I finished university 16 days ago. I handed in my last piece of work (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzvFntGlz4I) and I am FINISHED. I've been in uni every single day since then doing various other stuff, but all the work stuff is done. I've been at uni because we have had the Exhibition (that Amy & I and our committee totally DID) and I have also been shadowing the current intern Bryony for 2 weeks in preparation for starting that job in September! It has just been the best couple of weeks. I am so, so enjoying how it feels to be done with the education side and to have been spending time with my lecturers (not that they are that anymore to me!) in a different kind of way. We have been (well, in mine and my friends' eyes I think anyway) friends with them for a while now, but obviously there has been that professional boundary type-thing that is in place with teachers and students. Not that that's a big thing at uni (or on my course, at least) anyway, but it's there. But now we have been spending time with them outside of hours and socialising with them and I have had such a good time doing so. I mean, part of my finds this TERRIFYING because lecturers are grown ups and I am (in my own head) still a 15 year old schoolgirl. But obviously this is not reality anymore; I am finished with full time education and I am going into the (oh god) REAL WORLD very very very soon and this is something I need to come to terms with. Bearing in mind when I turned 16 and 18 I had massive freakouts I thought I would find this difficult. But I've absolutely loved experiencing this new side to university life. I have the most incredibly mind-blowingly wonderful friends, they are just perfect, perfect people and I couldn't wish for them to be any better. I haven't felt this happy in my whole life I don't think. The icing on the cake is that me and Joe are talking again, which is an enormous weight off my shoulders that had been there for quite a while. I just feel so lucky! I just got back from the pub with some of the uni staff, and Amy, Lucy and Jamespeach. It was originally just us lot but the staff were there too and Damian (lecturer) told us to merge with them, so that's what we did. I thought it would be weird as to them I figured we would just be kids. But this is what I mean, I need to realise that this is not how I will be seen anymore. I am a person in the (oh bloody hell) REAL WORLD same as anyone else now. It's scary, but so far it's wonderful. I am loving it. I have so much to be excited for. I have achieved VERY highly academically this year, I have done insane amounts of extra-curricular and have won an award for it (and the award was NAMED AFTER ME AND AMY), I am starting a job at uni in September with the wonderful lecturers that now are not my lecturers anymore, I have just been told today I am going to be the social media manager for my degree course & I've got an interview later this week to be a social media manager for a film that is going to Cannes and Edinburgh next year! It's just perfect. I couldn't ask for any more in life at the moment. Oh, and next Sunday I'm going on holiday with 3 of my best friends. And then 5 days after I get back from that holiday I'm going on another one with my family and Stuart.
I'm so incredibly happy.
Showing posts with label uni. Show all posts
Showing posts with label uni. Show all posts
Saturday, 25 May 2013
Monday, 21 January 2013
The beginning of the end
Tomorrow I embark upon my final semester as an undergraduate at university, ever.
I travelled back to my uni house this afternoon, and was inconceivably happy to see Stuart and Ben and New Simon and Tall Simon. My love for my uni friends feels heightened suddenly, I think just because I am so acutely aware that we don't have much longer left all together.
After we all had a pasta bake together, the above minus Ben and I decided to play in the snow :D As I grew up in a rather secluded town, away from where the majority of my friends (and people in general) lived, I really don't have any experiences of being in the snow with a group of friends. Apart from on the ski trip. We wanted to make a snowman but the snow was far too powdery so we decided to go to the golf course opposite our house (well actually the boys decided this and I reluctantly went with - I was worried it was private property and a scary man was going to jump out the bushes and arrest us for trespassing) and we had a big walk and the boys played with large sticks and re-enacted scenes from Lord of the Rings and then they found a huge frozen puddle and they all kept edging closer and closer to it whilst I stood on the sidelines shouting at them to be careful. It was lovely. I know that come even next week, I won't believe it was a whole week ago, let alone when I remember back to this in 10/20/30 years time. After this we walked to the end of our road and went to the newsagents. Amazingly at it was still open at 11pm so we all bought treats. I got a Magnum and revelled in the fact I could eat it as slowly as I wanted without it melting, thanks to the subzero temperatures this tonight.
