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

Well, where to begin...

It's, what, 4 weeks now since I had my last exam. That's right, my Last Exam. I walked out of that exam feeling so unbelievably liberated - for weeks, months even, I'd been struggling from one deadline to the next; scribbling out my Final Project Report, cramming one exam after another.

And then, it was over.

I had a mixed bunch of exams - a couple of them I really screwed up in, and had to spend a day or two just Being Calm to get back on track. Hell, starting off with my first 5 exams all in the space of 3 days wasn't exactly the greatest of luck! And the mixture of subjects did me no favours either, switching between Cybernetics and Psychology can be quite a mental struggle. But I got through; I got knocked down, but I got up again.

I Didn't Give Up.

I meant to write this journal then - to say that I'd reached the Finish Line, to talk about how thoroughly confused I was by the whole thing. I mean, that's it - there's nothing more of my degree. The one thing that has shaped my life for the last three years ended, on a sunny day, outside "Building 33".

Inevitably, I started thinking about how it had gone - the last year, and the last three years. Overall, I think I can look back happily on it - I wouldn't have expected to be where I am, and how I am, today, but the only thing I knew when I started was that I had no idea what to expect. I mean, who'd have thought I'd have shoulder-length hair, enjoy cooking, and hope one day to return to Psychology?

The first year was just thoroughly crazy, the second one of those lucky breaks that puts you in with a great bunch of people. This year has undoubtedly been the hardest, but it's not been a complete disaster - I've learned yet more about myself, and got to know a select few others in the process. If there's one *big* regret, it's that I somehow lost touch with last year's housemates, but such is life; maybe I can get to know them again later.

But what does "later" mean? Does time have any meaning, when you have no direction to head? I have no idea what happens next! Well, that's not strictly true - I'm going to get a job. As in, a Proper Job; nine-to-five, wear a suit to the interview, that kind of thing - I actually bought a suit when I went to visit my parents for a week!

The last few weeks *should* have been about trying to move towards looking for that job, thinking what it would be, applying places. But, somehow, I just couldn't - for the first time, there really is no "obvious" route to go down; it's completely up to me where I end up, what I end up doing. The world, it seems, is several species of my seafood...

So, why am I writing this now, in the middle of the night, a month after my last exam? Because today, it truly ended - I didn't know, even when I first saw it, how much it means to me, how much of the last few weeks have been subtly dominated by it. There was one thing I didn't know whether to regret or not - my Result.

"Second Class, First Division"

I GOT A 2:1!!

So now, I can stop worrying about "not doing myself justice"; stop worrying about "scraping through". Now, I can look back on the last three years, and say "I earned myself a degree." Now, I can really start looking forwards, not backwards. I have a 2:1. I have a BSc (Hons) in Intelligent Systems, and there aren't many who can claim that! Now, I can start the rest of my life. [Slowly ]



The Beginning...

Wahey! Many congratulations!

So, had what sounds like a pretty great time and wound up with a 2.1 - can't really argue with that can you?

As for 'where to now?', can I be (I'm pretty confident about my figures here) the seven hundred and fifty-first person to say: don't worry about it!

It will come

The feeling is a pretty universal one (nor does it necessarily go away)

(Reading this has reminded me of what it felt like after my finals - I spent weeks waking up bang on seven o'clock every single day in a complete panic and only remembering after ten seconds or so that actually I didn't have an exam that morning and I didn't have to get up and drifting back to sleep with a big smile on my face )

Anyway ... Wahey! Many congratulations! Enjoy it!

and

I'm bouncy bouncy happy right now - give it a couple of days and I'll be down and panicking again, no doubt but Hey! Wahoo!

"Never Give Up" "Things'll work out..."

And now I know - I didn't, and they did!


[Sorry, I think I'll go to bed now ]

Well, you can give it a go, I suppose

Sleeping and grinning at the same time is impossible in my experience

Saw your MSN message saying you'd got news on my screen (I really ought to log it out when I'm not at work, to stop people thinking I'm there!!! ) and guessed that whatever it was would be in your journal.

Congratulations.

Back when who would have thought that the past three years would have turned out how they did. Who would have thought that I wouldn't go to Uni, that I'd have got a job, that you and I would no longer be together, that you'd have built your own PC, that you'd have long hair, that you'd have a new nephew, that you'd have an "interview suit", and most importantly that you'd realise that you did have the strength to hang in there after all.

You, got a 2:1 mate - and congratulations to you. Maybe chat later...

Just read your posting and good on you for doing something that I didn't have the guts to do (going to uni).A fantistic mark are I wish you the best of luck in your future and hope to hear back about what you are doing.Cybernetics ; Itelligent systems ; Psycology fascinating stuff