I have the usual study/exam dream often enough: the end of semester approaches and I suddenly realise that after not going to maths classes all semester it's really too late to catch up. Or (more often these days) that having not read a single set text all semester... ditto.
But this was different. Last night's dream had two components. A story and an essay, both due shortly.
I dreamed that I had a story due at the end of the week. It was Tuesday now. But, while I was out my mother had opened the computer file of my story to do some editing for me (something she would never ever do I might add)(and yes, I was still living at 'home' in this dream). Unfortunately she had accidentally deleted all but the first page and a half and then saved it - over the top of the old file (also something she is too canny for).
Usually this would be a cause for panic, and it was. But the panic only lasted moment, because of course I had a printout of my latest version, and I save every version (not actually true, but I do tend to save new drafts regularly), so all I really had to do was to go back to the last saved version, mark up the differences with my current version and then type it up. Maybe an hour or two of work.
Then my step-dad pointed out that my calendar said I also had an essay due on Friday. More panic - it was for a lit class that I hadn't done any reading for all semester, and the essay had to demonstrate close reading of several texts (of course).
But once again, panic was averted. First, he was misreading my calendar - it wasn't due till Monday - and second, when I looked at the really long reading list, I'd actually read several of the novels on there already. Not recently maybe, but recently enough that I could do some re-reading and manage to write the essay in time. Especially since I realised at the same time that my story was virtually finished (once I retyped the changes) - I could hand it in if need be with just a little more tweaking.
Now, all this does sound a lot like the last minute sort of work I did in my undergrad degree - I like to take weeks to write an essay these days (of course, I am working part time and parenting these days, and am completely unable to pull all-nighters, so I kind of have to take weeks), so my subconscious is a little out of date - but still it's an improvement on 'absolutely impossible to catch up', don't you think?
Today is Easter Monday (ie, for non-Australian readers, a public holiday), so this week I am taking today as my study day instead of yesterday. Writing this dream was my warm up time. Now it's on to the story... (not due this Friday, thank goodness).