Ohhh I just can't believe it's so nearly over. I'm not ready to leave these people. It's gone too quickly. I knew it would, but no one could have ever prepared me for how it has flown by. I want to cling on to them and never let go. Though they might find that a bit peculiar.
Tomorrow I have my first lecture of the semester, and I am seeing Amy and we are going to make a vlog together and I am seeing Nasima and Emma and Lucy and I just COULDN'T be more excited!!!! I have missed them so much.
So now, all that's left to do...GET. A. FIRST. UGHIGJSDKFASMNDGMBMF
Good night! x
PS..New York blog coming soon
I travelled back to my uni house this afternoon, and was inconceivably happy to see Stuart and Ben and New Simon and Tall Simon. My love for my uni friends feels heightened suddenly, I think just because I am so acutely aware that we don't have much longer left all together.
After we all had a pasta bake together, the above minus Ben and I decided to play in the snow :D As I grew up in a rather secluded town, away from where the majority of my friends (and people in general) lived, I really don't have any experiences of being in the snow with a group of friends. Apart from on the ski trip. We wanted to make a snowman but the snow was far too powdery so we decided to go to the golf course opposite our house (well actually the boys decided this and I reluctantly went with - I was worried it was private property and a scary man was going to jump out the bushes and arrest us for trespassing) and we had a big walk and the boys played with large sticks and re-enacted scenes from Lord of the Rings and then they found a huge frozen puddle and they all kept edging closer and closer to it whilst I stood on the sidelines shouting at them to be careful. It was lovely. I know that come even next week, I won't believe it was a whole week ago, let alone when I remember back to this in 10/20/30 years time. After this we walked to the end of our road and went to the newsagents. Amazingly at it was still open at 11pm so we all bought treats. I got a Magnum and revelled in the fact I could eat it as slowly as I wanted without it melting, thanks to the subzero temperatures this tonight.
Ohhh I just can't believe it's so nearly over. I'm not ready to leave these people. It's gone too quickly. I knew it would, but no one could have ever prepared me for how it has flown by. I want to cling on to them and never let go. Though they might find that a bit peculiar.
Tomorrow I have my first lecture of the semester, and I am seeing Amy and we are going to make a vlog together and I am seeing Nasima and Emma and Lucy and I just COULDN'T be more excited!!!! I have missed them so much.
So now, all that's left to do...GET. A. FIRST. UGHIGJSDKFASMNDGMB
Good night! x
PS..New York blog coming soon
Wednesday, 26 December 2012
My 2012!
It's time for my annual blog about the past year. I've done this every year since 2007, which is scary because I remember when I first decided to do one and now that was 5 years ago which is a quarter of my life. I'M OLDDDDDDDD.
Anyway, 2012 was a good year. The first few months weren't anything amazing. I totally loved my course (as usual) and had a nice time at uni with my Media friends, but my self confidence was low and I was suffering from very bad anxiety. I didn't want to socialise and I felt quite lonely. It wasn't the best. However, when it got to June everything started looking up. I went to Madeira with my family and with Stuart, which was absolutely incredible and I got to SWIM WITH DOLPHINS which was a lifelong dream of mine! And not in one of those awful tanks either, it was in the sea in the wild! It was just incredible. Putting my head underwater and being surrounded by about 30 dolphins, and hearing their whistles and clicks was one of the most amazing moments. It was jut wonderful.
