Uni Daze...

Tuesday 18th August, 2020

For those who are unaware, I am  studying a Bachelor of Naturopathy at the Endeavour College of Natural Health (aka Uni).  Yesterday, semester 2, 2020 officially started.  For the next 13 weeks, Tuesdays are my lecture days!

Today is my very first lecture...starting at 8.00am.  It is currently 2.25am!  

I am thinking the insomnia is due to nerves, excitement, and...did I mention nerves!?!  I have to say, I am ultra glad to be attending from the comfort of my own home; lecture is via zoom due to Covid-19.  Oh my goodness, imagine the nerves when I need to attend campus! 

I'm anxious about making friends, keeping up with the workload, and especially being asked a question in class...oh gosh I hope I don't have to participate.  I fear that I will say the wrong thing and make a complete fool of myself!  Another thing contributing to the feeling of overwhelm is the workload.  How the heck am I going to remember everything?  How am I going to get all the work done?  Oh gosh, what if my grades aren't as good as the last course?  

*SIGH*  Breathe woman, breathe!  

It is now 2.45am...it has taken me 20 minutes just to write this small paragraph...oh Lord please help me!

I managed to drift off for a little while, just woke up again, looked at the clock and it's 4:44am.  Looked up angel messages, and found this!

"Angel Number 444 is a message that you have nothing to fear in regards to your life, work and Divine life purpose. When you take positive action towards your highest intentions, aspirations and goals, the Universe works in your favour and helps you to establish solid foundations and advance you along your path".

Ahhh thank you, ok, time for sleep, I feel better now!

Wednesday 19th August, 2020

Uni part 1...

Despite very little sleep I was up bright eyed and bushy tailed ready to start making a dream come true.

First up was two hours of Herbal Botany (8.00am - 10.00am), followed by two hours of Manufacturing (10.30am - 12.30pm).  

Thank goodness there was a 30 minute break in between as my bladder is not what it used to be LOL! 

I cruised through Manufacturing as I did it as part of the Complementary Medicine degree; I made the Elderberry and Echinacea syrup (HERE) for my assessment (and, got 97% for it).  As it is mixed with Herbal Botany for this degree, which I haven't done before, I couldn't get an RPL.  Hence, why I'm redoing it.  I don't mind too much though as its a topic I really enjoy, and as the saying goes 'practice makes perfect'.

On the other hand, Herbal Botany is intense!  All I can remember so far is the plant classification memory key words: King Phillip Comes Over For Great Tantric Sex!  Haha, ofcourse I remember that, I bet all 90+ students that attended with me remember it!  

I actually think the subject should be spilt into two separate subjects.  Thank f@€% there is no exam!  There is four written assessments though!

Break Time...

I was so thankful to get a 90 minute break.  It gave me just enough time to have a yummy lunch, check in with Mark and Jazz, and go for a walk with Ace.  

Technically he rode ahead of me, then would back track to come and get me.  It made a great incentive for me to keep a good pace so he didn't have to ride so far.  At one stage I was walking as fast as my legs allowed, and I had the time down to 12:09 min/km.  But, my poor legs struggled on the last stretch and so the pace dropped!  Not that it is about speed though, I simply just want to be moving and hopefully reaching my 10,000 steps per day.  I only managed 7000 today, which is better than nothing considering I sat on my butt for most of the day.  I'm thinking that if I slow my pace down I will be able to go further.  I shall have to test out my theory next time!

Uni part 2...

At 2.00pm it was back to the laptop for the next zoom lecture.  My second subject is Herbal Medicine Materia Medica 1, and oh boy it is a doozie!

It has one written assesment and two exams.  One is at the half way point and is open book.  The second, is at the end of the 13 weeks, and is closed book eeekkk!  It should be the other way around hey! The thought of having to memorise medicinal information for 65 herbs has me mind boggled. 

The fact that I find the content super interesting, and really like learning about it helps though.

What I'm not so keen on, is the interaction component of the lectures.  Not because I was put on the spot and asked a question, theres too many of us to do that.  It's because the lecture went 30 minutes over time due to people "sharing" about their experiences.  Okay so they were herb related, but I just want to learn the material we are being graded on.  

What's worse, is that because of all the interruptions we didn't get to finish the lecture material and now its additional homework, without any of the lecturers pearls of wisdom.

At 5.30pm I finished school for the day.  Well, the zoom lectures anyway...

I still had homework and lots more study to get through!