Saturday 1st September

Last Sunday was Open Day at Tas Uni.

I have been to Open Day at Tas Uni before, and I did enjoy it, in a mild sort of way.  Pete, on the other hand, enjoyed it IMMENSELY. 

Uni days were his happiest days ever.  This says a lot.  Pete’s life has generally been happy, mainly because he is a such a positive, cheery chap and he attracts love and good fortune to himself. 
I liked uni and had a perfectly good time in my four years there.  But…they were not my happiest days ever.  I spent half of my time being extremely anxious about exams, assignments, work in general, and the other half in the Pursuit Of Love.  This also caused me lots of anxiety; what a little bundle of fun I was!

Pete was never filled with this sort of anxiety.  He is, and was, a blithe spirit.

So he was very keen to trot off to Open Day, to re-live, for a few moments, his salad days.  It was all quite interesting.  I did like looking at the marine science thingies, and enjoyed a brief dalliance with the people at the Medical School stall.

While Pete was peering into a microscope and talking earnestly about climate change and fisheries with a handsome silver haired professor I leaned against a wall and went lala in my head, quite happily, until I was accosted by an oldcodger with a clipboard.  (Said oldcodger, Brett, was 55; he told me.)  He was full of enthusiasm for…all-of-life learning. Apparently the Menzies Centre, curse them, have discovered that there are two things which ensure a happier healthier old age – why did he pick on me to talk about this, I wonder??  One of the things is cardiovascular fitness.  All good; I am quite fit and love a bit of exercise and will happily pant up and down stairs or hills, whatever it takes.  But the other is…all-of-life education.  Brett took out a pen and was all ready to sign me up for – gulp – another degree!  What did I major in?  Oh good; well maybe now I would like to do Japanese!  Or Geology!  By then my hair was just about standing on end.  Of course I can think of worse things than going back to uni…but not many!  I would love to go to lectures, and maybe even discussion groups and tutorials, and chat about this and that new area of learning.  But exams?  Assignments?  NOOOO!!!

Pete was very surprised to find me pale and fearful after my “chat” with Brett.  “But wouldn’t you like to study again?” he asked, earnestly.  (Pete, bless him, thinks I am very clever…) The answer to that question is…NOOOO!!!!  When I am feeling anxious now – and I graduated in 1971 – I have nightmares about…uni!  About not having done my assignments, not being ready for exams, having to stand up in front of big lecture halls full of people and exposing total lack of knowledge of my subject area.

I told Kathy about my encounter with Brett, at the pub on Wednesday.  Kathy and I were at uni together, and she too did well, and had a great time.  But when I told her we could go back and enrol in new courses, her eyes widened and she said… NOOOOO!!!!