In July I got to move into the house with Stuart and the boys. This was immediately a weight off my shoulders and a great relief. Shortly after this were the 2012 Olympic Games. I volunteered at my university was which was Pre-Games Training Camp for the South African, Chinese, Japanese and Irish athletics teams. It was such a brilliant experience! It converted me from an Olympic-cynic into an absolute Olympic fangirl. I got to meet some lovely people in the form of the other volunteers, such as Laura, Emma, Dan and Abbie and of course the hilarious Charlie. The people who were running the Camp were amazing and we just had the best time together. Having the opportunity to not only watch these world-class athletes train, but to also get to know them was such a once in a lifetime, and it felt really special to know we were helping them prepare for the biggest events of their lives so far. I got to meet some unbelievably famous faces such as Caster Semanya, Maria Mutola and Oscar Pistorius. And then, to add the icing on top of the cake, to thank me and Stuart for all our efforts (we did 6 weeks of full time volunteering) we got given tickets to see the Athletics in the Oympic Stadium for free! So we got to watch Jessica Ennis do some of her Heptathlon events, as well as Usain Bolt doing his 100m!!! So incredible! On top of this it so happened that the cycle races and time trials went straight past my uni, so we all got to go and cheer Team GB on by the side of the road together. The atmosphere was just mind-blowing and it really touched me how the spectators cheered on ALL the cyclists and not just our teams. It was perfect. Another highlight of this time was watching the Opening Ceremony with all of the volunteers and coordinators in the Link Room on campus. We all got takeaway Nando's and it was such fun. Later on, in October, I also went to see the Paralympic Athletics at the Olympic Stadium with my parents, Stuart, David and my wonderful friend Becky. It was equally amazing, if not more. I was delighted to be able to absorb the atmosphere of the Games some more, because it really was electric.
In August I went on a last minute spur of the moment holiday to Kavos, Corfu with two of my best friends from school Sarah and Katie. We hadn't all hung out together in YEARS, but we had such a lovely time! Even though the hotel/environment wasn't entirely up our streets (clubby!) we made the best of it and had a wonderful week in the scorching sun. We swam and went to the beach and had ice creams and all got on so so well, it was lovely. I really needed some guaranteed sun so it was perfect, and a lovely thing to round off my summer with.
So this brings me to September, when I started the first semester of my final year of university. Honestly, this is when I feel like I really came into my own at university. All the modules I studied this past semester have been WONDERFUL. I did a module about Disney, a module about Digital Imaging, Online Broadcasting and also my Practical Dissertation. I really found myself in a proper friendship group for the first time since halls, and this time I am so sure they are my friends for life. We spent day in day out together and even though we had an obscene amount of work and had to be at uni for about 15 hours a day, 7 days a week, the people I was with made sure that I still had the time of my life. I was very proud of myself in regards to Digital Imaging, because in the first few lectures I struggled SO much and I was genuinely sure that I would fail. But I went home and practised and I did this until I wasn't bad at it, and I am extremely proud of my finished results. Disney was the best module I have ever studied in my life...and not only because we got to go on a FIELD TRIP TO DISNEYLAND PARIS!!!!!
This was one of the best weekends of my life, 24th November - 26th November. It has been a dream of mine since I was 10 years old and first went to Disney World with my family that one day I could go to Disney with my friends. And that weekend my dream came true. It was utterly perfect, I cannot think of a single way that it could have been any better. The people I was with were just wonderful, there was not a singly dispute between us the whole weekend, we just spent the whole weekend being awe-inspired and laughing together. I went on my first ever rollercoasters too and loved them! Something that was recurring throughout the weekend was the support system we all had for eachother. This began on the way there when a couple of people felt travel sick and everyone rallied to help make them better. Then, that evening, we were deciding whether or not at 8.30 we wanted to bite the bullet and go to Paris for a few hours. I began feeling anxious because obviously we don't know the area well, it was dark, it was late, I was worried I was going to get ill...and everyone was just so lovely to me. Rebecca was particularly brilliant, I remember her just looking at me and saying that we were all there looking out for eachother and that I have to ignore the anxiety and just DO IT because no one would let anything bad happent to me and that this was one of the times where we just have to DO IT or we'd regret it forever, and that in the end I'd feel proud of myself for it. Simon refused to leave us and came with, and he helped me find a toilet when we arrived and I was desperate :D Amy, as usual, looked out for me and we stuck together in a situation when we were both out of our comfort zones. All I can say is that Rebecca was completely right and that we all owe Jess and Ellie for just going and buying their tickets, otherwise I don't think any of us would have. It was one of the most special nights of my life, and even though we were only there for a couple of hours, it was a couple of hours that I'll remember forever. Even when it came to rollercoasters everyone looked out for eachother! And by eachother, I mean me :P I was the only one who had never been on one before and the first one we rode was the Indiana Jones ride, and it went upside down! Tall Simon held my hand the whole time and I kept my eyes firmly shut :P But I truly loved it and went on many others. I also had to hold Nasima's hand on the Rock n Roller Coaster :P The rest of the weekend in Disney was just unbelievable. All the feelings that I had when I went a decade previously came flooding back, and the fact that it was all Christmassy just added to the magic. It was just mind-blowing, I had the time of my life and I just cannot emphasise that any more.
