First week in the Underworld

So, what has gone on lately?

Sooo, sooo much.

First of all, my friend who lives in another country is coming on a plane, to England tomorrow. *squels* A cyber best friend is no good when all you want to do is fangirl and hug and cry together about all the shit in your fandom. *deep breath* But sooon we’ll have our time.

English. This is tough. I’m considering basing my whole future on this subject. And so far, I’m liking one teacher more than the other. I enjoy lessons about Victorian context, poetry, plays and novels – over Fingersmith our set text. O__O I know… It’s hard to get into the novel. I don’t know if it’s the writer, but I can read it, but I don’t particularly like it. It’s almost as if the writer is trying too hard? I miss Lady R, and most of all, I have had so much trouble deciding what to do with the Access to Bristol scheme chance. I know I’m just applying for it, and the chances of me even getting in are slim – but it’s something to consider beforehand. Missing lessons is a big deal for me, and even if it’s 2 English lit. lessons and 1 Biology lesson for 8 weeks (alternating) – it doesn’t sit well with me. Also, this idea of doing English as a career, taking it in uni? What will I do with English? Really become a teacher?! My ultimate goal of becoming a writer or anything remotely creative rests on only being a side job. *sighs*

Biology isn’t particularly anything really. Besides from the hardest subject – proteins (yes, I sound stupid, but the depth we’re going into now? It’s all about quaternary structures, α–helixes). And doing Biochemistry at uni is much like Law for me. It’s an idea but won’t go any further – probably. And as much as it sounds like Biomedical sciences, it’s not – but I would be researching medicine, I guess, if I took it.

Chemistry is all over the place. One teacher doesn’t really know what she does,  but is a good teacher regardless because she can engage the class and listen to our bad Chem jokes. But the other one? She’s old, deadpans and I don’t know what to make of her. And her face. Also, I’m not holding a grudge or anything, but I swear she rubbed me the wrong way too far when she talked about how she failed English because it was a useless subject anyway.

History – well, I can say I didn’t do too well for first impressions on homework. For some reason (I was ill and woozy, seriously I take so many drugs just to keep alive). But I’m better(ish) now! I mean, I’m still ill, but at least my liver won’t hate me so much for dosing up so much so I don’t come down with a fever or something.  I enjoy learning more about German and Anti-Semitism to an extent, before it becomes too repetitive. But Tsarist Russia? It’s hilariously worrying. What the heck was Alexander II thinking emancipating the serfs?! Oh, and of course, Hitler in Mein Kampf. Every revolutionary leader (well, different) is slightly wrong in the head, I swear.

All in all, I’m settling in more, for sure. And I’ve had lots to think about in terms of extra-curricular. I’m also doing Envision, for some debating and issue solving in and around our community. I’m taking up Japanese again (the hole is getting bigger) and then of course we’re back to Access to Bristol. Gosh damnit! I’m applying to do English. For sure. (Once I send the techies an email telling them how the online application is a massive fail and doesn’t work. Maybe volunteering for my Chinese school again. ALL FOR A CV.

I’ve also thought more about where I want to go for uni. Bristol, Birmingham and London are big city unis that are relatively close, so I’ll try them first. College wise, I guess Royal Holloway, and King’s for London. I’m not sure about Birmingham and Bristol though. Cambridge is a far away dream. A girl from Nishimiya went to Murray Edwards college there this year, and I’m obviously not going for Oxford, but I’ve got so many college ideas! St. Johns (Uncle Allan’s alma mater), King’s and Trinity Hall.

I have no words for what I’m feeling right now. Or what is going through my head 24/7 – except that it’s one big mess. *inner turmoil*

~ Persephone

One week in, still going strong

OK, so it’s been just over a week since starting my new school (should have done this on Saturday but nah), and so far it’s all going really well. Classes are hard, especially Maths and Law, but it’s a good kind of hard (hehe), challenging, which is what I’ve always wanted at school, so I’m having a whale of a time.

First off is Law which is very complex and mostly involves learning case after case after Latin phrase. The memorizing aside, it’s very interesting and the teacher is talkative and engaging, even though there are a lot of spelling and grammar errors in the handouts she gives us. I’m thinking about taking Latin GCSE in my spare time, I’m going to see the teacher on Wednesday to talk to him, but I’ve always secretly wanted to do it just to see what everyone is always on about and it’d be so helpful with my Law at the moment.

Secondly is Maths. I did a pre-AS test last Thursday which I needed to get 70% on, then I get one resit where I have to get 75% before I’m signed up for compulsory extra help. I’m getting the results tomorrow so I’ll know soon enough but it’s still quite scary seeing as none of the teachers even know my name, let alone my skill set. Otherwise Maths is going fine, not too bad, a little confusing at times, but I’m still getting used to new teaching styles.

Then there’s English. I’ve got a really nice table and we work really well together, but I’ve been put in a mixed group to work with one of my favorite people, Nike. Not looking forward to it, but as you said, there’s no point in holding grudges, so I will find common ground by talking about jazz music and hopefully we can produce a good project. I’m also reading 1984 for fun, which is absolutely amazing, just completely mind-blowing, the way Orwell contemplates the validity of absolutely everything, even our own thoughts, is fascinating, and sometimes scarily realistic.

