#i'll probably be able to send in my revisions in a day or two

[scribblesandsorcery]

I think I've almost reached the finish line with this essay.

[mortish-writes]

Weekly Progress Report - February 3rd - 9th

I rather naively planned on spending a single day writing the NSFW scene for the Heretic route. Then it went from being 2,500 words to 7,000 because of all the pedantry. I love how it played out and I'm really satisfied with the scene. It was pretty painful to provide an alternate route without it, both because it was so solid and because it was kinda sad going back to the regular character dynamic after writing these raw moments of carnal understanding between the characters. As I mentioned previously, if you do go the NSFW route on Night IV, your night will go down a different branch with completely different scenes. The full route is around 13,000 words, so it makes for a very meaty episode.

The Zealot night and the non-NSFW Heretic night will be around 8,000 words each. I'm going to have the alternate Heretic night tied up tonight, then I'll be editing it. It will definitely be ready and uploaded on the 14th (possibly even the 13th), but the Zealot route may take another day or two depending on how long I spend on editing. I'm going to have to really pore over the Heretic route, as there's nothing quite so awful as being deeply immersed in an intimate scene only to stumble across a typo or an error. I'll keep you posted.

I'm almost ready to launch the Patreon. Rather than putting the NSFW content (Bound/Unbound modes) on Patreon I've decided to make a version with additional tendencies that offer unique romance/intimacy options, as well as early access to new nights. This will allow patrons to tailor a story and MC that's more to their liking, without taking content away from free readers. The first of the new tendencies are already established in the Night IV supporter edition. They're "coy" and "assertive" and you'll be able to flex them within NSFW scenes and romantic dialogue. This month, patrons will be able to vote on a new tendency for Night V, as well as which existing tendencies they'd like to see more of. Once we hit the Week One mark, I will be revising the entire week to add in the tendencies patrons have voted on, giving you new options from the prologue onward.

I'll be launching the Patreon this weekend once the Zealot route is finalized and uploaded to Itch. As soon as it's ready, I'll be sending out gifted months to everyone who has supported on Ko-Fi. Special thanks to UnknownOblivion for last week's ko-fi! I'm grateful to everyone who's supported the story, be it on Ko-fi or just leaving feedback as I get the hang of adapting my story and characters into an interactive format. It's been such a freaking joy to share them with other humans. I'll be checking in daily this week to let you know how Night IV is progressing. It's my favorite night yet. Granted, that's probably because I've been dying to get to the NSFW, idk. I just think all RO's are better once they've gotten a taste of the MC.

[[Play Bride of Shadows]] [[Ko-Fi]]

[mydearestbeloved]

chapter 7!! another delightful one! i can feel your inner geek coming out when reading this /pos 🤭. i really really appreciate how you break down what reader can do and how she does it. me and jinwoo were def paying attention 👀. and i found it really nice how you explained things and interwoven into each paragraph the relationship process between reader and jinwoo and the end really just ties everything together that is reader shows of trust to jinwoo. without that, this chapter would just be a biology lesson. not that i complain about it 😆. authors putting efforts and thoughts in their characters' skillset and power tickle my brain sm <3 . also, I like that you make small changes like allowing jinwoo access to c-rank dungeons without jinho’s help to show that even without her direct intervention, reader’s mere presence has already changed things (bc yk he was supposed to solo leveling here hehe), just like a butterfly effect (Ik the system makes the changes happen but SYMBOLISM). SL’s storyline is very simple and straightforward so even small yet significant adjustments can potentially leave plot holes behind. glad to know that the system got that covered.

?System¿:

[ Review has been submitted . . .

We thank you for your feedback, Reader.

System will now connect you you to 《AUTHOR》 ]

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.

.

Thank you for sending your review! My apologies for the very late response (again)! 🙏🥹

Thank you for your kind words! 💕

I kept revising the explanations while writing this chapter. One second, I was like, “Oh! That’s it!” and the next, “Wait, this is too complicated…”—and repeat. I also debated whether to put the explanation in a separate section, maybe formatted like it’s part of the system’s database, but I eventually scrapped the idea because it would’ve made the chapter too long and dull. This could work if there wasn’t much information to explain, but Chapter 7 already had too much.

Plus, I quite like how this chapter turned out, so I’m glad you enjoyed the flow as well. 🥰

It’s exactly because SL’s storyline is straightforward that I was able to fit Trial Player AU in the first place. The events before the timeline reset took place over around three years, right? Trial Player AU needed much more time than that—especially for the romance development. I have trouble imagining Jinwoo trusting TP!Reader within under a month after everything he’s been through. And that’s not even mentioning the fact that he's aware she’s connected to the system and knows what he has done all this time. He would have taken even longer to trust her if TP!Reader hadn’t extended her hand first—but she also needed time to decide and adjust. After years of being a hermit, and then she had to tread the most carefully with Jinwoo out of all people.

Even Cha Hae-in implied that TP!Reader is still closed off in a way, years into their friendship, despite being the first person whose scent doesn’t bother her. So, while Hae-in still have trouble connecting to other people, she was doing much better because TP!Reader is there compared to canon. Hae-in became the more open one between the two.

That’s just one stage of the relationship development—imagine the rest, all within under three years, when most of that time is spent in battle. 🫠

I get that sometimes a deeper bond is forged through dangerous situations—TP!Reader and Jinwoo were also affected by this—but I didn’t want that to be all there was to it. So I needed to make time. And since the manhwa already cut out so many moments from the novel, I’m having an easier time making alterations.

So if readers notice that a timeline is stretched—like an event that originally happened within days in canon is one or two weeks in Trial Player AU—that’s probably because I expanded it to add more original events in between. I’ll leave the timeline a bit vague, and I apologize if it might put off some readers. 🙏

Plot holes are a given with the directions I decided to take for this story, hence I'll try to fill them as best as I can.

In the end, this is an AU, so things are bound to change even if the story still revolves around canon. I hope it can still be enjoyed regardless. 💕

[anogete]

Snape/Hermione WIP Status, Art Commission

I have a working title, but I'm not ready to share it just yet. I want to sit with it for a bit before I decide.

I've written seven chapters and am about halfway through the eighth. I've also completed an initial revision of the first five.

Yesterday evening, I created a rough outline of the remainder of the fic with notes about specific scenes that need to happen along the way. Based on this, I suspect the fic will probably be around 25 chapters, give or take. That means likely 110-125k words, which is typical of my writing these days.

I have a couple beta volunteers to whom I'll be sending the first five chapters after I have time to look them over once more. As long as life doesn't get in the way, I think I should be able to complete the first draft by early-February and hopefully start posting shortly after. Which is funny because the bulk of the story takes place in February and March. Right on time.

