What should I do?

[anksta]

I am currently in 3rd scrapin an engineering degree but I want to change next to a Masters in Creative writing. I've found the course and it is definitely what I want to do. The head of the course wrote for Mitchell and Webb so he knows what hes doin. Anyway, I emailed before Christmas just sayin I am interested in applying and I just wanted to know whether it is a possibility, no reply.

So a few weeks ago I rang the number on the website and got put through to the admissions secretary, she said oh you have to send an email so I said I already did that and got no reply. She said she didnt know about that but gave me personal address and she would send it on to the head of the course.

I sent the email explainin I wanted in and within about an hour got an email back from the head of the course sayin it doesnt matter that I'm not from a relevant academic background as long as I'm suited to the course. Then he said come and meet me last Monday and we'll discuss it. So I was buzzin about that, emailed him askin if he would like me to take any writing and he said know which made me even more excited because then it was goin to be judged on my personality rather than credentials.

Anyway the Sunday before I was sposed to go I got an email from him explainin that he has had a family bereavement and needs to cancel, could I email him later in the week to rearrange. I was gutted but understood so I sent him an email sayin condolences to you and yours and I'll email you later. Got an out of office reply from that one explainin he has had a bereavement.

So I waited til thursday and sent an email askin to rearrange, had no reply yet. I got no out of office response either. I emailed the admissions secretary again yesterday sayin I presume hes still preoccupied with family matters and I dont want to pester, can you tell me an appropriate time to contact him again. She replied almost immediately sayin I've sent him this email he'll be in later.

Still no reply, that was yesterday afternoon. I know he must be busy and I am one possible candidate but he organised the last meetin almost immediately and I'm gettin worried now. I want on this course sooooo badly, I've done engineering for 3 years and hated literally every second of it, I should have changed ages ago but I'm stubborn to the last. I dont want to pester this guy but I will if thats what it takes. I'm gonna keep goin until he says you're not gettin on but I thought it was on friendly terms at the minute and I stood a good chance.

What should I do? email him again or give it a few more days, I cant go moanin again to the secretary cos I dont think she really has much to do with it.

 

[anksta]

Make up your own mind and dont post on public forums about it I guess. You wont get good advise, take my advise.

as I am only askin for advice how to approach a situation and not whether to approach the situation I think it is reasonable. I've made up my mind about doin it I just want reasoned opinion on how.

Give it a bit of time I'd say bereavement is a pretty good reason to not be on the ball. You've done all you can and it looks like he's aware you want to re-arrange but its probably not on his list of immediate priorities.

yeah I suppose you're right, how long though should I wait cos its already been over a week.

 

[anksta]

You're entitled to seek advice on here as long as you dont post specific details.

A week or so doesnt sound particularly long to me. Why not write a letter and put it under his office door asking him to contact you when he has time and send a copy to his department. That way you have a paper trail.

Hassling him and the department might prove counter-productive to your aims.

Whilst I think that is a good and appreciate your advice it might be a bit weird goin all the way there just to put a letter under his door, I have never been
into his building. I might go for a look round the building though and just leave the letter for him at reception. I think the hassling his department is extremely true and I dont want to do that.

Make up your own mind and dont post on public forums about it I guess. You wont get good advise, take my advise.

rofl, what a nonce.

Take my advice and don't listen to idiots like this guy

Cheers, I didnt think it was that weird a question either.

 

[anksta]

Is using "know" instead of "no" considered creative? lol.

no, its considered "correct"

 

[anksta]

.. thats a pretty servere education change.

Why are you interested in it? Have you done any creative writing of your own? Have you done anything recently?

Chances are if you can't answer those well and possitively, you might have difficulties getting on the course.

I picked engineering in the first place because it is a respectable, reliable and career-worthy course, however (as you will point out) that is not enough reason to embark on such a work load heavy intense course. I only wish someone would have told me before I ha dpicked it cos I well regret it.

I have only ever seen myself writin or some form of creative aspect but always thought it was a bit of a rock star dream and stuck to conventional routes. I write on my own and in my spare time whenever I can, I have submitted poetry to online journals, written one screenplay and started another, write and read short stories and recommended textbooks to similar courses.

I agree completely with you, the only similarity this course has with engineering is that without a personal interesnt and a level of personal commitment it isnt goin to be easy and therefore unadvisable. I think I have a passion for writing and noly want the chance to prove that to myself and everybody else.

 

[anksta]

When does the course start? September surely? if so there is quite a while to go yet... you should maybe wait a few more weeks.

yeah but I've already signed for a house next year (I didnt want to yet but it was that or have nowhere to live) so I would like to get it sorted pretty soon.

 

[anksta]

My advice? Stick with engineering. I have 2 friends who put in the hard work at University and who are now earning three times my salary, with greater prospects and better job satisfaction. If you're cut out for a career in writing it'll come naturally and you'll be able to pursue it regardless of a degree in creative writing. Knowledge of engineering won't be so easily obtained.

I take it you're not an engineer? Cos its awful, I apologise to all engineers who enjoy but to those I think they should put themselves in the situation of attempting a completely different career, one which they have no interest in and then imagine how much they would want to change.

I dont like engineering, I am not interested in turbulent flow in pipes and theres only so long you can read a question that begins 2 infinite plates...

