A Week of Productivity

Originally I was going to start off this post by commenting on how productive I've been this last week. I actually achieved something in the last week! Hurrah! So this post was going to be all optimistic and happy and positive, as I reflected on the week's events.


Originally I started this post yesterday.


I got distracted by shiny objects and I feel like I am falling back into the "Procrastination Hole of Doom." So I need to write and publish this blog post today, otherwise all my hard work (I say "hard work"...) of last week will have been for nothing. 


I didn't post anything last week because my life was incredibly busy. On Friday, I volunteered to be an Open Day tour guide at my university, and I spent my entire day basically telling people where the toilets were, and trying to blissfully ignore the fact that the person asking me where the toilets were, was literally stood next to the sign that read "Toilets". No, it was fine. The day gave me an opportunity to discover things about myself, you know, like those reality television shows where the contestants leave saying they had learned things on their journey of self discovery. My Open Day tour guide expereince had taught me so much about myself. Lessons about life that I had previously overlooked or not understood. It was a gift really. I'm sure I will treasure the experience. For example, here's what I learned:


1) Smiling is exhausting. It really is. Having a fixed smile on your face for an entire day is really tiring. Anyone who has ever waited for what seems days to have their picture taken whilst trying to maintain a reasonably natural smile will understand this.
2) Standing in the same place for six hours really makes your feet hurt. Just standing. Not even walking. At least if I had been walking around all day I would have felt like my pain would have been worth it. At least I would have used some                        
3) I really hate that horrible drizzle-like fine rain. Especially when you are stood out in it for hours. And you're trying to remain upbeat and positive.
4) I now know where Foxhill is on campus.
5) You can study Zoology at the University of Reading. (Who knew?)
6) Telling people repeatedly where the toilets are is really as boring as it sounds.
7) Even though it was a long day of basically standing in the same place for the whole day, I would be willing to do it all over again. Because I need the money. 

This week, however, has been rather more fun! I finally got the chance to meet up with some friends from university, and we spent a lovely day in London at the Natural History Museum and other tourist hot spots. Whenever I go to a museum and I see interactive exhibits, I regress into a child like state. EVERY BUTTON MUST BE PRESSED.

And then Thursday, amongst the initial panic of results day and the sigh of relief after passing, I got to spend the day with another friend. It's been a good week!

But I want my productivity to continue, and so throughout the dissertation planning and research, I've made a scrapbook of quotes that I like. (See above picture) They are either ones I have heard or read, or random thoughts that pop up during the day. My inner English geek loves the way that words can convey and communicate emotion and truth. They have the power to build or destroy. I'll probably write some cheesy blog post on this in the future, but for now that's all I'm writing on the subject.

Here's a video I found really helpful to encourage me to get off my bum and do stuff this summer, so if you're feeling like you're about to fall into the "Procrastination Hole of Doom", watch it!