Stay tuned in the coming few weeks for some inspo pics, excerpts, and maybe even cover art if I can figure out how to work Canva. I'm also on the hunt for an artist or two who would be open to a commission from me. If you have a fav artist who does commissions, please send me a link to their work so I can take a look.

[friend-of-a-cat]

Hello there! Apologies for diving into your inbox and if I'm interrupting anything you're busy with; but I just wanted to say again - thank you so much for that wonderful post you made for EO with your own version of events! (It's this one: just to serve as a throwback and reference https://www.tumblr.com/friend-of-a-cat/737035670430810113/my-very-crude-etrian-odyssey-rewrite?source=share) You really helped fix a dilemma I had with a potential Nexus playthrough; that being the fact that it wouldn't really make much sense for my EO5 party members to be around my EO1-4 ones, ahah. As a matter of fact, my own 'lore' for the series has grown and been largely, if not completely based around your post, it really is that good and if I ever one day sit down and decide to write about all the chronicles of my guilds from EO1-5, I'd definitely take your sequence of events into consideration, ahah. Actually, I messaged you because I grabbed the words from your post and began to expand on it some more on a doc, adding more details on how things came to be and taking a few details from Untold (a game I haven't and will probably never play, lol), while also doing just a bit of rearranging and putting a date on all of the history. I'm unsure who else I'd really show it to, but I thought I'd let you know about it and gauge your interest, seeing as 90% of it was your work, ahahah. Do let me know if you'd like to give it a read, but more than anything; thank you again for your contributions to the EO community!

Thank you so much! And you're so welcome, I'm glad my post was able to help! I'm chuffed that I was able to inspire you to expand upon your own lore. I found the timeline to be kind of a nightmare and then inspiration struck, so I kind of just… sat there for a good few hours writing and revising it all.

I would absolutely love to give your document a read. Literally anything Etrian Odyssey piques my interest lol, and I adore looking at and reading fan content (and making it). I'm very interested in your additions, too, especially since I haven't finished a single game (which is still one of my greatest shames, though, in my defence, I have nearly finished at least two of them) - thus, I don't really have a lot of context for some of the events that happen. But yes, definitely send it over and I'll give it a look when I have some free time!!

[rosalinewintrell]

The Letter

You guys! It's Wednesday! I forgot what day it was! This isn't my favorite chapter, and I know it reflects in my writing, but I just couldn't figure out a way to cut it and make the next little arc make sense. There is a possibility I'll revise it in the future.

I hope you enjoy!

A few weeks later, Garreth and Rosaline were in potions together, though they sat at separate stations now. Things had remained comfortable between them, even if some of Garreth’s longing looks were more than simply friendly. He seemed to be keeping his word, about taking a step back, for now.

It saddened Rosaline a little. She had truly enjoyed Garreth’s company and his easy manner, but it seemed like this distance was something he wanted, or needed, in order to prove something to himself, and far be it from Rosaline to try and stand in his way. They were still friends, of course, it was hard to stop being Garreth’s friend once you began after all, but she couldn’t say she didn’t miss the closeness they had shared for a little while.

And now, to make things even more complicated, she had received a letter from her grandfather regarding Garreth’s concerns over the stock at J. Pippins Potions it read:

Dear Rosaline,

Thank you for alerting me to the questionable quality of the School’s closest potions shop—J. Pippins you said? I recall the name, but I remember it being such a well-run shop I never thought to inspect it before deciding to move you to Hogwarts.

I sent a proxy to look over the place last week and they indeed reported that the quality and quantity of the shop’s inventory was quite lacking. It is of great importance that we remedy this as quickly—and cordially—as possible. That being said, I am planning on moving the Family to the Ainsworth Estate for the Christmas Holidays so we might all go and see about this issue ourselves.

Before we do so, however, I would like to meet the young man who alerted you to the issue. I believe you said his name was Garreth Weasley? They are a good family; I am not surprised one of their ilk discovered what was going on.

Please prepare your friend to meet with your grandmother and I over Christmas break, along with one of his parents. It wouldn’t do to interview the boy without some support after all. I will send another owl once I have more details regarding our travel.

With Love,

GrandPapa

The letter had arrived two days prior, another containing her Grandparents’ travel had just arrived that morning and now Rosaline had no reason to put off telling Garreth. She wasn’t worried about his reaction, but she also didn’t want to interrupt his own plans for the Christmas break. She agonized over what she would say to him the entire class, her eyes glancing towards him as he concentrated on his own notes. She was lucky they were taking theory notes today. She might’ve blown something up otherwise.

She was able to catch him before he left the room, stopping him with a quick tap to his shoulder. “Garreth, could I have a moment?”

“Of course, Rosaline,” the Gryffindor said brightly, “Anything for you. Walk with me?”

She explained things as best she could as they walked, trying to stay quiet as they walked through the halls. She wasn’t discussing anything remotely secretive, but she still didn’t want people to know about her business. She was a private person by nature, and that was only compounded by her family’s political fame. “They’d like to speak with you and one of your parents around Christmas, if they could. If it won’t interrupt your holiday, of course.”

Garreth shook his head with his normal nonchalance despite the news, simply shrugging and looking down at her with a smile. “I’ll send a letter to my parents tonight, but it shouldn’t be an issue. I stay here Christmas usually anyway.”

“And…your parents won’t mind travelling?” Rosaline inquired. She really was concerned about upsetting Garreth or his family.

“Nah, especially if only one needs to make the trip. My Pops will probably come so Ma can stay with Emmeline—my sister.”

“You…really aren’t upset by this? At all?” She asked.

Garreth shook his head and shrugged. “What’s there to be upset about? If anything, I am absolutely ecstatic! I mean, your grandfather is a legendary Potioneer. I’m lucky to breath the same air as him, let alone speak to him personally.”

Rosaline chuckled and shook her head. She knew that Garreth looked up to grandfather, it wasn’t a surprise given the boy’s own passion towards the subject, and, in a way, that made the boy’s idolization of her grandfather less irritating. Most people admired him for his political status, Garreth admired him for his skill and ability. It certainly made their conversations about him more interesting.

“I hope he lives up to the legend.”

Garreth scoffed and stopped in front of the entrance to his next class. “If he’s anything like you, I know he will.”

And here they were again, in one of those moments where Garreth gazed down at her, such longing and affection shining in his eyes, smile wide and soft as he regarded her.

“Well,” Rosaline said, glancing over Garreth’s shoulder to see the room behind him filling with more students. “I suppose this is where I leave you.” She smiled softly.

