Khoi's Long Overdue Field Report

Wow. That was fast. Like a highly efficient bus driver, you arrive at somewhere where you thought would take ages much faster. In my case, the end of my first semester.

And thankfully enough, coming out relatively unscathed and scar-free. For one, I wasn't even expecting to be near computers in my original degree course, and the choice of BSc Games Technology from Clearing looked a bit...well...stupid, in hindsight.

But yet, here I am, still in UWE, still on the course, and doing rather well, having gathered 2:1's on 3 assignments so far. And no-one has laughed at my shocking computer skills yet.

...Well, not in my face anyway. They're probably doing it now though, roaring with laughter and slapping their thigh for good measure. (And who exactly are "they", Khoi, the Honourable Scholars of the Internet?)

You may have noticed I'm not exactly whooping with joy. No, far from it. Why? Well, quoting from The Automatic's song "Monster", I can most definitely see a monster, it is most definitely coming over the hill, and it is most DEFINITELY going to be much bigger, badder, and hold more Javascript problems than I have encountered before. This? This semester was nothing. And January is going to be nasty. Woo yay.

"But oh come on, Khoi, it's nearly Christmas! Sing to your heart's content! Huzzah! Huzzah!"

Yes, of course, how thoughtless of me. Past Christmasses have somehow been a bit lacking, but this year shan't be the same. This I can tell from the fact that there were carol singers at UWE, and almost eradicated my normal hatred to society, and replaced it with a warm fuzzy feeling that told me to smile widely, skip around for a bit, then stumble into a wardrobe that leads into an alternate universe of candyfloss and milkshakes, and then I'd join a circle of lollipops and then we'd dance for ever...and ever...and ever...

And then I bite off one of their heads. Mwahaha.

...Anyway. Erm.

I think at this point I'm starting to get a bit sentimental. Well, I can think of a few reasons why.

It's been difficult, not only with the academic side, but with the social side. As many of you might have heard me moan loudly, I live on private accomodation, which of course kind of cuts me off from everyone else. It's sad, I know. I could hear the faint sound of non-stop party music from the Student Village, and the sound of laughter, while I howl into the night. On top of a mountain cliff, of course.

So there was only one thing to do. Join societies!

Unfortunately, there were a few disappointments. Bar School, for example, lost its spark quite early. Tae Kwon Do is fun, but there's only so much socialising you can do whilst you're gasping for air and trying to keep your legs intact with the rest of the human body, and Live Music...there doesn't seem to be anything for Live Music. Heh.

Which leaves Drama, and thankfully, this has been by far the best society I've joined. Most people might not realise this, but it is the first society to have an actual entry requirement, that being you have to have some screws loose in the brain. They examine you and everything.

I was quite surprised however, although really I shouldn't have been, to realise that the majority of our language is pretty much based on sexual innuendo. Anything can be misinterpreted as something else, everyone goes "waheyyyy", and then everyone laughs.

Not to say it's a bad thing. But I do sometimes worry that continued exposure of this kind will affect my general English. And that it will make an ill-advised appearance on my dissertation in the near future.

At least I'll know who to blame.

Either way, I'm still glad I've made the choice to join the Drama Society. The people are great, the friends I've made are fantastic, and I hope for many happy times in the future.

Merry Christmas!