The weekend after Disney my birthday celebrations continued. Stuart took me for a posh afternoon tea in South Kensington, and after this we went to see Matilda the Musical courtesy of his parents! It was brilliant. And then the week after THAT, something VERY SPECIAL happened. I finally, after waiting since 2006, got to see...AMERICAN IDIOT THE MUSICAL!!!!!!!!! This was first mentioned online in 2006, when Billie Joe said that they wrote the album as a rock opera and would like to see it performed onstage. Years after this, it went to Broadway and then toured America, and then years after that, it FINALLY came for a London tour! It did not disappoint, and sitting in the third row with Stuart, Megg and David was another dream come true. I still can't really believe I finally got to see it, at the age of 21 having been 15 when I first heard about it. What are the chances of that! And my parents came too and also loved it which was brilliant.
So really, this brings me to now...the end of December. And it's not over yet because the day after tomorrow I am going to NEW YORK CITY with mum, dad, Jake, nana, grandpa and Stuart!!!! Mum has always said she wanted to take me to New York for my 21st, so we incorporated it with celebrations for my parents' 21st anniversary and my grandparents' 55th anniversary. I just can't believe I'm so lucky to be going to NYC with my amazing family and my boyfriend!!!!! I really am living the absolute dream, and I am SO excited!!! I need to pack now actually. But before that, I need to complete my checklist of the aims I made for 2012 by seeing if I achieved them. Then I'll give a quick commentary of the things that I looked forward to for this year. Lastly I'll make similar lists for 2013. Here we go:
AIMS FOR 2012
- Continue enjoying my course
DEFINITELY. I love it more and more each week to be honest, because every week I become closer with my friends and every week I learn some more. I can't believe that this time next year it will all be over ): I wish I could continue studying Media Arts forever, part of my wishes that anyway.
- Get a 2:1 at the end of second year
Yep (: I got 67.3, which is 2.7% off of a First!!!
- Stay with Stuart
Of course (:
- Not have arguments
I didn't really have any arguments that I can recall. This may have been my downfall on some occasions though because I think some stuff happened that I should have called people up on but I didn't have the guts to. I need to strike the balance between non-confrontational but still assertive of my right to be treated nicely
- Lose weight
Dream on
- Keep my hair in good conditioning PARTICULARLY by not straightening it very much at all
It is SO MUCH BETTER! It's finally growing! And I didn't straighten it for about 4 months over the summer! Now I'm doing it about once a fortnight and I've stopped putting permanent dye on it too.
- Start thinking seriously about what I want to do after uni
I've applied for 2 jobs if that counts? :P I know what I'd like to do but am not pinning my hopes on one thing.
- Turn 21 in a calm and sensible fashion :D
- Do not get mature. That would be tragic.
As if
- Do something lovely with Stuart for our one year annimaversary (:
We went out for Italian food and had epic sized pizzas with amazing gelato
- Sort out my anxiety issues and just feel less ill and more healthy
Unfortunately not. I need to work on this a lot.
THINGS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2012
- Completing the second year of my course
It was brilliant.