“Oh, right,” Garreth said, shoulders drooping just a little. “I’ll catch you later, Rosaline!” He recovered quickly and his smile brightened as he turned with a wave.

“Bye,” Rosaline whispered, hand raised in farewell.

[nengojo]

hello everyone! i wanted to experiment on a mini-series for this blog, since i usually don't have the time to do full-on fics. i thought this would be a good filler in between inactivity :> my fave thing to do with writing is dialogue so i hope yall enjoy this ! (yes there will be for other ppl in my character list)

Welcome to Inside:

Due to the author's connections, they were able to reach out to the characters to do a short QnA. The questions are randomly generated and will differ in serious or light-hearted topics. In the future, the audience may submit their own questions.

The next segment will involve about their relationships, so stay tuned.

The guests available for the segment will be the Jujutsu Kaisen crew. Enjoy.

"You are able to meet yourself five years in the past. You are only allowed three words to say to your past self. What do you say?"

Yuuji: Get stronger.

"That's only two words, are you sure about that?"

Yuuji: I don't think there has to be more. I feel like younger me would overthink if I say something too deep...

Yuuji: Saying that sends the message quick and easy, and it will surely benefit me in the future!

◇

Megumi: Watch your progress.

"Were there any regrets from your current development?"

Megumi: There's not a lot. The only reason I said it was because I put myself down for not being good enough.

Megumi: If I only looked closer, I would've saw how far I've come from where I was.

◇

Nobara: Trust more people.

"Were you a loner back then?"

Nobara: Ha? That makes me sound like I was a sad kid.

Nobara: It's not that, I just kept my circle too small. Made me feel safe and secure. But back then, I was too harsh on myself. I'd like to give younger me a second chance.

◇

Maki: Never doubt yourself.

"Was that what held you back?"

Maki: Nah, I think it's a way of telling old me to get out of the clan as soon as possible.

Maki: Plus I'd have more years spent for myself than being stuck on deciding if it was worth leaving or not.

◇

Toge: (in sign language) It gets easier.

"Did you go through hurdles in your past years?"

Toge: Personal hurdles, yes. But I preferred carrying the burden on my own. I still do.

Toge: I just want my younger self to know that I don't have to be alone, that I won't be for longer.

◇

Yuuta: Protect your own.

"Was there a catalyst for this response? A tragic event, maybe."

Yuuta: Heh, tragic enough. But it's an old scar. Telling this to my past self is just me solidifying what I believe in now.

Yuuta: There were really dark times in between then and now, so I hope those words will help me get through.

◇

Satoru: Leave a legacy.

"That's a pretty tall order you're giving there."

Satoru: Ahh, what can I say? It's the only words I'll ever need to go by. And I'd like to give myself a goal.

Satoru: Who knows? Maybe I'll outdo myself even further.

◇

Suguru: Question and defy.

"Did you dislike not having full control of your life?"

Suguru: Hmm, something along those lines. It's especially hard if the rules you follow weren't even exciting.

Suguru: Rebelling in our youth is only in our nature, after all.

◇

Ieri: Count your days.

"Seems ominous. Is there any hidden meaning to that?"

Ieri: It's humbling to hear. Good or bad intentions, you're certainly going to rethink alot of your decisions.

Ieri: And if I know myself, I'd probably take that as a challenge and live life as if it were my last night.

◇

Kento: Find your worth.

"Did you not value your well-being?"

Kento: In a way. There was wasted effort on matters that didn't benefit me in the end. I'm merely reminding myself what mistakes I should avoid.

Kento: Describing my past, I lived full of longing. I wish to change that.

◇

Iori: Be the light.

"Were there any encounters that prompted this response?"

Iori: It's a general encounter. The life of a sorcerer never tied in with bliss. And I don't want to be another reason to make it even bleaker.

Iori: Call me timid, but I never want anyone else to see the world the way I was taught to.

◇

Sukuna: Tch, five years isn't even significant to someone like me.

"We'll revise it, then."

"Before you became the King of Curses, what would be the three words you would say to yourself?"

Sukuna: Hmph, take it all.

Sukuna: I'm sure regardless of what I say, the result will remain the same in the future.

[firemblem-fics]

Running With the Wolves [1]

preview | >>

-> Yuri Leclarc x Fem!Reader

-> Modern!Au | Gang!Au | Enemies to Lovers

-> Word Count: ~3.3k

-> Warnings: Violence, Blood, Cursing, Weapons

-> Summary: You were just a normal college student, trying to find her way in a new place. You didn’t mean to get caught up in the wrong crowd. You just wanted coffee, but now you’re running with the wolves.

-> A/N: SURPRISE I POSTED IT EARLY ! thanks to my lovely beta readers for helping me revise and edit this chapter to make it better! i’m still in a writing mental block but i think this is one step closer to getting out of it! so, please enjoy (again)! also, all characters are aged up (21+)! also y’all should reblog this so it gets out more 🥺

send me an ask if you’d like to be on the taglist!

"Fuck- She's losing too much blood, Boss, she's not gonna make it!"

"No, no. She's going to make it- I'll make sure of it. Stay alive!"

Your vision was dark and blurry- you couldn't quite see anything. You could only make out a few silhouettes hovering above you, each one rushing around and yelling frantically. You couldn't count how many were there. Your vision kept doubling and it was hard to discern one person from three. Focusing just caused things to get worse.

"Someone put pressure on the damn wound! She certainly won't make it if you all keep messing around."

It was only now that you noticed a sharp pain radiating from your chest, right below your ribs. You gasped loudly and coughed. It hurt worse than the throbbing that already coursed through your head. Your body burned.

Trying to look down, you saw a rag soaked in blood. Hands with bright nails pressed down on your wound to slow the flow, but it didn't seem to be helping. You started feeling dizzy and laid back again, clenching your eyes tight as nausea engulfed you.

"No, keep your eyes open, Y/N, dammit! Wake up!"

Slowly, the pain began fading, as did your view of the people above you and their voices. You could still barely hear the voice crying, sobbing out your name. Whoever they were, they were crushed.

"Wake up!"

Was that voice finally fading away too?

"Wake up!"

No- it was getting louder.

"Wake up!"

"Ellie, what the fuck do you want?" You groaned, rolling over on your bed.

Your roommate bounced on her knees, making your bed creak loudly. "What do you mean? It's like 10am, your class is at 11. Don’t talk to me with that tone of voice."

"Fuck me."

"Absolutely not, baby." Ellie smacked a pillow beside you and got up. "Get ready!" She went to her own room, leaving you to your own devices.

