It was my first day back into reality----i ran into a classmate last night at dinner at the cafeteria...and realised that I was somehow not in the administrator's mailing list, and hence did not realise that there was a reading list with the attendant books to be chased down!
Thank goodness we did agree to go to the library together in the morning, as I quickly realised that the Cambridge libraries are labyrinths in themselves. Umberto Eco's Name of the Rose must have been inspired by either Cambridge's or perhaps Oxford's library.
Yes, virtually every book you would want would be there, BUT, aha! whether it is available is another issue! First we ran to the university library where we couldn't find the books we wanted, then we ran to the Social Political Sciences library which wasnt opened I think, and at the different libraries, books have already been borrowed and so on.
And photocopying is insanely expensive...it's all of 6 pence per page...and I spent 8 pounds on basically a stack I have have photocopied for no more than 2 dollars at home, even at 5 cents per page! I can cut down on food expenditure, but not photocopying! I nearly died when I discovered things I really need were going at 6-8 pounds when i usually pay no more than 2-3 dollars at home! I only wish i had the foresight to ship my whole house over.
And I am beginning to see why students brought up along the American system would hate UK, as I realise how very spoilt we are by our American lecturers, who would have photocopied all our readings for us in a folder, or even send them down to the photocopying shop before the module begins, so we don't have to run around chasing readings!
It feels like my dept seems somewhat disorganised and needlessly time-wasting , from what I can see, as there's usually only 1 copy of a book in the A. library and we 20ish fools fight with the undergraduates for the same book and run around to the different libraries within the university complex chasing after one or two articles...I am beginning to see why American students are complaining! Nonetheless, I shan't complain, at least for the moment as I pretty like the feel of the tutors; they seem genuinely nice, I don't mean expressively friendly and open but nice enough so oh well! that's life... I wish I had my undergraduate library back with me, simply as no one does this subject and I usually get the books I want, if they exist in the library, when I want it!
Speaking of food...I have this absurd liking for hot food nowadays and I dislike cold salads now, simply because it is so cold! Mum would be amused to know I drink only hot water these days, hey---at least I regulate according to the temperature! And I love oyster sauce... great things for stirfrying...I am a big rice-eater now...so what's up with the asian palate now... well, nothing much, just that I am trying to space out eating at the cafeteria, which only runs 3 times a day, one hour each time during the 8-week term time, but I don't want to be at the stage when I start hating Cambridge because i have had too much 'Western' food.
So how's Cambridge so far? well, I have been busy running around and worrying everyday about the ahem, extra projects I have to complete by December. I hope I manage my time such that I get to join at least some activities tomorrow, as I don't particularly want to be friendless...as my favourite old man said before, It does not do to dwell on dreams [and if I may add to his words, or ambitions, or work!] and forget to live!" chuckle...
I guess I have been busy running around just clearing things, and when I get back to my room, I am horribly exhausted, so exhausted I just want to clear the necessary stuff and crawl into my bed, since I am carrying a few months' sleep debt---i actually fell asleep at the library whilst doing my first reading!----but oh well!
We'll see! So far, many people I have met are rather human and friendly, except for a few pretentious skulls who exist everywhere anyway, so it's a good start!
Saturday, 6 October 2007
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