Spacedmonkey

As I have already discussed on this blog, I am a studying at the University of Portsmouth. I have just got back from my first year studying Computer Network Management And Design. I have had some time to think about my time in Portsmouths and I needed to write some of this down. I am going to write a small series of post about my first year at uni, some of the problems I had and general information I would pass onto anyone that is thinking about going off to higher eduction.

So what was University like?

When I think about answering that question, I am reminded of a quote from Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity . .

When talking to other people about this very question, I am happy to say lots of people I know say, “It’s Amazing“. Personally, I would not answer like that. I would say, “It can be amazing“. University is like life and it really what you make it. Being at uni is like no other time in your life. It is the one time at everyone is in a very similar position. Everyone in their first year, most people are away from home for the first, most people do not any friends, everyone is exised and wants to learn. It is a really good place to meet people of a similar mindset to you and finally feel okay about yourself.
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When looking at the web stats for this site, a looked at the list of search engine terms that brings visiters to the site from search engines. Interestingly enough the search terms that got the most people to the site was best jokes in the world. But when looking at the results I saw something else that interested me. The third result on the term terms was “jonathan harris” web design. That search is finding the post when I discussed my web design Portfolio. I run the search to see what came up and it turns out that there is another web designer out their called Jonathan Harris.

This is not the first time I have seen people on the internet with my name. For example the famous actor Jonathan Harris who was the star of the 1950s tv show Lost in Space. Their is also a British camera company called jonathanharris.co.uk. But this person with the same name seems to really both me. There is another guy out there that has my name and does exactly the same as me, making web sites. So I decided to read all of this guys site which is called number 27 and I must admit it a bit weird. It starts off with an odd personal statement about the Universe, which I personally think it rubish. Then it talks about some of the projects this guy has worked on. Some of this guys projects really put me to shame. I really like the Yahoo! Netrospective which is a selection the top 100 moments of the web from 1995 to 2005.

Well, all I can say is that my Portfolio looks much more interesting than Number27. Looking his bio, is was born in 1979, making him about 28 years old and has finished a degree in Computer science. So all this can mean for me that I have a bright future as I have lots more years to build up my design skills. So if you were searching for a different Jonathan Harris, free feel to contact me and give me ago, I am cheaper!

In my short little life, I have been even lots of advice. Some of it has been very useful, but lots of advice that I have been given has been pretty much useless. So when thinking back about the advice that I have been given the most, is interestingly the worst advice ever. What is this useless saying that I have heard some much

Buck up

It is as simple as that, buck up. For the life of me, I can not think of a time in my life when this advice has done any good, what so ever. I find it hard to believe that it is even said. To my understanding, all the saying, buck up means, it, don’t be sad anymore. What are you ordering me not to be said? Yes, when I am in a bad mood, being told not be to is pretty much the last thing that I want to hear. I don’t think so.

If you have ever really truly been depressed and been in a really bad mood, that saying doesn’t not help anything. If you really want the person to be happier, give them a reason to cheer up. Take them down to the pub, for a nice meal or if you are a girl, good shopping.

Saying Buck up, to me, means that you don’t really understand what state the person’s emotionally state is and have no idea what they going through. People that think that you can change your mood back to happy when you are truly depressed are fools of the highest order.

Right, got that out of my system.

It may a little late to be thinking about sure things but it is important to have goals for the year. Instead of just one, I am trying to write a list of 15 things I must try and do throughout the year. So here we go;

1. Complete the making of new site, called Computingcorner and keep it updated.
2. Keep in touch with my friends more, by signing on MSN, making phone calls and joining social networks.
3. Pass my first year at university
4. Read more books, something that I have already been doing.
5. Go to the gym at least once a week
6. Start to learn to drive, something I have been putting off since I turned 17.
7. Be more daring, if I want to something just go for it.
8. Meet more people and make more friends
9. Go on holiday with friends and have a great time
10. Learn to cook
11. Complete Grand theft auto 3 PC
12. Get at least 7 hours of sleep a day and get to sleep by 12.30pm
13. Eat less chocolate
14. Keep my room as tidy as possible
15. Get a decent haircut.

I really hope that I manage to do all of these, I will write a follow up in a years time. Happy new year everyone.

This is a Christmas message to the world at large. It is nice, when reaching the end of a long year, to reflect on things. It has been a very long and eventful year for me. It has been a year full of lots of ups and downs. A year spent in doing lots of hard work so that I could pass my A-levels to get into university. I am glad that I put some much time and effort in, going to university has been one of the best things that ever happened to me. This year has been full of problems with my father becoming extremely ill. Thank god, he isnow fine and I greetfull everyday for that.

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