When you applied for an apartment roommate, Ellie was certainly not the one you were expecting. You would've preferred a chill, laid-back, person. Instead, Eleonora Yumizuru walked into your life (and apartment) and practically made herself at home. She didn't judge you from transferring so far away from your old home for your last year of college, claiming that "home roots don't mean shit when it comes to making it in the real world".

She had the right to say such a thing, having moved to Fodlan from another country in her youth. She was able to understand the occasional homesickness and help you cope as you adjusted to Fodlan life. She understood you like the back of her hand from the moment you met and you did the same for her.

Really, you had to let her move in. She’d probably have stayed even if you rejected her.

She was the complete opposite of what you were looking for- overconfident, stubborn, loud- but she grew on you and easily became your best friend. There was just something about the bubbly, blue-eyed, blonde-bobbed bitch that hooked you.

She had certainly hooked other people as well, but thank God her bedroom is on the other side of the apartment. Her social skills and magnetic personality worked for platonic friends and acquaintances as well. Ellie was constantly bringing over friends, allowing you to expand your own circle. She was heaven-sent for a newbie like you.

You sat up from your bed, yawning and stretching. Trudging to your bathroom, you rolled your eyes as the infamous Taylor Swift blared through Ellie's speakers, "Shake it Off" shaking the entire apartment. Nothing against T. Swift, but sometimes she was not the first thing you want to hear when you wake up. At least not at max volume. Ignoring the song switching to "You Belong With Me" -another banger from Swift herself, but really "Teardrops on My Guitar” was your favorite- you finished getting ready and lazed into Ellie's room.

"I've got class 'till late today." You sat on her bed. "Do you want me to pick up dinner? It’ll let me explore the area."

"Oh, please do. You need to get out more. But where?"

You shrugged. "There's really only like two good food places here. Golden Pizza and Blue Lion Buffet. Your choice."

Ellie thought for a moment. "I went to the buffet with my little friend Touma the other day... so pizza! I just can't choose a side in their little spat."

"Spat?" You tilted your head.

"Goodness, Y/N! I know you're a little new here, but you haven't even heard of the shit that goes on between those restaurant owners?"

Shaking your head, you stayed silent for her to continue.

"The owners of Blue Lion Buffet, Eagle's Freezery, and Golden Pizza are all huge rivals. I heard they were all close, but went their separate ways. All the owners' kids are our age, too. They go to Fodlan Uni, but I don't know who they are." She smiled. "I am an esteemed woman with an upcoming high status. Who would I be to take sides? I prefer to cater to them all."

You could only nod, hiding a smirk at Ellie’s infatuation of fame. A huge restaurant rivalry. How funny. "What about that little cafe on the corner? What's it called? Café des Loups?"

"They're pretty neutral, just some college dropouts trying to make some money. I think they’re gonna get involved eventually- every restaurant’s been dragged into their drama at least once."

You nodded, standing up and messing with your apartment keys. "I'll keep that in mind. Bye, Ellie!"

"Bye! I better see some pizza later!" She called as you made your way out of the apartment, now playing "I Knew You Were Trouble".

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

College was honestly a scam.

You sat in the classes for two hours at a time, for what? You were paying thousands of dollars to be talked at by old dusty men who made you fall asleep faster than trying to read their overpriced textbooks. You paid thousands to nap at a desk.

Unfortunately for you, though, your thousand dollar desk nap was interrupted by a tapping on the surface. You huffed and looked up, coming face to face with a pair of soft, orange eyes. They radiated kindness and just looking into them seemed to lift your mood immediately.

"Hey, you need to wake up for this part. The professor said there's gonna be a quiz on this section tomorrow."

You shot up, looking back at your professor. Blushing embarrassedly, you smiled at the boy. "Thank you..."

"Ferdinand." He drew his bottom lip in between his teeth, as if to conceal his smile, before giving up and returning yours just as brightly.

As you faced forward to Professor Hanneman, as you were pretty sure his name was- or was it Ham Man? You didn’t care enough to know- you were now struggling with two distractions. One, the weight of your eyelids as they threatened to pull you back into dreamland. Two, Ferdinand.

You kept glancing at him, taking in his complexion. He must have come to class late, since you didn't see him before. Or maybe he was on time- you did fall asleep quite early into the lecture.

You were eyeing his carefully sculpted jawline, dotted with subtle stubble that connected to sideburns and led up to clean, silky, orange hair. You wished to run your fingers through it-

"Y/N, this is the second time I've seen you not paying attention." You jumped nearly three feet in the air. "Next time, I'll have to ask you to leave my class since you are obviously taking it as a joke."

"I-I'm not joking! Sorry!" You stuttered, finally finding a reason to keep your attention on the lecture. You did look away once, just to glare at Ferdinand, who only winked and chuckled at your misfortune.

Class was eventually over and you sighed, finally loosening up from forcing yourself to pay attention. You packed your notebook and laptop and swung your backpack on, getting ready to leave the room before a voice called to you.

You turned back. "Ferdinand?"

"I was simply wondering where your next class was. I can walk you to it, if you'd like." Said boy walked quickly towards you, holding himself with a nearly-perfect posture. You felt anxious- he was trying to make himself seem like a gentleman, but you still felt a little unnerved.

"Oh, um, sure! It's not for another fifteen minutes, but it is across campus."

Ferdinand's grin seemed to get larger, making his eyes crinkle at the edges. "How wonderful! That little café is down there and I've been meaning to check it out anyways. It works out perfectly."

"Uh, yeah." You laughed nervously. This was the first time a boy had taken interest in you- or was he really interested? Maybe he's just being nice-

"Also, before I forget. May I get your number? I'd like to talk to such a gorgeous woman like you a little more."

Oh, he was so interested. You had to make yourself breathe again as you handed him your phone to let him put his number in. He gave it back to you and you noticed a heart and a smiley face emoticon next to his contact name. Your heart fluttered at the sight of the emojis and you felt your cheeks heat up a bit. Ferdinand gave you a sweet smile before holding the door open for you, letting you lead the way to your next class.

On the way to the building, Ferdinand spent the time asking you questions and getting to know you better. He had scratched basically the entire surface of you, save for the secrets that new people shouldn't know, and the same could be said for you. Ferdinand was definitely a polished and refined man. He made quite the impression on you.

"What are you doing after classes?" You asked, hoping to invite him for pizza at your apartment.

"Ah, I've got work!" He smiled sheepishly. He definitely caught onto your hopes...

"Really? Where? Maybe after, you could stop by for some Golden Pizza-"

"Actually, I work at the Eagles Freezery." He was tense, suddenly. "So I really shouldn't. Rivalry and all of that, you know?"