Lastly, Computing. We’re starting work on binary code next lesson which is super super exciting and the other teacher is mostly doing boring standard old fact learning stuff. Sitting next to Mark who I think is my friend now, he keeps asking how I am, that is a friend thing right? Or do I look ill…

In response to your comments on a relaxed atmosphere, there are literally about five rules, and then they just trust you to use your common sense. It’s amazing, I fee like I’m finally growing up. The teachers always arrive late because they come all the way from main school then they just leave when they’re done with the lesson plan it’s great. I auditioned for West Side Story and it was terrifying, this woman just ran over this routine like twice then had us all perform it and my memory doesn’t work that quickly, so I basically just horrifically embarrassed myself in front of loads of people I don’t know. I’m going to join the Feminist Society, the French Society (yes I am still a Francophile I can’t turn it off), the rowing club (always secretly wanted to do that), the mooting society (pretend courts), and I’m volunteering my service to the KS3 English department.

So, life is looking up.
Also Glee.

First week of A-Levels

So, this week heralded the arrival of A-Levels- the fabled exams we have been dreaming of since year seven (that’s probably just me, I love exams, like the actual exams, not revision or lessons).  I’m finally beginning to feel a little bit proud of the work I’ve done (shh, I did do some work), over the last few years, instead of constantly putting myself down.  It’s all culminating in these two years, and then off to Uni we go, off to very nearly real life.  I haven’t had a lesson in all of my subjects yet, so I’ll do a quick summary of the ones I have, then let you know a bit about school life- which is super duper awesome by the way.

First off is Maths.  As you know, I’ve basically been fucked over by my old school in that I was left in a lower set way below my ability level, and then when they finally realized I could add, I was pushed up to the top set way too fast.  This has meant that I struggle with a lot of basic material, and I’m therefore easily frustrated.  Especially algebra. Why? Why, do we need to put letters in? It’s already ridiculous enough, and now we’ve got imaginary numbers that generally equal -1 or -(square root)9/4.  Just stop, Maths. Pause and think. If you have 50 melons, then x=50. Don’t over think it.

Secondly, Computing.  OK, so there’s about 20 people in the class, and only 3 girls, which is incredibly strange.  The material is pretty much what I did for theory at GCSE, except a lot more in depth, and some of it’s more practical- coding, etc etc.  I’m doing a group project with *gasp* three boys, and now I say that, I must email Mark with my contribution after this! Also paint my nails… I’m getting side-tracked. OK, focus, the teacher is a really lovely chatty, smiley lady who I walked into in the hallway earlier today- oops! I think I’m going to get along really well with her and the class in general.  Also current school (can you do the code name I’m too lazy) has a way better computer system than my old school, literally a thousand times better.

Lastly, English.  Well, I don’t know where to start.  I’ve only had one lesson, and I’m sat on a table with three other girls, and we all got along pretty well and bounces ideas around nicely.  The teacher (one of two), is quite chatty and relatively engaging, but he doesn’t have anything on the way Mrs G can talk about the most insignificant word! We’re doing Seamus Heaney first, and then comparing him to another poet who’s name I’ve forgotten.  Are you doing the same? We’re on WJEC, so I guess you are as well? If so, we must commence some form of study group.  I miss you.  My little dictionary sat on my desk, and I swear I heard it sniffling as it held back sobs of pain at your loss.  That’s not true, it was me crying, not the dictionary, it’s an inanimate object.

I haven’t had a Law lesson yet, but I will tell you all about it when I do.

OK, so I’m going to try and squeeze in as much as I can remember about the school. Here goes; I only register on Monday mornings (so the other days I don’t need to go in until 9), assembly is every other Thursday, on Fridays lessons end at 2.15, on normal days at 3.15, the common room is huge, almost always full of people, there’s an iPod dock and people were playing Abba and Busted but mostly it’s just normal background music, we have tutorials at least once a term, which is like target day I think, but more personal, less about just your grades, the library has those little dividers like in History Boys, and you can listen to music and she doesn’t seem to mind people eating sweets and stuff (I think it’s against the rules but she (the librarian) isn’t all that strict), also it’s always quiet, there’s a lot of boys, and I’ve made friends with one boy called Mark who is quite loud but not in an obnoxious way, also Matt, who is his friend and a bit aloof but so far nice, and on that note, I’ve been trying very very hard to be amicable to everybody, introducing myself lots and making jokes about the weather (in true British form), Agent Z had a bit of a panic moment today, but I had mine on Thursday, and after a weekend to calm down and process, I think we’re both going to be fine, I’m pretty sure I want to do that Access Bristol University thing, probably for English at this point, I’m going to join quite a few clubs/societies to meet people and pad out my personal statement, and disregarding the fact that this was the longest and most grammatically inaccurate sentence I’ve ever written (which is saying a lot), I hope this has given you some insight into my new and only slightly terrifying academic life.

I’m 100% positive I made the right choice in moving, and that’s all that matters.

~Lady Rainicorn