- Going to Madeira with my family and Stuart and uncle Warren
Brilliant
- Michael McIntyre with Stuart and his family
Oh yeah! This was also brilliant.
- Green Day American Idiot musical!!!!!
BRILLIANTTT
- NEW YORK
AAHHHHH I HOPE IT'S BRILLIANT
- Losing weight
This would have been brilliant :P
AIMS FOR 2013
- get a First in my degree. Really I'm setting myself up for a 2:1, but if I get a 2:1 I know I'll be devastated, and I'm definitely aiming for a First.
- sort out my anxiety
- continue getting long hair
- after graduation, get a job that I love and that utilises my degree
- stay in contact with my brilliant lecturers
- I just got a text from Amy about an idea for a short film...so it is now an aim to make that short film
- vlog/blog regularly
- move out....this is ambitious and unlikely, but it would be great
- get on better with Jake
- stay with Stuart
- stay best friends with the wonderful Media Arts girls
- sing at the last SMarts acoustic night at uni
- do some travelling
THINGS I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2013
- starting the year in NEW YORK CITY!!!! I can't believe that when I go back to commentate on this next year I'll have already done this when right now it is still a dream!
- my Arts and Culture module
- doing my practical dissertation
- making my Online Broadcasting documentary
- going to our apartment timeshare in Portugal with family and Stuart
- hopefully entering the world as a graduated real life human and hopefully doing well in it and not having a nervous breakdown and quarter-life crisis
So that is my 2012. The latter half was unbelievably good. And it's not even over yet! I feel very lucky and would like to thank all the people who contributed to the brilliant times I have had. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Anyway, 2012 was a good year. The first few months weren't anything amazing. I totally loved my course (as usual) and had a nice time at uni with my Media friends, but my self confidence was low and I was suffering from very bad anxiety. I didn't want to socialise and I felt quite lonely. It wasn't the best. However, when it got to June everything started looking up. I went to Madeira with my family and with Stuart, which was absolutely incredible and I got to SWIM WITH DOLPHINS which was a lifelong dream of mine! And not in one of those awful tanks either, it was in the sea in the wild! It was just incredible. Putting my head underwater and being surrounded by about 30 dolphins, and hearing their whistles and clicks was one of the most amazing moments. It was jut wonderful.
In July I got to move into the house with Stuart and the boys. This was immediately a weight off my shoulders and a great relief. Shortly after this were the 2012 Olympic Games. I volunteered at my university was which was Pre-Games Training Camp for the South African, Chinese, Japanese and Irish athletics teams. It was such a brilliant experience! It converted me from an Olympic-cynic into an absolute Olympic fangirl. I got to meet some lovely people in the form of the other volunteers, such as Laura, Emma, Dan and Abbie and of course the hilarious Charlie. The people who were running the Camp were amazing and we just had the best time together. Having the opportunity to not only watch these world-class athletes train, but to also get to know them was such a once in a lifetime, and it felt really special to know we were helping them prepare for the biggest events of their lives so far. I got to meet some unbelievably famous faces such as Caster Semanya, Maria Mutola and Oscar Pistorius. And then, to add the icing on top of the cake, to thank me and Stuart for all our efforts (we did 6 weeks of full time volunteering) we got given tickets to see the Athletics in the Oympic Stadium for free! So we got to watch Jessica Ennis do some of her Heptathlon events, as well as Usain Bolt doing his 100m!!! So incredible! On top of this it so happened that the cycle races and time trials went straight past my uni, so we all got to go and cheer Team GB on by the side of the road together. The atmosphere was just mind-blowing and it really touched me how the spectators cheered on ALL the cyclists and not just our teams. It was perfect. Another highlight of this time was watching the Opening Ceremony with all of the volunteers and coordinators in the Link Room on campus. We all got takeaway Nando's and it was such fun. Later on, in October, I also went to see the Paralympic Athletics at the Olympic Stadium with my parents, Stuart, David and my wonderful friend Becky. It was equally amazing, if not more. I was delighted to be able to absorb the atmosphere of the Games some more, because it really was electric.