You were a little confused, actually. "Why would that prevent you from hanging out for a bit? You didn't buy it, I did. Plus I thought the rivalry was only between the buffet and the pizza place?”

"It's- it's a loyalty thing. It’s between all three of us.”

"It's a restaurant. How loyal could you possibly be to a dumb little ice cream parlor-"

"It's more than that!" Ferdinand snapped his mouth closed, suddenly making himself quiet after his angry outburst. "Listen, I cannot and will not eat there, look at it, talk about it, or do literally anything about it. Please, just understand that."

"Uh, yeah." You nervously readjusted your backpack on your shoulder. "I- I should get to class now. I'll see you later, Ferdinand."

"Goodbye, I'll message you after work!" With that, he sent you a wink and a smile and turned, going about his own day with the most carefree pep in his step. As if nothing ever happened. You, on the other hand, could not have been more confused. Ferdinand seemed unpredictable when it came to his moods. He was comforting and kind, yet was so… upset when you insulted the parlor. It was a restaurant. Why did he get so worked up about it? Maybe Ellie was right about it being such a big deal.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

“I just ordered! Go, go, I’m starving!”

Not even five minutes after you got out of your last class, Ellie was calling to remind you about dinner. You were still slightly unnerved from your encounter with Ferdinand, but you agreed to pick it up and would never hear the end of it if you didn’t do something as simple as takeout.

Golden Pizza was only about two blocks away and you stayed on the phone with your roommate the entire time, only saying goodbye as you walked in the establishment. The restaurant was very nice, the honey yellow walls and the glow of the wood-fired oven making the ambience warm and welcoming. You didn’t wait long in the line, soon coming up to meet a boy about your age with a glimmering emerald gaze and a smile just as bright at the front counter.

“Hi!” The boy- Claude, according to his nametag- greeted, “How can I help you?”

“I’m just picking up an order for Eleonora Yumizuru.”

Claude nodded and typed a few things into a computer at the counter. “I know Ellie! She and I had Stats together before she dropped out to pursue her acting career. She’s certainly something.”

“Oh, definitely. I’m her roommate.” Speaking of the devil, your phone vibrated in your pocket. It was a message from her. “She actually just messaged me. Wants me to bring her a dumb little lemonade from that cafe.”

Claude laughed, “You can go and get it now, if you’d like. Your pizza will be a few more minutes. Ellie set the time for your pickup for later, so you’re actually ten minutes early.”

You thanked him and left, walking to the cafe. You took your time, observing the shops around you. Across the street from Golden Pizza stood the Blue Lion Buffet. You smiled to yourself- what a cliche to have rivals across from each other. Beside the pizza parlor was another food shop, the Eagles Freezery. You thought about Ferdinand- he said he was working today. Maybe you could drop by and- No. No, Y/N. Go get your lemonade and go.

A soft bell chimed as you opened the door. You saw four people in cafe uniforms, going about their day as you approached the register.

“Welcome to our humble abode!”

“Constance, that’s only used for a home.”

You shyly waved at the so-called Constance and the pink-haired girl who corrected her. Cafe des Loups- or Cafe of Wolves- was a quaint place, quiet and not crowded, kind of like an off-brand Starbucks. Dim lights adorned the high black ceiling, illuminating the shop just enough for a comforting ambience. There was a mural of a rainforest painted on the wall to the opposite of the counter with comfortable tables and lounging areas. If you could, you’d probably waste the day away lounging around. It was the perfect environment for an introvert like you.

At this shop, a large dark-haired man controlled the register instead of Claude. As you approached the register, you noticed that he wasn’t wearing a nametag, but you had a small urge to call him Bigfoot.

“Hey! What can I get ‘cha?”

You scoured the menu. “Just two pink lemonades is fine-”

“Oh! Good choice!” Constance interrupted you, coming to stand beside the man. “Yuri-bird over there makes the best sweet lemonades!”

You followed her gaze over to a man who was sitting on a stool, slouched down and leaning his head on his hand. He stretched and stood up. “Thank God, we haven’t had many customers all day. I was starting to think we lost our appeal.”

“Of course we have not!” Constance replied. She turned to you, but you couldn’t tell whether she was still talking to Yuri or you. Maybe it was neither. “Not when someone as handsome as Yuri is making the drinks and my attractive self is greeting the customers!”

“Hey! I’m just as much of a visual as the boss-man.” The taller man joined in after taking your money. “We’re all pretty nice looking. Especially this little lady ordering~”

You blushed a bit. “Oh, please, I’m nothing special-”

“Nothing special?” Constance laid her hand against her chest. “You’re wonderful! Almost on the same level as me. Isn’t that right, Yuri-birdie?”

Yuri looked up from making your drinks, his analytical eyes seemingly boring holes into you. You shuddered, feeling like he could tell your deepest and darkest secrets from just looking at you. He shrugged, going back to the lemonades.

“She’s alright, I suppose.”

“You suppose? Yuri, that’s rude-”

Hapi was midway through lecturing the purple-haired man when the door to the shop chimed open and a rather large group came in. Yuri looked up and suddenly stood alert, as did the other three workers. In the group, you saw a familiar head of orange hair and orange eyes met yours. Your face screwed up into confusion.

“Ferdinand?”

“Don’t say anything.” The leader of the group, a short, white-haired girl snarled. “Are you a new… worker here?”

“Wh- you just told me not to say anything.”

Slowly, Yuri and the other three came up beside you, standing slightly in front. Your heart nearly stopped- you were in the middle of something you definitely weren’t supposed to be in and your sass had gotten on their bad side already. The white-haired girl scrutinized the five of you, her lavender eyes piercing holes through whatever facade of confidence you had tried to put up. You could feel yourself literally wither under her gaze, even more than you did when Yuri looked at you.

“What do you want, Edelgard?” Yuri put his hands on his hip, one fiddling with something under his shirt.

“I want your loyalty.”

Yuri snorted. “You aren’t in charge.”

“I’m not? Hm. Tell that to my father after he stepped down. I’m the leader now- the emperor, if you will.” Edelgard sighed heavily. “I have no time for more conversation if you won’t comply. Hubert, deal with them.”

The terrifying man who you assumed was Hubert suddenly reached in his coat and pulled out a handgun, aiming it at the five of you. Yuri quickly retaliated and pulled one of his own, throwing it at Constance before grabbing your wrist and running to the back. A loud gunshot rang through the air as you and Yuri continued to run. You both dodged around coffee shop equipment and he dragged you through a labyrinth that they considered the back of the store.

