Life In June, I sent an application to Manchester University for their MA Screen Studies course. It's multi-discipline covering film, television and digital media. Taught in places, but flexible enough for you to research any areas which interest you. I thought I'd left it too late; what with work and sorting out referees and finding my degree certificates from way back when. But I hoped that all the of the night school courses I've been following over the years would show that I've never wanted to stop studying.
Then today I get home and find the large white A4 envelope I've been waiting for. It seems very thin, and my heart skips a beat because I know that means rejection. After a single letter, and the no word, what is there left to say? But as I pull the envelope open I realise there are four sheets of paper, some coloured. I look at the top sheet and read quickly. My Mum, who was sitting on a chair nearby seems more nervous than me. There were lots of words but the gist is ...
I'm going back to University.
I swear loudly and cheer. Mum cheers too. And immediately reaches for the phone and starts calling everyone. I sit and read through the letter properly. Enrollment starts on 18th September. I finish work 22nd August, so I'll have some holiday time inbetween. Good. There is another sheet with important addresses and contacts -- and so to the colours. A reddy-pink sheet for turning it down (I put this to one side) and a pastel green for acceptance.
I ring Chris who's amazed. I ring Fani in Greece and we laugh at how we're both going to be students again (she's got to take all kinds of exams so that her UK degrees are valid over there).
Now I'm telling everyone else. This is something I really haven't mentioned on the weblog for fear that it'd be jinxed. I only let a few few people into the secret that I was applying for that same reason. It's what I've been working towards for about five years, as I slowly gathered the funding together so that I could study fulltime.
But it's months, years even since I've felt this happy. This contented. This is one of the things I've always dreamed of doing and suddenly it's out there in front of me. It's not quite sunk in. I'll be watching a film now it's part of my studies. Writing about television as part of a qualification. My whole life is going to totally change. It's finally going to be moving forward.
Pretty good day really.
Congratulations! I've been wondering what kind of secret you've been hinting about on this blog. For what it's worth, I think you have a unique perspective as a reviewer and critic. Very enthusiastic, very emotionally connected to what you review, which I think is not apparent in a lot of professional reviews. I don't know if that's your intention in getting this degree, but whatever your intention is I wish you much success.
ReplyDeletehooray! hooray! hooray!
ReplyDeletestu, love, i knew this would work out. i so knew it. if that kind of course hadn't taken you, i wonder who they would have been looking for. and i'm so so so so so very happy for you!
happy dancing in front of the computer right now, actually.
perfect. absolutely perfect, perfect, perfect!
yay! yay! yay!
AWESOME!
and sorry "pretty good day" - that must the biggest understatement of the year.
ReplyDeleteman!
AWESOME!
Congratulations! Looking forward to hearing more about it now that it's "safe" to blog about :-)
ReplyDeleteCongratulation, Stu! Great work. :-)
ReplyDeleteCongratumalations Stu! Its gonna be great.
ReplyDeleteBut er won't you have to live in Manchester! That's a bummer innit?
Annette -- that's exactly what I've been trying to do and I love that someone's noticed. It get's really tiring picking up Empire Magazine or whatever to read a review and you're getting watered down version of what the reviewer thinks. If you're passionate about something why not let that seep through? I have a half-funny discussion sometimes with Chris and others about sport and football. I'm not so much of a fan of twenty-two men kicking a ball around -- which in Liverpool if you're male can seem a bit odd -- but film for me fulfills the perceived void, My argument is that film can be just as competative and can generate many of the same emotions. I'd imagine being a Woody Allen fan, for example, is similar to following a mid-range team like Everton around the Premiereship. I actually get nervious going in to see if he's reproduced the form of Annie Hall or I'm going to be sitting through another Hollywood Ending. Thankfully his last Melinda and Melinda was a good result.
ReplyDeleteCaro -- bless you. IT IS AWSOME! I wished you'd been around here so that we could have done that jumping up and down screaming thing. Way-hey!
Adrian -- well yes, flood gates open. Expect me to be writing more about y'know my life and stuff. But really, 'Is it safe?'
Thanks Keith.
Ian -- actually I'm going to try the commuting this initially until I get the lay of the land and what I'll actually need to be doing on the course -- I've only a broad notion of the syllabus and how many hours I'll be needed at the Uni. I mean I did it for a year when I was working there, but this won't be as horrendous because it's not for 'work' even though I'll be working hard.