Thats just an example but seriously it makes be depressed having to do this, I cant stand the prospect of doin anythin where anyone with the same trainin could do to a similar standard, that isnt what I want. I like people to look at what I have done and say "Thats really good" or even "I didnt agree with that" or whatever, not right or wrong.

Science is an area of academics or career suited to certain people and I think I have ran my course with it.

Perhaps you should learn 'proper' writing, before you attempt to get 'creative' with it?

Or is your 'g' key defective?

ey?

 

[anksta]

Why on earth would you enroll on an engineering course, then?

because I'm stupid, you want to take the mick I wont stop you

 

[anksta]

didnt knowtice I'd done that. I never normally make any typin mistakes. Their for idiots to make.








dont even bother

 

[anksta]

(free bump)... spoken to him yet?

no, still no reply. What you reckon? Today or tomorrow? Dont wanna peck his head but dont want him to think I'm not bothered.

 

[anksta]

This probably won't help much at all but here's my experience.

I did a degree which I enjoyed - Computing Mathematics. I did an MSc also in Mathematics, and then came out of university looking forward to working hard, for lots of money. Of course now I'm stuck in a job which is interesting, and pays very well, but every day I realise it's not what I want to be doing.

When I was a lad (eg back in 't'day) I was at a specialist music school, training to be a pianist and was a chorister. I had an accident which ended my piano playing, and naturally my testicles left their warm snug place between my legs by a few inches, so I stopped singing treble. It's taken me literally 10 years to get back into singing, and I've been so so lucky that I've fallen straight on my feet at a highly renowned choir at a world famous university, having been a professional musician for 5 years (as a chorister), I would have hated any level of it that wasn't absolutely of the best quality.

If you don't enjoy what you're doing: change it. Hope that helps in some sort of fashion.

I thought you were gonna say stick with science or somethin, you're bang on right and what you've done is bang on what I wanna do except a different art. Well done on not settlin for what will bring you a nice pay cheque but no personal fulfillment. More people should think about what they wanted to do when they were 15 or 16 and compare that to where they are now.

 

[anksta]

man if thats the stuff u learn in engineering im so glad i didnt go into study that Über boring...

that might be the most excitin thing they do as well. "We've got this 10 inch thick steel girder, how much is it gonna bend if we put this bag of sugar on it, yes thats right, not at all"

I envy you that you considered and then decided against it. I wish I'd done that, I could have been on this course 3 years ago and actually enjoyed uni.

 

[anksta]

at least you will have a neat degree at the end of it, even if you dont do anything engineering related it will always look good on CV's

yeah thats what I'm thinkin and convincin myself of as well, only reason why I've stuck it out really, thing is though I'm nearly at the end of my tether and I'm on by the skin of my teeth.

 

[anksta]

a reply!

I've never put more than one ! exclamation mark, however, I'm so excited that lets just reiterate;

A REPLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

>Hi
>
> I am now back at work normally, and happy to rearrange our meeting. I
> could meet tommorow (Friday) if it's any good to you (after 11 a.m.).
> If not, can I suggest 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb 6?
>
> Get back and let me know which you'd prefer.
>
> Best wishes
>
> Garry

Get in, although I'm PROPER brickin it now, any tips on what to say?

 

[anksta]

Something creative?

I was thinkin about goin in and tellin him I know how to calculate how far a ball will travel given any applied force.

ha, na still though I dont think he'll want to hear somethin creative if you get me, more like why I want to be creative, where my passion lies and what I want to achieve, that sort of thing. I quite like the idea of being able to be honest for once in an interview.

Wish me luck though, I'll definitely post what happens. Any other advice will be greatly appreciated though.

 

[anksta]

ok, meetings at 1 so gonna set off in about 15 20 minutes make sure I can find the damn thing I only saw the buildin yesterday for the first time.

I'll wish myself luck then.

Good luck anksta!

 

[anksta]

Well, bit gutted to be honest, he said the people on his course had already written for BBC radio West Yorkshire playhouse and things like that. With a poor degree in an unrelated discipline I would need a lot of other things to add weight to my application.

So now, my question for the thread becomes how do I get these? More so things like professional experience, anythin really, pullin the curtain at the local pantomime will do, just somethin.

 

[anksta]

So he said no? Why didnt he ask for samples of your work? Send off examples of your work.

I would have thought this kind of course would be welcoming anyone (well any graduate expressing will and enthusiasm wanting to join it.) Basically means the course and their jobs continue to exist! Is there such a high demand for the course that they can afford to turn away fee paying students no problem?

But like i said: if its your dream then convince the dude of it. This is possibily a test btw He's testing to see how commited you are maybes....

he said he would only want to see some of my stuff in an application, and as an application you need a 3000 word portfolio of samples. It doesnt specify though if that can be one sample, or 25 or whatever.

He said the places are quite competitive, around 16 places give or take and around 40 applicants. Most of whom have some relevant experience etc.

He seemed to think I was rushing into this and was like maybe you should take a year out, I cant afford to do that though and I think he thinks that I am a bit young and niave to really want to commit to this.

Does anyone know of any websites or anythin that have sort of amature dramatic societies and that kind of thing? Anything really.

Cheers