As you were running, Yuri pulled you to a sharp right turn and your arm scraped against a metal machine in your way. You hissed in pain and looked down at it, seeing a large wound going down your shoulder to your elbow. It was starting to bleed rather quickly, but you had no time to worry about it. You’d have time to tend to it if you survived.

“What’s happening?”

“No time to explain. Quick, hide!”

Yuri pushed you against the wall in between two larger cabinets and stood in front, grabbing yet another gun from his other hip. He cocked it, listening for the ruckus of the fight in the main room to make its way towards your location. You were shaking like a leaf, grabbing tightly onto your wounded arm and smearing blood all over your fingers and your clothes. You breathed heavily, trying to calm yourself at least a little- was this why Ferdinand had been so defensive over the Eagles Freezery? What kind of restaurant rivalry would constitute attempted murder? And wasn’t this cafe uninvolved anyways? You didn't have time to ponder any more questions as a loud crash echoed through the room. Yuri lifted his gun and began to speak lowly, not taking his eyes off of the door.

“When I say run, go out the back door and get in the black car back there. Don’t go home- one of them will find you.”

A gunshot rang through the air and Constance, Balthus, and Hapi burst through the doors, running towards you all. Yuri turned to you as the three of them caught up to him, pulling out their own weapons again as Edelgard began yelling.

“Run!”

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taglist: @fairyblue-alchemist @emperor-pizza @flavoredmilktea @fe3h-random-writing-and-stuff @mifuyuyu @blviddyd @laurexlance @atomicchocolatecookie @mapesandoval @local-goth-lilz

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[my-autistic-things]

Guess who's making a "how to manage dealing with a massive list of edits" post instead of working on said edits! Me!

Ok so this has taken me FOREVER to really figure out and implement in my life so I thought I'd make a post about it. This is how I deal with getting edits back after sending in a paper (specifically my thesis proposals) to my mentor.

Step 1. Open the document.

This is the absolute hardest step. No seriously. It is. You get the email back, you see the attachment with their initials at the end of the doc name, you know there's edits in there, the email says "here you go! Good work!" That day, ASAP, download that attachment and open it briefly, to scan just how terrifying this task will be.

Step 2. Close it and cry. (Tears are optional but the soul crushing feeling of being on your 5th round of edits is not).

It's okay, deal with it tomorrow. Seriously, go work on something else while you emotionally recover.

Step 3. Mentally prepare yourself to do the edits.

Put it on your to do list for tomorrow. Then when you don't do it, put it on the next day. And the next day. Even when you know it's impossible to get to, put it on there because the stress will build and you'll eventually get to it and Not forget it exists (vvvvv important).

Step 4a. Actually start your edits by opening the doc.

Don't set out like you're going to do everything in one sitting. Open the document with the intention of Starting, not doing. This is a mental battle. Yes battle. Having a good strategy will trump any "smarts" or writing ability you have.

Step 4b. Get out a notebook to write down what you have to do.

If you have do a split screen and can write in a separate document, go ahead, but I found that the absolute only way I can make progress is if I fullscreen my doc and have a notebook and pencil to write stuff down. Now you have 1) doc open, 2) notebook in front of you. Yes these are considered a whole ass step bc they are.

Step 5. Go through and accept all the edits and write down things to do as they come up.

Skip that "read your edits first!" bullshit, you won't, you'll just get stressed, then you gotta reread it all over when you actually start editing. Dive right into dipping your toe in. DO NOT start fully editing. Look at each revision and decide if it's a Quick Fix (i.e. click "accept change" in Word) or a Task. If it's a Quick Fix, go ahead and do it. If it's a Task, even if it's just revising a singular sentence, write it in your notebook. Don't worry about an order/priority/anything, just write everything down. If you're doc is longer than a few pages (mine is 26 so...yeah) write down the page number along with the Task.

Step 6. Organize your Tasks.

Now you have gone through your whole doc and there's no little spelling errors, grammar mistakes, or simple edits to make. And most importantly, you have a list of bigger edits to do, start to group the Tasks. This is when it starts to get super individualized (to you, your paper, and your mood). I start with going through and marking with a line anything I am in the mood for, can do, or should do today (or first, and by first I mean "now" vs "ehhhh later").

Step 7a. Go through your marked Tasks and make more marks.

Only focusing on the initially marked Tasks, start to group them into stuff you can do together. For me, this is any simple info that needs to be inputted or sentences that need editing. My dash next to these Tasks gets turned into plus mark. Note this is the simplest edits I will need to make. You can also designate the initial dash to be its own grouping, but it should naturally end up like that at the end.

Step 7b. Go through marked Tasks again and do the same thing with a different grouping.

Relooking at my dashed Tasks, excluding my + Tasks, I make more groupings. Now it's more time consuming stuff like finding more resources, or rereading sources to be able to accurately edit the sentence. This new group now get more lines to be an asterisk!

Step 7c. Make even more marks!

Can your Tasks be further grouped??? Probably! If you have a short paper, maybe you only have like two groupings, but maybe you have like 5. Who knows! Get creative with your marks! The Tasks I'm designating as last/a lot of work and comprehension are an asterisk with a circle around them. If it's been a few weeks since you asked for edits, you probably will need to work A LOT harder on paragraph and key sentence revisions if you out those first than if you put them after you've been immersed in your topic for a couple hours.

Step 7d-z. Keep making groupings depending how many Tasks you have. I'd suggest keeping it to 2-5 Tasks per group so it's manageable but not excessive. For this particular round of edits, I have 5 groups and that's perfect.

Step 8. Find the easiest/quickest group and do all those Tasks.

My first grouping I made of sentence edits will be the easiest I think, so I'll do that first! If you're motivated and inspired to do a harder group, go for it! But again, do something that will allow you to start really working without being overwhelmed.

Step 9. Cross off all the First Group Tasks you've done!

Yes this is its own step! Cross them all off! You did a good job! Erase them! Get a Sharpie and black that line out of existence! Yay!

Step 10-?. Keep doing the Tasks in each group until you're out of groups and Tasks!

Step 11-?. Cross off the groups and Tasks! Seeing your progress visually makes a big difference! You got this!

Step 12. Read over any non-task comments your teacher/mentor has made and/or your entire paper. Make sure everything makes sense!

Step 13. Save the doc with the date you finished your edits (or fudge it and say sorry forgot to send it to you lol) and send it back to your teacher/mentor (if applicable; if you only get one round and it's not a proposal or something then you'd just submit it). In your email, briefly go over what you did. This is when grouping tasks really comes in handy because I can reference "oh yeah all these edits were x type of edits" and I can say "I accepted all your in-text edits and made the sentence changes you suggested. Additionally, I added abc sources and rearranged the order of the paragraphs specified." This also avoids your mentor re-reading everything and giving you MORE edits on everything (bc they will; this round my mentor is editing his own words from past sentence edits at various places lol) and just focusing on the key changes you made and need feedback on.

