Testing

Life Sometimes life's incidents pile on top of one another and gain a significance they might not otherwise have. Lately, I've been missing university, the academic experience, going to lectures, writing essays and yes, even the travel to and from Manchester. It's not the academic experience in general, it's the experience I had last year. For all my worry about deadlines and feeling isolated, I just enjoyed being there, and I suppose having a purpose. The easy answer would - do a Phd - but that wouldn't be the same. It doesn't feel like the next step.

Yesterday I received my Manchester University Alumni card. In the corner, in a small scarlet red box it says 'graduate' in white block capitals. It comes with a range of benefits and discounts related to accommodation, travel, restaurants, magazines and entertainment and free use of the college library which could be useful should I move back to the city. I also noticed that my Young Person's Railcard ran out today. My wings have been clipped. Paying full price is really going to be noticeable.

If ever two things were going to remind me that my second academic life is over it would be these. I know I'm only thinking about it because I'm not working, I know that. Which is why I registered with an agency today for temporary work, or as I said, a week here, a couple of weeks there. They don't do call centres which is ok because I'd be happy simply doing some data entry or reception work. It was actually a re-registration having done some work for them at the turn of the millennium. I even remember the typing test from way back then. It took me five minutes in 2001 to type a third of the page they gave me. Today I completed the page. At least I know my typing has improved.