Last minute improvised speech on lack of ideas.

We all run out of ideas. Some of us every now and then, and some... quite often. As a student, one encounters this issue far too many times. It so happened that one of the worst possible times for me occurred when I was faced with the colossal task of having to pull my brain cells together and put them to work for a measly speech my friend and I needed to write together for an exam.

There was more than enough time: we were told from the first class of the semester that, as an examination, we would have to present a speech on a free choice and style, just as long as we kept within the boundaries of politeness and proper manners. We were kindly asked to leave zeal aside and to not exceed 2-3 minutes in presentation, because our teacher, contrary to popular belief, actually has a personal life, and there already were a lot of us, even grouped up. As short and to the point as possible. Plain and simple.

Obviously my friend and I forgot all about it right after we were told about it --- or simply didn't give it importance from the very beginning.

Uhm... whoops...

One semester of hellish boredom meticulously interwoven with sweet slumber later...

Right before the exam. Test. For a different course, but still a test. I finished long before the time was up, and since my friend was still not done and considering the mutual, unspoken agreement that we wait for eachother to finish and leave the room together, I got bored. Really bored. My drawing skills are far too poor, even the personal satisfaction of having passed time in any way, therefore I started --- and finished --- a speech for the exam in less than half an hour. One on lack of ideas.

Initially, this was supposed to be just me complaining to myself on a sheet of paper, until my friend would be done with her test, but it turned out to be just perfect for the exam. It's an improvisation, I am well aware, but the teacher said she really liked it, and we got more than just a passing grade, so that's all that counts, right?

This is how it turned out:

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Intro: There's times and times when you have far too much inspiration for your own good. In your mind, nomads are warring against yellow-spotted, rainbow martians, somewhere in an ocean, inside a hippo-shaped submarine... and... times when ideas just fly past you and you can spout words or phrases no brighter than a toddler's. Well, we found ourselves in the latter situation, with no ideas whatsoever, and just couldn't think of anything better to write.

Me: I sit at my desk, a week or so before the exam, to get started on a speech. I take out some sheets of paper, pick up a pen and attempt to write... Just one problem: I have no clue as to what subject to write on. Not even a single idea. Not a fragment of thought... Nothing! I call my blonde friend, maybe she's thought of something. She rejects my call and messages me to... message her. I do as told.

Friend: Me... I was relaxing in front of the TV, enjoying life while watching my favorite show. My friend calls me, and I reject her call. I text her, saying that I'm still looking for inspiration. How? By watching my favorite show, of course! Don't worry, gurl, there's still time, we'll come up with something for Friday!

Me: Fine. Two days later I pick the pen up again, and after a while of blank staring, in hopes that maybe the wall would provide me any ideas, a multiple toothache brought me to the realization that I had been chewing the pen for God knows how long. I put it down, look around, crumple the paper, throw it, and absently watch it as it bounces off the wall and falls on the floor.

Friend: Not a single idea. None. Zero. I'm fretting. I sit at the desk. The desire to write is coming from the bottom of my dear, little heart. I really want to get it over with once and for all. Seriously, how hard can it be?! In the end it's a free subject, right?! Oh, hush, surely I'll get an idea soon... or maybe my friend already has one? Meh, there's still time.

Me: I'm thinking... and God, am I thinking...! The exam's tomorrow. But still... maybe 9gag or Youtube shall be my source of inspiration. You'd think that by now at least some idea must've buzzed through this head of mine. Guess again! Hours pass as if they never even came, and I realize that it's already evening. Frustrated as I am, I message my blondie that I have no idea whatsoever and that I'd write a speech on... lack of ideas. Obviously, she finds it amusing, but in the end it turns out that... lack of ideas constitutes the subject of this speech, because, honestly, we had no idea what else to write about.

Friend: Isn't that so? All other subjects were either already taken or are far too overused. Clichés. Oh, God of Inspiration, I humbly thank you for illuminating our minds and guiding us toward actually writing something for this exam! It's true, we've mostly complained about it, at least we could've had a fixed subject, so we'd blame the teacher for giving us something difficult.

I do consider, however, that even lack of ideas... is an idea!

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I really know this isn't much at all, but I felt like sharing it, maybe it will one day save a student's mark, just like it did mine.

What I don't know is what went on in my head while writing it. Boredom struck again, and my, did it strike...

Furthermore... I don't know what more to add as a side commentary to this so-called speech.

Anyway.

ICE CRE----I mean hiiiii :D

Update.

Long time, no post!

It's been a while since I last showed any sign of life at all, I've been pretty much inactive on all social networks that I have an account on (to make a mention here: even if some people behaved as if I had ceased to exist, I've been here all along. I really wish it was that easy to vanish, sorry to disappoint).

Anyway, I've been neglecting my online social life (if you may call it that way), as well as other things about myself, for various reasons. There is not much that I can say here about that, without possibly upsetting any of those who may be involved and happen to stumble upon this blog of mine, so I shall do my best to stay silent about some things, at least for a while, and certainly on this post.

As the situation currently stands, I am sitting here, with another mug of coffee about to go cold. In full summer. Newachievementforspacingouthasbeenunlockedformypersonalrecordyaaaaay!*deep breath*

If you've read one of my older posts (something about mistakes and sometimes having to turn back), this will be the so-called update *slash* continuation of it, so here goes:

Even though a different wording was used in expressing a certain promise of mine, what I said was pretty much that even if I were to crawl on all fours, I would keep my word. A good few months later, and I am proudly announcing that I am finally preparing myself for departure in three weeks from now. Unslept nights ahoy!