Step 14. Take a nap! Seriously! Reward yourself for doing such a Big Thing and take a break! Don't immediately go onto the next assignment, make sure your brain separates *chunk of edits* from *other simpler assignments* so it isn't mentally a whole block of *work*.

I hope this helps somewhat??? Or someone can reference this when coming up with a way to tackle feedback that works for them. I'm starting grad school next year (hopefully) which will actually be a reduction in long-term research projects lmao but I will be having more Giant papers that will receive feedback. Having a system, or knowing options is so incredibly helpful for me because when I read what other people do I can be like "nope not doing that" and it can help narrow down what would work for me. Most importantly, just break up your work into a lot of different sections! It helps with (poor) executive functioning, motivation, and brings it out visually so you can mentally tackle what you're doing instead of "ahhh ~lots of edits~"

[hotchley]

hey sumayyah! i saw your sign!! I'm writing the JJ & Emily parts of the really out of the blue and shitty mini-whatever it is 💀 and hopefully I'll figure out how to shorten it or something lmaoo

but i wanted to come here and talk for awhile i guess

it's like, 2am where i am right now and I'm just so drained mentally like idk i can't seem to focus on getting all my work done (school work) and i just submitted a fake corrupted file to pass off as my homework because i haven't been able to finish it (it's not graded or anything it's just 2 biology practice papers for revision for the upcoming exam but they're really long & biology is not my strong subject......)

like I'm 60-70% done on both papers and yeah i feel so bad for doing what i did and i am still planning on finishing those 2 papers (both as legitimate practice/revision & just in case my teachers do check and decide to ask me to resubmit/send them the file through another channel) and idk i obviously can't really talk to any one in school about this so i came here.... sorry for this bout of negativity i just feel so drained inside and it's not even the first time.... I'm on my break right now (mid years break) but my break is ending in roughly 4-5 more days? and I've felt unmotivated and horrible throughout the entire break idk :/ idk if this is just burn out or something else.... I've been planning on finding a therapist/professional to talk to? but 1. i can't exactly do it "openly" because i come from a rather conservative family and mental health issues (& sexuality etc) aren't things we talk about in my family.... and 2. I'm still a full-time student & I'm not sure of what services are available + the costs and all the other concerns? so like idk I'm not even sure where to start :(

and because I've been feeling like cr*p most of the time the last 3 weeks, I've done absolutely nothing & so i have TONS of school assignments piled up (those that were due during the break I've finished (somehow lmao) and submitted, but those that are due AFTER the break when school reopens.... i have completely not touched) & the worst thing is I'm not even entirely sure what's my entire workload.... so i definitely have to start seriously getting my work done from tomorrow (technically today) onwards.... but like i genuinely have a hard time focusing on work and I'm not sure if it's just my issues with procrastination or if i have a genuine illness or something and i don't want to self diagnose so I've been trying to not think about this but lately it's been so hard because i can't even finish my work on time and exams are coming and it's just really affecting me? and it's getting worse? i don't even have anyone i can truly talk to about this irl too and SKDJSKSNS idk 😭😭

i am SO SORRY for all the negativity!!!!! i just felt so alone and really had to vent somewhere i am so sorry, feel free to delete this ask if you're uncomfortable 🥺

i hope you're having a much better day/night and i love you ❤️ your blog (& cm Tumblr) is really giving me hope & keeping me alive, if i can put it that way 🥺♥️♥️ thank you for being you, and thank you for simply existing. I'm sorry things got so depressing all of a sudden lmao I'll be fine (eventually, probably)

- 🌙

I feel like my answer got long, so I put it under the cut :)

YAY!

Also, I did see this when you initially sent it, but I'm working on boundaries and priorities, which is why I didn't answer it then- I just needed a break <3

Look, you're learning during a pandemic that has disrupted everything and caused a lot of pain and stress. One corrupted file does not make you a bad student. You're still going to try.

There were so many days during lockdown where I just... didn't submit any work, and then I would submit it later saying the thing broke- which seemed believable because the thing we used never functioned properly.

And we cannot be happy or perfect all the time. Sometimes we need to share our problems. I have always said you can talk to me, it just may take me a few days depending on my own situation, and I stand by that.

Sometimes breaks just make us more miserable. Sometimes it is just genuinely a phase that you will snap out of. Sometimes it isn't. Either way, you need to let yourself feel this. Don't try and bury it. That'll be worse.

So when it comes to therapists, if you've been thinking of seeing one, go for it. Chances are, it'll help.

I get what you mean. I don't know what it's like where you are, but in England, everyone over 16 has control over the medical stuff. That basically means your parents cannot be told what you're doing, and you can do things without their knowledge. If I wanted to make an appointment, I wouldn't need to tell them I was making it, or what was discussed. Neither can the doctors.

I asked one of my friends (I have consent to share this), and she said that she went through the BetterHelp website, and that it's really helping her. Now I know BetterHelp had some real serious problems, so I would be cautious, but that is one option. Hers is between £50-£60 a session, but there were cheaper options.

You could also go through your school!! My school has what is called a "well-being practitioner" who you can just go and see when you're feeling down, and it all remains confidential UNLESS they think intervention is needed. So you could see if there are any sessions they do, or if there's any help you can get from them :)

I have seen SO, SO many teachers on TikTok recently say two things: ask them for help if you need it, and they will give it, and just do something. I don't know what you're teachers are like, but they're probably stressed and burnt out too. If you need an extension or a break or help, they'll do their best.

And if you can't do everything, then just do one thing. Do your favourite subject, or the easiest thing. I know people say do the hardest thing first because then everything gets easier, but the one time I did that, I started crying and I gave up for a good three days so...

If you've done extensive research, then maybe it is something, and if you think that there is that, then you should try and get tested <3 and it's okay if there really is nothing. Sometimes brains are weird

You don't ever have to apologise for being human <3 Remember how I mentioned crying for twenty minutes to my history teacher? I said the same thing to him: that I feel bad talking about these things because everyone has their own problems. His response was: well yes, but there are so many people that want to help you. And they would tell you if you were being a burden.

You need to trust that. And it's hard. It's painful. It's difficult. But I promise you, telling someone will always be better than bottling it up- and this comes from the person that was pissed for six weeks because I got a phone call home from someone higher up because previously mentioned history teacher told them that I was not doing great

I love you too!!