In August I went on a last minute spur of the moment holiday to Kavos, Corfu with two of my best friends from school Sarah and Katie. We hadn't all hung out together in YEARS, but we had such a lovely time! Even though the hotel/environment wasn't entirely up our streets (clubby!) we made the best of it and had a wonderful week in the scorching sun. We swam and went to the beach and had ice creams and all got on so so well, it was lovely. I really needed some guaranteed sun so it was perfect, and a lovely thing to round off my summer with.
So this brings me to September, when I started the first semester of my final year of university. Honestly, this is when I feel like I really came into my own at university. All the modules I studied this past semester have been WONDERFUL. I did a module about Disney, a module about Digital Imaging, Online Broadcasting and also my Practical Dissertation. I really found myself in a proper friendship group for the first time since halls, and this time I am so sure they are my friends for life. We spent day in day out together and even though we had an obscene amount of work and had to be at uni for about 15 hours a day, 7 days a week, the people I was with made sure that I still had the time of my life. I was very proud of myself in regards to Digital Imaging, because in the first few lectures I struggled SO much and I was genuinely sure that I would fail. But I went home and practised and I did this until I wasn't bad at it, and I am extremely proud of my finished results. Disney was the best module I have ever studied in my life...and not only because we got to go on a FIELD TRIP TO DISNEYLAND PARIS!!!!!
This was one of the best weekends of my life, 24th November - 26th November. It has been a dream of mine since I was 10 years old and first went to Disney World with my family that one day I could go to Disney with my friends. And that weekend my dream came true. It was utterly perfect, I cannot think of a single way that it could have been any better. The people I was with were just wonderful, there was not a singly dispute between us the whole weekend, we just spent the whole weekend being awe-inspired and laughing together. I went on my first ever rollercoasters too and loved them! Something that was recurring throughout the weekend was the support system we all had for eachother. This began on the way there when a couple of people felt travel sick and everyone rallied to help make them better. Then, that evening, we were deciding whether or not at 8.30 we wanted to bite the bullet and go to Paris for a few hours. I began feeling anxious because obviously we don't know the area well, it was dark, it was late, I was worried I was going to get ill...and everyone was just so lovely to me. Rebecca was particularly brilliant, I remember her just looking at me and saying that we were all there looking out for eachother and that I have to ignore the anxiety and just DO IT because no one would let anything bad happent to me and that this was one of the times where we just have to DO IT or we'd regret it forever, and that in the end I'd feel proud of myself for it. Simon refused to leave us and came with, and he helped me find a toilet when we arrived and I was desperate :D Amy, as usual, looked out for me and we stuck together in a situation when we were both out of our comfort zones. All I can say is that Rebecca was completely right and that we all owe Jess and Ellie for just going and buying their tickets, otherwise I don't think any of us would have. It was one of the most special nights of my life, and even though we were only there for a couple of hours, it was a couple of hours that I'll remember forever. Even when it came to rollercoasters everyone looked out for eachother! And by eachother, I mean me :P I was the only one who had never been on one before and the first one we rode was the Indiana Jones ride, and it went upside down! Tall Simon held my hand the whole time and I kept my eyes firmly shut :P But I truly loved it and went on many others. I also had to hold Nasima's hand on the Rock n Roller Coaster :P The rest of the weekend in Disney was just unbelievable. All the feelings that I had when I went a decade previously came flooding back, and the fact that it was all Christmassy just added to the magic. It was just mind-blowing, I had the time of my life and I just cannot emphasise that any more.
The weekend after Disney my birthday celebrations continued. Stuart took me for a posh afternoon tea in South Kensington, and after this we went to see Matilda the Musical courtesy of his parents! It was brilliant. And then the week after THAT, something VERY SPECIAL happened. I finally, after waiting since 2006, got to see...AMERICAN IDIOT THE MUSICAL!!!!!!!!! This was first mentioned online in 2006, when Billie Joe said that they wrote the album as a rock opera and would like to see it performed onstage. Years after this, it went to Broadway and then toured America, and then years after that, it FINALLY came for a London tour! It did not disappoint, and sitting in the third row with Stuart, Megg and David was another dream come true. I still can't really believe I finally got to see it, at the age of 21 having been 15 when I first heard about it. What are the chances of that! And my parents came too and also loved it which was brilliant.
