"From the results shown here, it would be clear that there is a positive correlation from the two variables. Unfortunately there are many limitations to the experiment, these include..."
I stopped typing, and paused to take a sip from the 4th milk latte this night. I was lucky that Starbucks was around the street. What were the limitations? Ah yes, limited equipment, limited chemicals - and then I suddenly became immersed to my lecturer, a Dr. Bruce, a man whose biggest feature was his nose with short sandy hair, talking about the relationship between ethyl lead and crime rates. Fascinating.. Considering it was only produced in England and banned to sell in the chemical in England, there was not much chance that I would be able to have the chance to experiment with that chemical.
I sighed. According to the clock on my table it was 3am in the morning and I needed to give in my essay in 29 hours. Drat!
And I needed to write and include 3 more sections, the conclusion, a bibliography, and appendices. I was sure that I would somehow finish, the sad thing was that I had left it too late. My level of procrastinating had somehow increased in the past few months, and I had avoided writing my thesis until the last minute. My excuse is that I had read in the news that leaving your work would make you more desperate to finish, and so you would find more mistakes in your piece of work then spending a long period of time writing it.
I scrolled up to the title page and started to take a break, an educational break where I would then correct any thing that was wrong.
"Hey Amelia, you finished with your thesis?" My roommate, Iris asked. She was scoffing down a slice of pizza, her eyes bright, even though it was so early.
"9000 words in, and I still need to include more on the limitations of the experiment would be. It will be easy, just ranting on how I should have permission from the school to use high-tech equipment."
Iris smiled blearily, the question had obviously been a starter, where she would then be talking about something that was lately irritating her. However I was not in the mood to talk to her, I needed to quickly finish my work. The signs were clear:
1. The takeaway pizza: the symbol of a university student's laziness to buy nutritious food.
2. The slight wrinkle on her forehead, that was caused by stress
3. The casual question about my well being
4. And maybe that she was still awake, and should be sleeping in her comfortable, relaxing bed.
I was right.
"I'm glad you are alright. My father says that the head of the archaeology department has given me the opportunity to present my findings on the exhibition I went last summer to the first years. As if I hadn't had enough things to do - it is a honour though - but he only told me yesterday, but I have to present it next week!"
She dramatically rolled her eyes and paused, waiting for my reaction.
"Im sure you'll do alright. If the head thinks that your findings are interesting and - informative - then I'm sure you will do alright." I said as I tried not to yawn.
"Thanks Amelia." She smiled modestly, she knew she had to work hard to prove herself as her father, the chancellor, of the university was there. She was one of the best students in archaeology though, and made sure that it was her talent, not her connections that made her successful. "Do you want a slice of pizza? You'll help out and listen to my presentation?"
I nodded, grabbed a slice of pizza and turned my attention to the screen again - back on those statistics.
"Cool. Good luck with your work."
I groaned inwardly. I could see that after Iris' interruption, i was getting practically nowhere. I had mostly edited everything - reconstructing the grammar, and making it more elegant…I should have done more, but the threat to sleep was too big. For the past hour, I couldn't even put my eyes open! I must have been really sleepy, as even objects that usually should be small was huge. Loose change (£3.05) never looked as large as saucers right? And the clock's long arms were pointing at 8 looked like arrows. I rubbed my right arms, and everything stayed the same.
Weird. And I didn't even seem to care. It must all be a daydream, I decided.
And then - an explicit urge to sleep came over me - and then I closed my eyes.