Skipping the above mentioned promise thing for the moment, and giving a quick recap/overview of the situation, things went the following way: I applied for a Master's programme that I would've been accepted for, at least in my country, which reminded me the hard way that different countries have different standards for pretty much everything, including, apparently, entry requirements for study programmes. Don't say it. I know. I really do. Just don't say it.

I'm unable to walk down the path that I wish with my current studies, so, as it happened that I haven't talked about in that previous post, is that after being turned down, I finally calmed down and got a good grip of myself. I applied for three Bachelor programmes that I considered would be of more use, and at the same time suit me better and be an enjoyable study. Turns out three really is a charm and all my applications were accepted right away.

I decided on one --- quickly got down to business. This is where the adventures start.

Coolio.

Looking around for more info on what more could be done at that time to avoid getting too crowded later on, I found that it was possible to apply through this certain agency for accommodation --- and I took the chance. It goes without mention that as required in pretty much all formalities nowadays, I entered an account name and password, then my name, age, gender, address, phone number, e-mail address, university name, marital status, underwear size, whether I'm sane and have all vaccines, parent's name, a contact person's details, private and non-private, and finally the desired period of my rental.

By the sound of it, it's not all that difficult, and should proceed smoothly.

Ha. Nice one.

"Dream away, dream away,

Let imagination light your way..."

Sure, I looked around to gather all knowledge possible on the subject, and there was some mention somewhere in a hidden digital corner of the website that the university you were accepted at decides the renting period for their students who apply through that agency, but being... I don't know... February (?), the info was outdated, so I entered a date at my guess. The application was accepted, meaning everything was in good order. Right? Not really.

Let's just say this agency is notorious for not being... not necessarily serious, but for not being that well... organised. After having the application accepted by both the agency and the university, I was given permission to search for a room. Okay, I'll just blame myself here and say that maybe I didn't properly look for info on how to rent in my case --- but nobody told me why they kept rejecting my application either, so this went on for quite a while.

I mailed them to see what was wrong.

Two weeks pass and no sign.

Fine.

I mailed the university and got a reply two days later that my message had been forwarded. Thank you kindly.

I got a reply from someone from the agency the next day, as well as a reply from their client service center two days later.

Alright, I was doing something wrong.

Apparently I had to search through a different option. I did as told, and my room was reserved, with mention that I would get further guidance in two months or so.

My accommodation issue being solved and not receiving any further notification/instruction on that, implies that there was nothing wrong anymore, that my rental was officially agreed upon, by everyone, and from all points of view, till I'd be requested to pay the first round of money --- also meaning that I already knew the day my contract would start. So now that that's taken care of, time to book my flight!

I decided not to go with my national flight company, due to their famous delays and various other issues, and instead booked with the company of the country I'm headed to. Like any normal person wanting to be sure everything is crystal clear, a few questions arose for me here and there, so I set out on a pilgrimage on the company site to seek enlightenment, having to resort in the end to asking the gods themselves. The answers were given with the typical disgust of the middle-aged women in charge of providing information to the less bright clients like myself. It's alright, I understand the frustration of being disturbed from a highly important solitaire tournament.

Accommodation rental and flight booking were finally scratched off the list for the time being.

Weeks went by, I slowly got ready with minor things here and there, while waiting for updates. Time was drawing near. Slowly, but surely.

End of May. The accommodation agency mails me that there would be an increase in rental prices due to whatever regulation changes they mentioned in there, and also, I was to soon receive further instructions towards making my rental request definite. That's what I wanted to know.

Two weeks later, they finally sent me the long-awaited mail with the last directions before arrival, and I proceeded precisely as required.

And then I see it.

The starting day of the rent had been moved to three days later. So had the ending date. Sure, I didn't really mind having the end date moved, but the problem was that the flight had already been booked and changing the departure date meant pretty much paying for the flight again. The changes made without any notification whatsoever was the main frustration here. After all, they had accepted my application, and I saw nothing changed on my account online.

Fine.

Mail the agency.

A week gone.

No reply.

Mail the university.

Receive reply. Not really satisfying. All they said was that the university decides the rental period for their students who apply through that agency. Period.

Alright. Time to change the flight departure day. What more could possibly go wrong, right? Right?!

I went online to my booking details, made the necessary modifications. Received notification that I had to contact them to have all purchased options transferred to the new ticket, so I did. I got reply that my changes had been transferred.

Sip of coffee.

A few minutes after the confirmation, I decided to check the ticket out of plain curiosity. Nothing had changed.

Another sip of coffee.

Thinking maybe the changes would occur later, I checked a few hours afterwards. And then a few days later. Nothing.

I mailed them again to see what was wrong and was told in the same diplomatic disgust as the first time, that the changes had been transferred and that I should stop insisting (even though I had only contacted them about it once before), so I just told myself to wait a bit longer. I did. A month later there was still no change to my flight details online.

To keep it short, I resorted to their facebook page, in hopes that someone would be of more help than the delightful people who I had previously contacted. I explained my situation and humbly asked to be enlightened. Being the nice, actually helpful people that they are (probably because the rest of the internet could see that short exchange of replies, therefore their reputation heavily depends on appearances at least), they aided me, and I received my long-sought answer, so now I can rest calm and continue sipping my coffee with a lower chance of choking or spilling it.

Come to think of it, I did spill it just yesterday. That's another story. Good thing it was cold though.

Going back to the promise I made... Look at me, I'm nearly there, after such a long time. However, time was unkind, and sadly things have changed a lot in the meanwhile, therefore the effect, if any, will no longer be the same, and it pains me greatly. In the end, it seems like now I really am dragging myself to fulfill those words. I hope it still means something to you...

All that's left now for me is to wait and see what will be next. And obviously hope for the best. Until then, I'll go get some more coffee. I get the feeling that I'm nowhere near the end of it, so I'm enjoying the breather while I still can.