So really, this brings me to now...the end of December. And it's not over yet because the day after tomorrow I am going to NEW YORK CITY with mum, dad, Jake, nana, grandpa and Stuart!!!! Mum has always said she wanted to take me to New York for my 21st, so we incorporated it with celebrations for my parents' 21st anniversary and my grandparents' 55th anniversary. I just can't believe I'm so lucky to be going to NYC with my amazing family and my boyfriend!!!!! I really am living the absolute dream, and I am SO excited!!! I need to pack now actually. But before that, I need to complete my checklist of the aims I made for 2012 by seeing if I achieved them. Then I'll give a quick commentary of the things that I looked forward to for this year. Lastly I'll make similar lists for 2013. Here we go:
AIMS FOR 2012
- Continue enjoying my course
DEFINITELY. I love it more and more each week to be honest, because every week I become closer with my friends and every week I learn some more. I can't believe that this time next year it will all be over ): I wish I could continue studying Media Arts forever, part of my wishes that anyway.
- Get a 2:1 at the end of second year
Yep (: I got 67.3, which is 2.7% off of a First!!!
- Stay with Stuart
Of course (:
- Not have arguments
I didn't really have any arguments that I can recall. This may have been my downfall on some occasions though because I think some stuff happened that I should have called people up on but I didn't have the guts to. I need to strike the balance between non-confrontational but still assertive of my right to be treated nicely
- Lose weight
Dream on
- Keep my hair in good conditioning PARTICULARLY by not straightening it very much at all
It is SO MUCH BETTER! It's finally growing! And I didn't straighten it for about 4 months over the summer! Now I'm doing it about once a fortnight and I've stopped putting permanent dye on it too.
- Start thinking seriously about what I want to do after uni
I've applied for 2 jobs if that counts? :P I know what I'd like to do but am not pinning my hopes on one thing.
- Turn 21 in a calm and sensible fashion :D
- Do not get mature. That would be tragic.
As if
- Do something lovely with Stuart for our one year annimaversary (:
We went out for Italian food and had epic sized pizzas with amazing gelato
- Sort out my anxiety issues and just feel less ill and more healthy
Unfortunately not. I need to work on this a lot.
THINGS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2012
- Completing the second year of my course
It was brilliant.
- Going to Madeira with my family and Stuart and uncle Warren
Brilliant
- Michael McIntyre with Stuart and his family
Oh yeah! This was also brilliant.
- Green Day American Idiot musical!!!!!
BRILLIANTTT
- NEW YORK
AAHHHHH I HOPE IT'S BRILLIANT
- Losing weight
This would have been brilliant :P
AIMS FOR 2013
- get a First in my degree. Really I'm setting myself up for a 2:1, but if I get a 2:1 I know I'll be devastated, and I'm definitely aiming for a First.
- sort out my anxiety
- continue getting long hair
- after graduation, get a job that I love and that utilises my degree
- stay in contact with my brilliant lecturers
- I just got a text from Amy about an idea for a short film...so it is now an aim to make that short film
- vlog/blog regularly
- move out....this is ambitious and unlikely, but it would be great
- get on better with Jake
- stay with Stuart
- stay best friends with the wonderful Media Arts girls
- sing at the last SMarts acoustic night at uni
- do some travelling
THINGS I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2013
- starting the year in NEW YORK CITY!!!! I can't believe that when I go back to commentate on this next year I'll have already done this when right now it is still a dream!
