Monday 19th September - Freshers' Week

Today was painful. I had to be in town for 9am to fulfil my duties as a committee member. Note, I normally get to bed around 4am which made trying to sleep early a feat in itself. Also, once I had managed to doze off, I had a brain wave about my dissertation and had to get up and jot down my thoughts. The only thing that made my morning bearable was wearing my gown.

How to wear the academic gown at St Andrews: (L-R) First year, Third year Arts student, Possible second year

Now in my final year, I've come to the end of the academic strip tease. The idea is that as every year passes, students are slowly let their gown slip off. Wearing it differently each year has been fun, but the way fourth years wear their gown is certainly my preferred option.

This isn't a reflection of my incapability to wear a gown properly. I do know how to dress myself. Honest. Although friends would argue I look like I get dressed in the dark. It's debatable.

Catching up with everyone was good fun. So was meeting freshers - all wide-eyed and innocent to the corrupt world of pedantic tutors and strict footnoting. I envy them. Anyway, I spotted someone I knew at the subject talk. I was the only person in my year from my last school to come to St Andrews, so to see someone I knew made me instantly go, "Such a small world!" We briefly spoke about our time at sixth form. It seems nothing has changed since I left. Teachers are still as wacky as ever, moulding young bright minds to make future politicians and ... caricature artists.

Also, I came home with a daughter! Huzzah!


P.S. I didn't just steal a child, I adopted one ... An academic one. Still don't know what I'm talking about? Click here.

EDIT: I came across my daughter's blog, and it seems she's not my daughter after all *sighs* Back to being a single mother.