An Honourable Update

Short version of update: Jo and I have started our honours studies!

Long version: See below! ;-)

Adam's Honours studies scorecard:

I think I've had a fairly entertaining flirtation with honours beginning back in 2011. Here are the stats which paint some of the picture!

Applied to study honours: 5 times

Accepted by university: 4 times

Rejected by university: 1 time

Applied to study BSc Hons in Theoretical Physics: 2 times

Applied to study BEd Hons in Education: 3 times

Adam declined acceptance: 3 times

Adam rejected the rejection: 1 time

Adam accepted acceptance: 1 time

Applied to study at UCT: 3 times

Applied to study at UNISA: 1 time

Applied to study at Tuks (UP): 1 time

Final scores and headline?

Physics 0

Education 1

UCT 0

UNISA 0

UP 1

"UCT physics loses out to UP Education after 8 year epic battle despite an early 2-0 lead."

For those of you who'd like an actual narrative with words instead of a story by numbers, read on.

I first applied to do honours in theoretical physics at UCT back in 2011. I was accepted, but due to my teaching bursary I needed to do my PGCE and go straight into the classroom. In 2015 I got itchy for particle physics (after working with a group of my students to submit a proposal to do an experiment on one of CERN's beamlines). So I applied again (still UCT, still theoretical physics) and was accepted. But then I got an offer to work at Siyavula (where I am now) which was just as exciting. So, again, poor UCT physics was given the "it's not you, it's me" line and the honours itch subsided for another few years.

For 2017, Joanna and I then both applied to study honours in Education (at UCT), but after being accepted we decided that the timing wasn't right and it would be too much with her teaching at PHS at the time. Fast forward to late 2018, where we're living in Zithulele and Jo is working for Axium Education. Again, we both decided the time was right - limited in distance-education options we applied to study at UNISA (still Education) but were rejected due to the course being "over-subscribed".

Not put off, I searched a bit harder for distance options and I found the BEd Hons course (in Teacher Education and Professional Development) offered by the University of Pretoria. We applied, we were accepted, in a bold move we actually accepted the acceptance this time and here we are... officially starting our honours degrees mere days before our baby girl is due. (I'm sure we'll look back on this many times and wonder if this was wise?!)

We're both looking forward to studying again (and being in the same "class" again and studying together). Studying together (no really, we were actually) was the backdrop of our first few years of being together and it'll be nice to return to that setting... but with some more life experience, from the comfort of our own home, and a daughter to help keep studying in perspective.

Here we go! *Gulp!*

Other life updates

Here are a few snapshots of this waiting period. Baby Reynolds is still expected sometime in the next few days!

In the meantime (other than studying), we've built a bed extension, celebrated Jo's 30th birthday, adapted our broken washing machine to be powered by bicycle (still a work in progress, though it does actually function), grown a BIG baby, puttered around in the veggie patch, put up a new washing line... and finally wrapped up our regular work, for the time being!