h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've got 75% in my latest and penultimate assignment in my MSc. This is thrilling for a variety of reasons.

First, it's a good solid Distinction, and everyone likes to be Distinguished.

Second, it really should secure me enough marks in the taught part of the degree to make it possible for me to get a Distinction in the degree as a whole. They reserve the right to re-mark, you see... so it ain't over till it's over. And of course, I still have to do a stellar dissertation.

Third, it is actually quite an achievement: Timetabling mess-ups meant this assignment overlapped with the previous one, and then I was doing this one in the run-up to my wedding, interleaving it with making my wedding dress and other trivia. (My husband is lovely: he pointed out that a degree lasts for life and a ceremony lasts half an hour, and so I should get on and work at the studying. Gotta love a man like that).

Fourth, it's wiped out the besmirchment that my brother laid over my previous assignment. There's a bitter history here of extreme over-achievement in one half of the family and extreme under-achievement in the other half of the family and I am tactlessly moving out from beneath the academic under-achieving stone. (I failed my first degree - very few people take the exams and actually fail them). I was equally thrilled with the mark that arrived while my brother was staying, but he managed to wipe that pleasure out and damn nearly wiped out my pleasure in the degree as a whole. Family eh - they know which buttons to press and boy oh boy do they press them.

But I can truly be delighted with this extremely hard earned mark, and I damn well am.

I bet you've never seen Snoopy break-dancing before, have you?

Yeah, I say! Yeah yeah yeah! Also, hurrah!

Time to get out the

Well done!

Well deserved, I'd say!

nice! Excellently done!

Fabulously Well Done

We're all extremely proud of you - and I will henceforth be referring to you as my friend Ben, the distinguished academic.



I know it aint over til it's over - but am sure you'll do it.

Very well done Ben



<> Ho yus.

Definately!

I'm so glad you got it. With all the distractions I caused by marrying you I'd have felt dreadful if you hadn't got it.

Very very pleased for you.

Well done, Mrs Zen!

Thank you everyone. What really pleases me is that I feel all bouncy and excited about the whole thing. I'm intimidated by the dissertation, so it's good to feel positive and energetic again.

If you've got two distinctions in a row then there's a good chance that you'll get another distiction for the dissertation.

*keeps all appendages crossed*

Well done on your results so far Ben You're doing really well. I must say I get scared off doing any long term study with work and trying to have a life outside of that.

Congrats on the achievement, Ben. Personally, I've lost most of my ability to concentrate and I have tremendous respect for your abilities.

Go you! Not, myself, surprised, but still takes lots of work. Keep it up!

Well done! Keep up the good work and for the next one.

mini

Hurrah! Not just a pass but a distinction - aren't you great?

That's the way! Show them!

>> aren't you great?

Not inherently - but I do work hard!