Getting Started At Uni in 2022!

Good afternoon!

I hope you are well!

23/01/2022

As mentioned in the previous blog, the Daytona 24 Hours ended in a very anti-climatic fashion - after being called by Tom at 09:20am, I did a double stint (10 laps after the call/following Tom's stint) and then nobody got into the car until 2 hours from the end (2pm) and that was our "finish" - certainly looking for a more "successful" time out next year.

I was just hoping after our P2 on the grid and strong start last year (before the DSQ) that we could replicate the success, without the reverse... Turns out we couldn't and I'll probably look to switch up the teams for 2023 - or see who's still hanging around.

After this, I'd slowly pack, but not in any sort of Hurry.

An hour later, 5pm rolled around - being a Sunday, everything closed early - including the Ferry - so the last ferry I could get was one at 7pm, sign-on being at 6:30pm.

I eventually packed a bag of clothes, got a teddy or two and (with help) managed to get the rig, monitor and computer into the car.

I made the ferry and proceeded to drive straight to Wolverhampton.

Under normal circumstances, I would have driven via Essex to drop the rig off, but given I wasn't living in Surrey any more, Essex wasn't EXACTLY on the route - and would have added a couple of hours to my journey time.

After arriving, I unpacked my things put my little decorations up on my desk (creature comforts) and went out to McDonalds (no food in the fridge, didn't feel like going out on a late night shopping spree)

I later returned back and fell asleep shortly after.

24/01/2022

This was my first day back at Uni since 2021. Quite a while ago.

I don't EXACLTLY remember what the lecture was about - but over the next 8 days found out my modules for the semester were:

Monday: Writing Features for News Media

Tuesday: Photo-Journalism

Wednesday: Radio News Production

That evening, I found out that I was COMPLETELY empty on everything other than cereal, so during my weekly food shop - I ensured to get two plates and a set of decent cutlery.

Whilst shopping, I also stumbled upon an adorable Stitch glass which straight into my basket.

At the time, I thought the zips on the only two of my coats were broken, so I originally looked for a coat, but about a week later found out that it was just my incompetence.

It's incredibly interesting to look back in time - back in 2021, only 20 days prior (just shy of 3 weeks), Boris announced the third national lockdown to last until - First late February, before shuffling it back to April sort of time.

How times have changed and time flies.

25/01/2022

The following day was Tuesday and time for my Photo-Journalism course - with no announcement of where or when to go (and still no information a week and a day later) I decided to stay home (at my accommodation) - which turned out for the best as our lecturer posted an announcement saying the session had been postponed/cancelled due to a health reason - as of 12:26 on Tuesday 1st February, I'm yet to go in for the lecture - but will give it a shot and see how it goes - I need a walk anyway.

With no lecture and a bit of free-time, I decided to write the ROAR Blog...but realised I had very little to go off - so I decided "y'know what, why not, let's set my PC/Desktop in the room - the rig is the distraction, the PC can get some work done and will possibly help with my posture and the quality of my content (as I'm not slouched over a laptop - it's also where my KTT (Kill The Time) games are*

*iRacing requires the rig, to get in "the zone", half an hour prior to the race, before an AT LEAST 15 minute sprint race - don't even get me started on the enduros - a KTT (Kill The Time) game, is just that, it's a quick game I can kill excess time with - like Teardown or BeamNG.Drive.

Note I said excess - which means spare, not time dedicated to Uni or the blogs.

Other than the distraction element (of racing/iRacing etc.), there's also the logistical side of matters - not only with the potential problem of not being able to fit in my room - let alone BARELY fitting with me having to hop onto my bed to get past, there's also the issue of me carrying it. It's a pain to carry with TWO people, I can't even begin to imagine carrying it by myself...or the awkwardness of asking someone to help me transport it into my room.

With the rig left in the car, I manage to carry the monitor (on its own, first) and then the box containing the computer - I hope this will increase productivity levels - but we'll have to see come March when the assignments start slowly being due.

I spent Tuesday getting content for - and writing up the "ROAR Before the 24" Blog - managing to get it out that same day - whilst also getting some screenshots for Will's 24 Hours Of Daytona (part of a deal we had).

(Wednesday) 26/01/2022

Wednesday was my Radio News Production lecture day and on this day we had a guided tour of the new £5 million Screen School courtesy of our Lecturer.

What was there before or if the building/extension is brand spanking new (looked it) I don't know - but there was a lot of fancy rooms and fancy gizmos/technology just waiting to be played with (after a few months of getting used to it all) - the tour more looked at what was in the important Multi-Media Journalism rooms and less about how it works/how to operate it all - but all the rooms were/are connected to a green-screen room, so that's pretty cool.

27/01/2022

On Thursday, I completed a long-overdue blog from the 12th - 19th January, created a "highlights reel" for my ROAR Before the 24 - I then (naturally) uploaded this to YouTube

28/01/2022

I don't really know what else happened on the 27th - but on the 28th I updated my iRacing analytics and found out how I was doing against my fellow Robins.

This always makes me itch in my seat because I just want to get up and race and beat those nearest me - but by not racing, maybe I'm beating them in the intelligence game.

For real though, as my mother always used to say "Robin will always be there for you when you when you come back" - and they always are/were.

(Out of a total of 320 Robin's with iRatings) In terms of Safety Rating, I'm the 78th safest Robin overall and 5th Safest Briton (

In the land of iRating? I'm 252nd overall, 19th Briton - Next ahead of me is Robin Schrader with an iRating of 1134 - (6 ahead) - my all time highest iRating would put me in the 180's, but still low down in the #BritScore

As of 13:54 on 1st February, 2022 I'm currently beating all the Robin's (on iRacing with surnames beginning with P and U - I'm hoping this list will increase as time goes on!

