Category: Student life

I Studied Creative Writing and Now I’m Tired of Reading

Published on by Arabella2 Comments

After three crazy years I graduated from university with a degree in Creative and Professional Writing and now… I’m tired of reading.

Weekly reading, analysing every sentence and trying to turn fractured thoughts into some academic sounding discussion point for class has left me burnt out. After intense years of studying texts, how am I now meant to just pick up a book for fun? How can I just read for the sake of reading?

It’s been eight months since graduation and we’re four months into 2023 – I haven’t finished reading one book yet.

But what I’ve begun to understand is that this isn’t forever. I’ve learned is the importance of letting your mind feast on something else that isn’t words. Explore other hobbies and creative mediums.

Sometimes taking a step back and giving yourself a break is the best thing you can do. It’s important to remember that reading should be enjoyable, not a chore. Don’t force yourself to read if you’re not feeling it, and don’t feel guilty about taking a break. Your love for reading will come back in its own time, and in the meantime, enjoy exploring other hobbies and creative mediums.

So my fellow tired bookworms, don’t worry, your passion will come back one day.

5 Tips for the Dyslexic Reader

Published on by Arabella1 Comment

If you’re not familiar with dyslexia it can be simplified down to difficulties with reading and spelling, although this is reducing a very complex learning difficulty into a few words and by no means does the challenges it creates justice.

Rather surprisingly, about half the people on my degree were dyslexic, myself included. For context I did my undergraduate degree in creative and professional writing, so not the place you’d expect to find a bunch of dyslexic people.

As expected, a degree program with writing in the title also came with a lot of reading, something I know that many of us struggled with, but we made it though and even after we graduated many of us remain to be avid readers.

After many conversations with my peers about it, there are a few tips that have helped us that I can pass on in the hope of helping someone else with dyslexia with their reading journey.

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The Art of a Hot Drink

Published on by Arabella2 Comments

There’s something to be said about sitting back and having a hot drink. Making tea or coffee is something we do every day, often when we’re half asleep in the morning or in a rush on our lunch breaks between classes or work. It’s so rare we sit down and enjoy the process of making a hot drink.

Tonight (or should I say this morning seeing as it’s 1am at the time of writing this) I made myself some herbal tea and sat down at my desk to journal. Why I felt compelled to write was beyond me, but after half an hour of composing my thoughts and silencing my mind I sat back in my chair and reached for my drink.

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Changing priorities as a writer – what happens when you don’t want to write that book?

Published on by Arabella2 Comments

The academic year is coming to a close meaning I’m drawing ever closer to the end of my second year at University. It’s been a very odd year with all my classes being online, but I’ve been very busy and growing so much.

I started my degree wanting to write novels, it came to no surprise to anyone who knew me. It’s been a childhood dream of mine, and I’ve been writing for so many years. I knew it would be possible to achieve this dream, I just had to work hard for it.

The dream was to one day become a full-time author and by the end of my first year I had my first book outlined, the plot was sorted and all I needed was to write it. I was excited, but also tired. I put it down to the global pandemic, I’d had to leave University very fast, the UK got put into lockdown and life changed overnight.

I tried to get excited during lockdown, trying to convince myself that this was an amazing time to sit down and write this book. I couldn’t go anywhere, I wasn’t at University with my friends to distract me, shops were closed too, same with events. In my mind this was the perfect time to write.

But I didn’t want to write the book and before I knew it, it was September, I was back at University.

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