And sometimes life gets you down! That's okay! Things will get better! Maybe this isn't healthy, but my thing is: things will work out, and things will get better because they need to, and I refuse to believe I am living a life where they won't.

You will be fine! I have every faith in you!!

[vivrepourleslivres]

Hey, I know you already graduated so sorry if this is a bit off topic! I'm starting at Oxford next month to do law, and I'm a bit panicked about the reading. I feel like I read pretty slowly, especially if I'm taking notes (which I kind of have to if I want to focus at all), and it just seems like they're so much raw material I don't know if I'll keep up. Is that something you ever struggled with? How many pages did you tend to have to read in a day? I worry I'll have to stop sleeping ngl

Well, congratulations on getting into Oxford! That in and of itself is not an easy task so it’s always a good thing to remember when workload is stressing you out that your tutors must have picked you for a reason, and that they think you can handle it even if sometimes you feel like you can’t. Also, I may not be able to give as many examples as I would like because I’m currently in the process of moving so all my old reading lists and breakdowns are in a box somewhere…

First, everyone struggles with reading. EVERYONE. Even if they don’t admit it. Law is one of, if not the most, intensive subjects when it comes to the sheer amount of reading you have to do. The Law Faculty describes the workload by saying it should be around 30-40 hours a week – a fulltime job essentially. However, this is quite a bit exaggerated. Of course, it all depends on what college you’re in and who your tutors are, but you can get by just fine without forcing yourself to be glued to a textbook/casebook/WestLaw all day:

·         You do not have to read the entire reading list of cases. Your tutors will hopefully make this clear to you, and if they don’t then the finalist lawyers in your college definitely should. Every reading list I was ever given by a tutor had certain cases in bold or marked by an asterisk. These are the must-reads, which you will have to know and come exam time will likely be referencing often. You should read the entirety of these cases, including all the judgements, even if there is no dissent in the case. It’s by knowing the little details in each judge’s reasoning in these cases that you get in the 67-74 mark realm, which is where you want to be. There’s usually a couple of these per reading list, but no more than ten on any one list I would say. For cases that are not bold or marked, your tutor will probably tell you to read these anyway. I did this in my first year and it just stressed me out without helping much. It’s kind of a thing you have to get a feel for. I would read the headnote of the case (so the facts and the summary of the judgement), and decide whether it was important from that. If the case is mentioned a lot in the important cases because it was at one point important precedent, it’s probably still a good idea to read it. If not, and if it is on a very small subsection in the reading list (like trustees de son tort in trusts), I wouldn’t bother. The only other thing I’d add with regards to cases is that recent cases (so for you anything that came out [2017] or later) is probably worth reading because tutors like to bring them up. If your tutor insists that every case is important, look up the faculty reading list for that subject on WebLearn, as the most important cases are highlighted there as well. You can also use the faculty list if you want some more cases/articles for your essay but the tutor hasn’t provided many.

·         Textbook reading can be hit or miss. A good chunk of your weekly reading can come from the assigned textbook chapter. From what I remember it’s usually around 70 pages per subject per week, and for your first two years you’ll be on a subject and a half a term so around 70-140 pages a week from the textbook? Tutors have their own textbook preferences, and will probably point you towards a certain one, but some subjects do not really (in my opinion) fully warrant investment into a textbook – I barely ever used my EU law or my administrative law textbooks, I think I only opened the second for my final! I also think there is something to be said for trying to understand the cases in your own way before reading the textbook, as some of the authors are very biased in their explanations. Other subjects however (especially Intro to Roman Law) are more focussed on textbooks because of their nature. You’ll figure it out pretty quickly though were textbooks are important and where they’re not. I would however highly suggest the Text, Cases, and Materials series though! These combine a textbook and a casebook, and are pretty up-to-date on new developments. My contract one was honestly a god send, and I cut a lot of cases and textbook reading out of my week because of those books.

·         Articles. I’ll be honest, I would usually only read an article if it directly correlated to the essay, or was under 20 pages. Articles are your tools for getting a 70s, but you can get very high 2:1s without having to read many of them. Articles in my opinion are more time consuming than textbook reading – there was a week of admin reading that ended in five 60 articles on the same topic and that was actual hell.  It’s also rather difficult in an exam setting to remember many articles and academic viewpoints unless you completely drill them into your head so… Yeah – you don’t need to read many, and you certainly don’t have to read all of them (but if you’re really interested in the subject and have the time – go for it!)

·         Legislation. This applies mainly to land law and it’s heavy reliance on statute – literally glance at the sections on the list and post them all into a word document which you keep open during tutorials. You’ll get to know the really important sections through the cases, so don’t waste time on trying to remember it all (especially since you’re allowed statute books in exams). For EU law (which also relies on legislation quite a bit), maybe have a closer look at the actual wording and the implication of it, but again you get a statute book so…(also EU is a finalist subject so I’m getting a bit ahead of myself)

·         Your finalists are your friends. I mean upper years in general, but the finalists are the ones with all the tips and tricks because you get so stressed you learn all the ways to cut corners :D Do not be afraid to ask your seniors for notes! This does depend somewhat on college (again), but in my college a dropbox is made each year by the graduating cohort of all their finals notes (so I’ve just done this), and second years add in their moderations notes as well. These are great because they let you skip cases (providing the notes include case summaries) and can even point out those little differences in judge’s reasoning that I was talking about earlier (like the three-way split in Re Baden’s 2). So don’t be afraid to ask for notes, or even for advice on what you can safely skip knowing your tutor.

·         They ease you into it. You’ll do criminal law, constitutional law, and an introduction to roman private law over your first two terms, doing a subject and a half per term. Of those three, criminal law is the only case-heavy subject. Constitutional law and roman are mainly textbook/article based. So you shouldn’t have a very intense workload until Trinity term at the earliest (outside of revision for mods in Hillary) at which point you should have found your ideal work pace. So try not to worry too much about it all happening too much at once.

Honestly, I think it’s kind of an Oxford thing that we somewhat exaggerate how much work we do. Personally, I would divide my reading list into chunks (usually about a third of a side of A4) and say – this is how much I’m going to get done each day. Most reading lists are 2/3 sides of A4 I would say? I could still have days where I wouldn’t get that chunk done and would still be okay and reach the deadline. So I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Also you could make arrangements with other fresher lawyers to take certain parts of the reading list, but I maybe wouldn’t do that until you know them and how they approach cases/reading/notes, etc.

I hope this wasn’t too ramble-y and did somewhat help. I’m totally happy to answer any questions you have about Oxford/law despite graduating because it helps me relieve my youth and avoid the real world :L Good luck for your first year!