My Dissertation is nearly finished.

The problem with being a third year university student has to be the dissertation.

Ive somehow just managed to finish mine, and god was it stressful. Ive had repeated fights with my boyfriend because of it, (and im fully aware that i left it till almost the last minute)
its due in tomorrow and i have to write a bibliography, appendix and an abstract.
But nothing will make me happier than handing it in tomorrow and having the relief from not having to write another 8,000 to 10,000 words.

But i have to start thinking about what to do for my final project... we have to write a 2000 - 3000 words feature for one or two magazines... or we can do an online piece.
im not sure what to do ive got words floating all around my head.. embedded journalists this, and embedded journalists that. But im glad ive finished my dissertation only three months till i graduate.

Then i have to get a job and pay taxes. Cant wait.

80 is the new 70.

I just got through reading an entry on Shellys Opinions about the possible rising of the speed limit on motorway to 80 instead of 70.

This strikes me as a good plan, lots of people cruise about 10mph over the designated speed limit in almost any zone, but will this mean that people will end up cruising 10 mph over the 80 limit? If so it just seems to be getting more dangerous as time goes by.

New Malden High street has just been made a 20mph zone, and has adapted padestrian friendly pavements (the ones that are the same level as the road, which i don't think is too friendly) With a happy new slogan... 20's plenty. But now trying to down the high street in under 15 minutes is a push as the traffic keeps mounting.

Surely however if the speed limit does get increased it will have been a waste of money putting all the speed camera's in, although im sure they are easy to change the settings, well you'd think they would be anyway.

The new introduction of average speed camera's on motorways are not pleasing to many drivers at the moment either. Are they just a trap to make money out of careful but speedie drivers or do they keep people safe? Answer on a postcard at CourageousChicken.blogspot.com

System of a Wow.

The forthcoming album ‘Mezmerize’ from American legends System of a Down has everyone biting their nails in anticipation. The group who have not released any new material since their 2001 hit album Toxicity has teased the world with the new release B.Y.O.B. (bring your own bombs).

The band have followed in the footsteps of other musicians such as Eminem, angered by the War on Iraq, and put their beliefs into music. System of a down online gives the meaning to the song and this is what they had to say:

‘The whole meaning to B.Y.O.B. is the war going on in Iraq. How the president just throws us into war, which is why they keep repeating the line "Why don't presidents fight their own wars? Why do they always send the poor?"

The new album has a slightly different sound to the old, unlike most of the other releases where front man Serj Tankian produces most of the vocals, Daron Malakian, guitarist produces a melodic chorus to the feel to metal movement. The music is truely an amazing sound. I advice anyone and everyone to check it out.

Album is due for release on 16th May.

Just My Luck

Not only did my parents decide to go on a wonderful holiday to spain without me the week before my all my assignments are due in, which does not allow time for a party, but they left me with a blocked kitchen sink.

They thought could be easily rectified with Mr. Muscle, but that didn't work, unknown to any of us was the severeness of the block, as it has also stoped my dishwasher from working, unfortunatly though I was unaware of this until I switched it on at 12.15 this morning only to watch my kitchen fill with foam.

Having never experienced a problem like this before I was unsure of what exactly I should do, which made for an interesting phone call to Spain at 1.15am. My parents were not best pleased. So it was decided this morning that my elder brother and I were to live of paper plates and plastic cutlery until their return on Wednesday.
Oh the fun.

Im also suffering from techno fear at the moment as my computer has decided to become infected with some evil virus, and im just terrified to switch it on.

For future knowledge: Dont use a dishwasher while your sink is blocked!

Response to 'Portrait of the student as a young swot'

Ive just got through reading an article by Polly Curtis in the Guardian Education on how Students are becoming 'Swots'.

I agree and disagree with quite a lot of this article. There are a lot of students who do work hard consistantly through out the year, but lets face it, how many teenagers go to university and not have fun.

The idea of univesity is to get a degree but have a great time doing it, right? I myself am not one of these consistant people. Generally I miss lessons or I'm late, due to public transport which is why I am so unmotivated to work.

Which brings me to my next point, as a student living at home with my parents I do feel like I have missed out on a big social aspect of uni, living 30 miles away (and not being able to drive) means that I would not easily be able to socialise with a universtity crowd without having to leave early to get home or sleep on someones floor.

Although I do still have an active life away from Farnham. When I'm not working three times a week to be able to afford train fare, i spend most of my time watching TV or surfing the net, very rarely to i do any studying unless there is an approaching deadline.
And even then there is still a distinct lack of motivation.

The benefits of living at home for me are:
I don't have to pay rent,
food is free,
washing is free and
I get to sleep in a nice big comfy bed.

Technology is also a big deal for me, as it is with most students. As well as my free comforts at home, i have a TV, dvd player, playstation 2 and Sky available 24/7. Which ok im not showing off about, but I don't know how I would cope without.
Which seems to be the case with most students that I know.

From Horror to Game Show

Recently I have been watching far to much television especially in the middle of the night (because I am a long term sufferer of insomnia).

Challenge TV hosts many classic game shows like the Kryton Factor and the Crystal maze, but there is this one show called Takeshi's castle which is a Japanese endurance game, which is quite amusing to say the least. And as it turns out Takeshi (who owns the castle?!) is in fact Takeshi Kitano the mastermind behind such Japanese horror film Brother and actor from same genre Battle Royale II: Requiem.
If you have ever experienced a Takeshi Kitano film then you will probabaly find it difficult to believe Takeshi's Castle is not a joke.

Craig Charles (Red Dwarf and Rob ot Wars) delivers the English commentary as 100 Japanese hopefuls put their bodies through tortue in games such as 'Bridge Ball' 'Skipping Stones' and 'Dragon Lake'. If you complete all of the games then the contestents get the chance to storm Takeshi's Castle at the end.

Only once have I seen someone actually win this game, but you didnt get to know what the prize was. What makes this programme show stupid is that no one in England seems to know what is going on, including Craig Charles but he manages to put a smile on the audiences faces by turning everything into an inuendo.
It's a pretty insane show to watch especially if your in need of a good laugh.

Doughnut Heaven

This is for anyone who has a sweet tooth and lives around South West London.

The new Krispy Kreme Doughnut shop is opening on Shannon Corner in New Malden.

Krispy Kreme have been selling Doughnuts and Coffee since 1937.

The grand opening is on Thursday 5th May at 7am so if your in the area you should check it out as they are the tastiest doughnuts around and have until now only been available at Selfridges and Bluewater shopping centre, Essex.

They have a wide selections of coffee and doughnuts available from 'maple iced glazed' to 'cinnemon apple filled' and the 'original glazed'

So in the words of Homer Simpson - hmmm Doughnuts.

Tip Of The Day

'If Someones trying to shoot you with a bazooka, don’t run away, ‘cause it’s easier to hit someone from a distance. Run towards them!'

- Eddie Izzard - Glorious -