Quite far into the day/analysis - I found a much quicker way to sort the "non-Robins" from the "Robins" which I'm still kicking myself for, as I almost lost a day from it!

29/01/2022

The weekend came surprisingly quickly and admittedly passed as quickly as it came.

With new-found availability (since it was the weekend) I tried to scout out a nearby hairdresses/barbers.

Long story short, I went for about an hour's walk hunting for a few, but you needed to book them all - I might try booking one when I can be bothered!

There are a couple in the urban parts of Wolverhampton, and they aren't too far away from the uni itself - just a few are a bit "feminine" - but at this point, I may be mistaken for a sheep and taken back to the farm!

No seriously, it's getting a wee out of control!

After the incredibly adventurous day, I (unknowingly!) ate my last oven-meal (that I bought that week) - this would prove to be problematic on Sunday - when I looked for food and found an empty fridge.

Earlier on in the day, my third Mint Faber Castell pen arrived...well, I say arrived, I had to FIND it.

~

My love for Faber-Castell began when I stole a similar one to write a note back in my old house in Surrey - it felt beautiful in my hand, had a lovely, clear out-put and I was like (probably) "wow, this is the best pen I've ever used!"

A few weeks/months pass and soon I'm in the market for a new pen (with Uni starting) so I look at their colour options and get myself one.

The pen lasted a whole year before slowly running out - and on the back of that, I bought another of the same type - lost it on my travels - and bought one to replace the lost one - and that's how I'm now sponsored by Faber-Castell..(not.)

The point (pun not intended) was that I bought a new pen on amazon and my driver got a little bit lost, so I had to walk up half-way up North Road to collect it, in doing so, he asked me where Northumberland House was (also where Wiltshire House is) - so I picked up a fellow student's parcel (VERY trusting employee!) - after writing a note and slipping it in the door, (of Northumberland) and writing an email to the name on the package (uni email, we all have the same), I sat and waited - and hoped that he'd somehow get in touch (left my phone no. on email)

30/01/2022

According to more sources than not, the 30th was Kiara's 10th birthday, but sadly it went by unnoticed, but I'm working on a little something to celebrate it.

The only other interesting thing about this day was the fact that I got food delivered (by McDonalds) for the first time - peak laziness achieved! I thought because of the gate/difficult location, it'd be near impossible - but he certainly managed - and judging by the traffic outside, it's quite normal for students (like myself) to get deliveries.

In addition to this, I also got an email from the Northumberland Resident ("Parcel Guy") and I eventually managed to give him his parcel - Only problem was that it DEFINITELY looked like a drugs deal - me saying "don't worry, these aren't drugs" really ramming home the fact that these in fact were totally not drugs nor leaves (should I re-iterate that I'm nor a dealer nor a seller?)

He got his parcel (text books), checked his ID and all went well. Roll on the next week.

The weekend also saw Supercarfest 2022 and The VRS Endurance Series at Spa happen - but as I was "pre-occupied" - I attended neither.

31/01/2022

31st January, 2021. A beautiful (?) Sunday afternoon in Lockdown - I had just finished a underwhelming VRS E race at Imola with Angel Villazon - but looking at the results, I notice something absolutely incredible...1001 iRating.

I'd been over 1K before, but this marked a changed man - a revolution if you will - following this race, I promised myself that I'd try and race better and safer than ever before - and for about 11 months, I managed to keep my iRating above 1K and keep it clean.

Unfortunately this ended when I was going through a slight iRating trough in late December/early January - but after a string of strong results (ignoring Daytona) I'm back at 1K (1.1K In fact) and aim to continue the legacy that that Imola race inspired me to go on.

As before, I'm itching to get behind the driver's seat again (withdrawal symptoms are strong ha ha) - but university always does come first!

Also on Monday, I looked at my past assignments - and despite my massive uncertainty and doubt when I submit them, up until November 2021, I've only not submitted 1 piece of work - which I COULD do, it's just it was part of a group-work piece - the Christmas 2021/New Year's 2022 "Distaster" being down to me moving out and focussing on the move/getting settled rather than the assignments hitting me in the face - but I have plans to submit them.

The final day of January also marks 1.5 Years completed at Wolverhampton - meaning (on average) I have about as many days/weeks/months to go, as I've been here - looking back it's absolutely FLOWN by, and I CANNOT BELIEVE FOR A MOMENT that this time next year, I'll be entering my last 4 -5 months at Wolverhampton - if everything goes to plan (which I know it FUCKING won't!), In September next year I'll be headed to Coventry University (if I don't have a job by then) for my last 366 Days, 52 Weeks and 12 Months as a University student - Hopefully then I'll have both a BA Hons (Bachelor Of Arts Honours) and A Masters after my name - and we'll see how employable that makes me then - I don't expect it to "fall in my lap" - but I should be in a MUCH better position than I was in after finishing college.

Since it's the end of the month, here's my personal highlight:

01/02/2022

Oooh, I've caught up to today! Sweet!

Despite the lecture starting at 2pm, I woke up at 8am (expecting a 10am lecture, habits) and I messaged my lecture to find out where and when the day's events are happening.

Eventually I found out through the course's Whatsapp Group (inactive except on Uni Days) the room and time (2pm) I'd have my lecture at - a little before that, sorting out an appointment for my brakes - somewhere a little cheaper than KwikFit.

The lecture was an introduction to Photo-Journalism - but the course is very much a "If you eat your vegetables you can have your desert" sort of ordeal - us having to analyse, discuss and talk about all things Photo-Journalism and photos in Journalism before eventually getting let lose and being allowed to take our own pictures/create our own report with a main picture/s.

Once I got home, I worked on this blog, chilled out and flicked through my diary dates - adding GT motorsport events to dates throughout the spring and summer - I eventually had dinner and headed to bed.