Listening to> 'Georgia On My Mind' - Ray Charles
Reading> 'Y: The Descent of Man', Steve Jones - in progress
Working On> Studying for two midterms on Thursday
Film of the moment> 'Ray'
Am I glad I decided to skiv study session to watch 'Ray'. It's a shame too, that I, like so many others, only discovered the man after his death. And I have to agree with Chris Rock: if Jamie Foxx does not win the Oscar, I'm going to be mighty pissed. *readies various objects to throw at the telly*
There were a lot more students present tonight than of last week's 'Garden State'. This bloody couple that sat in front of me proceeded to snog for a good ten minutes before I tapped the bloke and told him to piss off. They later decided 'Ray' was too depressing to be a film to shag to, and left for the nearest squalid loo. Thank God. It does make me feel quite dour and bitter when it comes to seeing young couples, but really, I care more about watching the hardwork of many in creating a film than in allowing stupid teenagers to express their PDAs. And no, if I did indeed have a boyo I would not stoop to ruining the viewing pleasures of others in a theatre. No one will see 'attack of the tongue' when I'm around.
And to my surprise, when the ending came round, people actually applauded. We didn't applaud for the campus group that brought us the film. We certainly didn't applaud their efforts to bring Black Eye Peas to campus. Yet we applauded at the end of the film. I didn't know people did that anymore. As the lights came on and we all shuffled out, I witness a few red eyes. I wasn't the only sniffling, either. Could it be that we apathetic students actually... have souls?
I would have thought we all have sold it to the devil.
For admission into top universities, or good grades. Speaking of which, I still need to study for the exams. One is for a class I should have more enthusiasm for, seeing as how I'm a bleeding heart liberal. The other I should care more about, as it is very near to my course of study and my former vocation in life (working for a multinational). Yet ladies and gentleman, I find it all rather tedious. One recent school of thought argues that the pursuit of secondary education has became so standardised, akin to manufacturing cars (amazingly, the song I am currently listening to is 'Same' by Snow Patrol). It is much different if I were learning a trade. But what is it I am learning?
Ideas. Common sense. Values. And perhaps even ethics. But what good are these in reality? One cannot quantify such vague notions, so they introduce exams that test not one's skill but their memorisation skills. And I have a rubbish memory. As you can tell, I'm very cynical about university education. There is no way I will force my children to undertake severe economic hardship in order to achieve an education they themselves cannot explain to others.
Teach me what I want to know, and I will learn. Teach me what you want me to learn, and I will rebel. Education is important, but that's not what we're paying for. We are paying for the prestige of going to a university. Are our skills really better than one who went into work instead?
My arm took a few days to recover. I could not study in those days, because it ached even when I turned a page. Note taking was nearly impossible, as I had to rest every few minutes. In the back of my mind I wonder if I will begin to become dependent on the pain pills.
This is stupid. I can do most anything anyone else can do. I don't need to go into a university to feel special or intelligent. So no one should say that. I am quite lucky to attend school. I know that. But why can't I stop feeling like it's such a waste of my time?
*shakes head* Maybe it's the pain talking. *sigh* I just get so frustrated sometimes. It just hurts, and hurts.
Anyway, wish me luck tomorrow. Hopefully I can plow through two books in time for Thursday.
PS Didn't mean to sound whiny today, and I will resume the fiction blah next entry.