Reflections of a Student Life

In a month from now, I will no longer be a student for the second time. The first time when my official student status expired I was on tenterhooks hoping I would be able to become one once more. Now that my second tenure as a student is slowly fading, I know that this time there will be no third time of university life. And I never thought I would be saying this but I'm actually going to miss it.

I remember back during the first two years of my undergrad degree I was miserable. I hated uni with a passion; I couldn't fit, I felt out of place and totally inferior. As I had opted for a Welsh langauge degree I knew it was going to be tough. But as it got tougher I just couldn't fight it and I had the urge to simply give up. in my lifetime I've never had to work so hard for something for in school, I could work and get by by not doing too much. Now, staring at the abyss of my academic career, I just wanted out. I drank myself stupid with all school friends who didnt go to uni and I was happy with that at the time. In the end, I reverted to a full History degree (as I was doing part Welsh, part Welsh history) and continued with my head down on the work. Still not truly happy however.

But in the third year, when it mattered, I finally came into my own. I finally learnt that uni was not such an intimidating place but was actually a really cool way of life. Once I got my degree I knew I wanted to do another degree in my heart, as the first did not have all teh attention I could give it. Another of life's academic challenges which I winged, just so i didn't have to put too much effort in. But once I got my desired degree place in Political Theory, I knew that I would find it tough. I reflected back to my Welsh degree and realised how much of a child I was back then. I hadn't grown up at all. Now I had the chance to do something different. Now I felt that this degree was for me - under my decision and something I could really look towards.

Reaching the end of that degree I know I have found it hard. But I have enjoyed it all. And now I know I have at least grown up a bit more. After a year too of living like a student in Cathays, I finally realise what a student life is all about and I regret leaving it now when I have just embraced it.

Concerning the diss, I am in the middle of Chapter Three, which is untitled as of yet but will analyse utilitarian arguments in the rights discourse of Tryweryn. That will put me a good half-way through the essay, and then my final chapter will discuss whether Tryweryn was a national struggle or a moral struggle. Perhaps the toughest chapter to write - but if I can pull it off, it will be the most rewarding I feel. Watch this space for further developments.