The radio silence on my blog can only mean that I've returned to my normal (or some would say, abnormal) way of life. Here's what I've been working on.
Our first six weeks are spent on Live Projects. They're community-based projects that have but a slight architectural flavour to them. It's very hands-free, student-run sort of stuff and every group's doing something different.
I suppose the only gripe I have about it is that it's group work for 10 people.
There's no such thing as that.
Group work for 10 people.
Who're you trying to kid?
Given, if all 10 were super solid creme de la creme material, at the very least you'd end up with something that looks creme de la creme should all 10 agree, on some level, to pull their weight regarding their respective responsibilities. But the chances of that happening are as slim (or should I say, fat) as Hadid doing her own Maya port over to 3d studio max model - rendered and photoshopped.
Which brings me to my group - two singaporeans sandwiched between four englishmen and four PRCs; or at least that's what it says on the 'Group' list. I truly wish it were a situation where too many cooks spoilt the broth, but most unfortunately, only four or five seem to be at work while the others have either completely disappeared from the kitchen or have decided to do shift work. One of them's not even sure how to put her apron on.
So how? You haven't much choice except to fall back on the phenomenal endurance training drilled into you by the DOA. You stop cooking dinner on weekday nights because it just takes too much time to prepare, cook, eat and wash the dishes. You put up with freezing studio spaces after 8pm cuz the Post-graduate studios are on the 17th floor and the Arts Tower gets buffeted by autumn/winter gales.
But in the process you also manage to make plenty of friends and acquaintances you would not have made had you very simply not been hanging around. Thus far, I'm truly thankful for the friendships that've been forged in the fires of turmoil and in the warm glow of common passion, for the brief and open exchange of opinions over a cup of hot chocolate at 2 in the morning with a Pakistani economics student who's first friend in Sheffield also happened to be Chinese, and for the pleasant, quintessential store owner uncle of the Chinese takeaway behind the Arts Towers who never fails to throw in free spring rolls or fried chicken wings with your order (Jon, I really wish you could try these).
It's hard to accept that I'm almost at the halfway mark. I think I'm going to miss this place more than I had expected.
