Maxine McArthur is a caffeine addicted, box set maniac who mentors part-time to support her full-time shopping addiction.​

Here is a word of warning: you can totally, 100% drown in paper.

Yep, it was a shock to me too but thanks to the wonderful nine months that is fourth year I have discovered it to be the case.

In fact, I don’t even think I knew there was enough paper in the world to cover all of the assignments and assignment diaries and cover sheets and ethical forms and bibliographies and declarations, which are probably signed in my blood because that’s the only aspect of my being I haven’t handed over in order to complete this year.

I cannot begin to explain to you how much work or paper is involved – seriously, trees were harmed in the making of this dissertation (side note: is concern for trees enough to get you out of a dissertation?). 

True to form, rather than doing any actual work, I spend most of my day thinking: “wow I have so much to do!”

I’d be lying if I said the workload hasn’t come as a bit of shock.

While my first to third year timetables were much fuller than that of this year, the work was nowhere near as hard. In fact I doubt I would even say it was hard.

My apologies to all the kids out there screaming at their parents over them not understanding the pressure they’re under and how hard the work is while they spend all day skipping lectures, watching Loose Women as breakfast television and spending their Monday nights in Bamboo because “they hate Mondays” for literally no reason as every day is a weekend.

Now your folks know it’s easy-peasy so you can do the dishes today.

Until now, my life was filled with eye rolls at the phrase: “this is not an assignment you can complete the night before”. LOL.

Then nodding at the numerous lectures about that one guy three years ago who failed a module and then his life ended and probably Earth did too because he didn’t Harvard reference properly.

He is the university equivalent to that kid in primary who fell and split their head open from swinging on their chair.

The library was the place we met up to discuss “group projects” but discussed everything else instead.

Now it’s the place with the ridiculously confusing moving shelves which never work.

Why do we need moving shelves!?

The librarians I didn’t know existed have become my best friends as they help me build up my 40+ strong dissertation bibliography, sadly don’t help me read through it.

And the chats of the night before are no longer filled with drunken antics but a chorus of heads shaking and sighs of relief as everyone realises they aren’t the only one who hasn’t started.

Countdown to deadline day is officially on. Fun uni is officially over and if you don’t see a blog from me for a while please send a search party. I’ll be crying under the paper.