The last few weeks my stress levels have been through the roof! I had three assignments back to back and rather than cleverly plan ahead I thought I could do the impossible by starting each one a week before it was due in. Start, research, write and finish three 3000 word assignments in a week each.
The most amazing part of this decision is that I managed it! I'm not sure I had enough references on one of them, definitely didn't have enough analysis on the second but the third one, which I found the hardest to begin with, I was really pleased with. Of course this means that i've probably got the worst mark on that one! But that's a worry for another week.
Two days before the final assignment was due in I went to a house party (I know, I should have been at home working but, well, I wasn't). And it was there that I decided to take on yet another task which I probably don't have time for, and definitely not organised enough to handle but that I simply could not ignore:
I am organising the University of Salford Graduation Ball 2011.
And before you ask, yes, I am mad! A friend of mine helped organise last years and I love balls. I love an excuse to go out and buy a brand new dress. I love having a three course meal and a night out which I can guarantee won't get messy. So when I found out that the Students Union weren't organising one for us this year, and hadn't for a few years, I was outraged.
Finishing university without the grand send off is like doing 50 years in the same job and being given a card rather than a gold watch! It's just not on. So I, somewhat drunkenly, decided I would make the ball happen myself.
That was a week ago and since then we've decided dates, looked round venues, met with events managers, rung round chocolate fountain rentals, begged for sponsorship and informed everyone of the news. I honestly believe i've done more growing up in the last week than I have ever done before.
Ordinarily I am terrified of phones, it's the unknown of what will be said on the other end that scares me. But this week i've just done it without hesitation. I also get nervous when meeting a stranger. This week i've met a stranger every day and survived. I've grown in confidence, something which was essential to getting good deal offers from the various venues, and i'm now prepared to go into the unknown until the ball happens.
In the next two months I will meet strangers, make dozens of phone calls, beg for money from anyone I think will sponsor the event, haggle costs with several different people and take charge of hundreds of students until they each buy a ticket. If you'd told me that's what i'd be doing this time last month I would have laughed in your face or hidden behind the sofa.
And next week I get even more grown up- I get to do work experience with the Sale and Altrincham Messenger all week. This is more growing up still because it's early mornings for an entire week, something I haven't done for almost three years, travelling to unknown areas of Greater Manchester, and I can imagine there are going to be many phone calls throughout the week.
This time next week I will be unrecognisable from the version of me that started the year! And the other difference might possibly be that I will be an award winning journalist... Yes, that's right! I am up for Student Journalist of the Year once again, having lost it to a good friend of mine last year. I don't expect to win it, the team on the Salford Direct this year have been fantastic and they all deserve an award but it's possible!
Since work experience next week is very journalism-related I will be trying to do a blog every evening of next week but I make no promises so keep your eyes open!
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