Had a really difficult day as I decided to embark on the perilous journey that is the writing of my personal statement. It's bloody impossible. I did, however, manage to finish a coherent attempt after about two hours of grafting and feel satisfied enough to hand it in as a first draft when I got back to school on Monday.
Later I realised I had no plans for the day and was still physically exhausted from rugby, which resulted in me falling asleep whilst trying to read The Ghost Road by Pat Barker. I really don't like it when you close your eyes 'just to rest' and, upon opening them, note that it’s 2 and half hours later.
I spent almost the whole day in my room (I'm not a hermit) and eventually played guitar for three hours straight. I'm really trying hard to write some songs but the fact I know so little makes it difficult. My fingers got so soar I ran them under cold water. I'm not a pussy...
It was one of those days that granted me a choice. Either to sit around and not achieve anything in particular or to actually make a concerted effort to learn something. So, I got hold of this enormous book on the American Civil War that I had lying around and began to read it.
WARNING: the following paragraph may bore you...
No seriously its really, really dry.
I've always been fascinated with that period of history. 2% of the entire population died - 600,000 Americans - in what is seen as the first modern conflict. The whole background to it is really interesting too. Lincon is idealised as the president who ended slavery but equally some see him as a tyrant who went against democratic principles. Basically the 13 Confederate states broke away from the Union - perfectly within their democratic rights but this resulted in war. I suppose Big Abe was left with the dilemma of political ideals vs. morality. Often a toughie.
I also learnt that a man called Wilmer Mclean lived on the field of the first major battle of the war. Due to this he moved his family elsewhere to the house where Robert E Lee (head of confederate forces) surrendered to Grant (head of Union forces). So, quite literally, as Mclean put it - "the war began in my front yard and ended in my front parlour". As coincidences go that's got to be up there with the best. A textbook definition. I learnt a load more but will save anyone reading this the pleasure.
Most importantly, today I learnt that sometimes it'll take a lot of initiative for me to get anywhere near achieving the goal I've set myself. Although what I learnt yesterday is seemingly a total bore for every human being known to exist, I still learnt something that I found interesting and therefore adjudge it as a success. Reading up on a topic that interests me is so much more worthwhile that just sitting around and not doing anything of any significance.
No comments:
Post a Comment