes (Jack Off Jill), Weekend (The Birthday Massacre), Spellbound (Siouxsie and the Banshees), etc, etc... I think I'd die without music. I find it so hard to function without it. I nearly always have music on, songs in my head.. Maybe I'm a bit mental. Oh well.

There has been a lot of discussion about the Lisbon Treaty lately, but I'm not terribly bothered sticking my oar in here because no matter which way one chooses to vote, somebody has a problem with it. So I'm not giving away which way I'm voting. Ha!

Urgh I'm so exhausted.. I was only out once this week, for my brother's 18th which happened to fall on the same day as that Arthur's Day crap. After dinner, he, my father and I ended up in a bar called "Thomas Read's" (near my fave gay bar, which my Dad refused to go to) drinking the night away and watching the bands on a big screen. It turned out to be a pretty good night, despite the fact I was in massive heels, my sister freaked out in Temple Bar because of the broken glass and drunken people everywhere, my Dad bitched about my mother drunkenly and I was up at 6 the next morning. A good night all round. In general.

And now I have to go work on my first presentation of the year, which is auf Deutsch. The games have definitely begun.


Song of the day: Metallica - Seek and Destroy.