On studies and daily life

I finished the first draft of my essay yesterday afternoon. I just need to edit it down to below the word limit, sort my references/bibliography, and tidy up. I also had a job interview on Tuesday moring, and had an email this afternoon inviting me for a follow up interview next week. 

I have also been catching up on background reading for my course (which I probably should have done earlier_, getting through 2 of the 4 books recommended. 

Having reached the midpoint of the first proper term of my course, I thought I'd share a few thoughts on it so far. 

First off, while online learning has some advantages (lack of travel cost/time, readings being all posted online rather than having to did out a paper yourself), I do find the virtual lecturers less engaging than being there in person and it is harder to discuss as a group. One og my reasons for doing this course was the social aspect, which is sorely lacking in online learning.

My biggest other issue is how woke everything is, in some sessions I've been playing 'buzzword bingo', with words like 'patriachy', 'problematic',, etc being depressingly common. Many of the readings we have been given have a firm Marxist or Feminist bent, but I've kept my views on such topics to myself. 

I did have a little fun in the lecture on modern art last week; the topic was a black woman artist, most of whose work we saw delt with the slave trade, racism, etc. At the end I asked about how she was originally from Zanzibar, not the Carribean or West Afirca so would not have anyy personnel connection and whether any of her work mentioned the East African/Arabic slave trade (which, given her arabic name her ancestors may have been invovled in!), which the lecturer was unable to answer.

Overall though I am enjoying the course, but don't think I'll carry on stufying nect year, especially if (as islookng likely) they will still be doing online only learning. 

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