- my Arts and Culture module
- doing my practical dissertation
- making my Online Broadcasting documentary
- going to our apartment timeshare in Portugal with family and Stuart
- hopefully entering the world as a graduated real life human and hopefully doing well in it and not having a nervous breakdown and quarter-life crisis
So that is my 2012. The latter half was unbelievably good. And it's not even over yet! I feel very lucky and would like to thank all the people who contributed to the brilliant times I have had. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Tuesday, 18 December 2012
I didn't get a chance to complete this blog and post it at the right time so here it is rather late and I will continue it but in the present tense shortly!
CHAPTER ONE: BIRTHDAY THINGS
On Tuesday night my parents took me and Stuart to my favourite restaurant for my birthday. It's a very fancy seafood restaurant and as a pescetarian, suits me perfectly. I had the most glorious starter which was warm goats cheese on beetroot salad. I was worried that the salad would be all rocket and I don't like rocket so was so happy when it was a mixture of normal lettuce leaves. The slab of goats cheese was incredible and as well as chunks of beetroot it had this delicious beetroot puree drizzled over it...mmmmmmm!!! And and and because I think there must be a Jew somewhere in the business, you get fresh challah rolls with your food! PERFECT. For main course I had baked salmon with hollandaise sauce which was DELISH. We ordered dauphinoise potatoes, gigantic chips and cauliflower cheese as side dishes and it was all just marvellous. For dessert we all had roasted pineapple with caramel sauce and coconut ice cream. Need I say more?
Last night I went for a lovely meal with some of my best friends on my Media course. Nasima's birthday is next week so it was joint for both of us. We went to Bill's which is another of my favourite restaurants. The food is yummy and quirky, and the decor is just adorable and eclectic, such a great atmosphere. Unfortunately I didn't like my risotto because it had CHUNKS OF SAGE IN IT which it transpires taste exactly like how toilet cleaner smells. But my dessert was one of the best I've ever tasted...lemon meringue pie cheesecake!! Layer of buttery biscuit base, layer of cheesecakey moussey cream, layer of lemon curd, scoops of frozen yoghurt and topped with marshmallowy blowtorched meringue! It was GLORIOS!
It was a lovely evening. I feel very sad that we have only just all become close, so near to the end. Typical eh? I only have myself to blame because I felt so low most of last year that I just didn't really talk to or socialise with anyone. So it's my own fault. I just want to make the most of my time with them till we graduate in the spring now.
CHAPTER TWO: DISNEYLAND PARIS
On Tuesday night my parents took me and Stuart to my favourite restaurant for my birthday. It's a very fancy seafood restaurant and as a pescetarian, suits me perfectly. I had the most glorious starter which was warm goats cheese on beetroot salad. I was worried that the salad would be all rocket and I don't like rocket so was so happy when it was a mixture of normal lettuce leaves. The slab of goats cheese was incredible and as well as chunks of beetroot it had this delicious beetroot puree drizzled over it...mmmmmmm!!! And and and because I think there must be a Jew somewhere in the business, you get fresh challah rolls with your food! PERFECT. For main course I had baked salmon with hollandaise sauce which was DELISH. We ordered dauphinoise potatoes, gigantic chips and cauliflower cheese as side dishes and it was all just marvellous. For dessert we all had roasted pineapple with caramel sauce and coconut ice cream. Need I say more?
Last night I went for a lovely meal with some of my best friends on my Media course. Nasima's birthday is next week so it was joint for both of us. We went to Bill's which is another of my favourite restaurants. The food is yummy and quirky, and the decor is just adorable and eclectic, such a great atmosphere. Unfortunately I didn't like my risotto because it had CHUNKS OF SAGE IN IT which it transpires taste exactly like how toilet cleaner smells. But my dessert was one of the best I've ever tasted...lemon meringue pie cheesecake!! Layer of buttery biscuit base, layer of cheesecakey moussey cream, layer of lemon curd, scoops of frozen yoghurt and topped with marshmallowy blowtorched meringue! It was GLORIOS!
It was a lovely evening. I feel very sad that we have only just all become close, so near to the end. Typical eh? I only have myself to blame because I felt so low most of last year that I just didn't really talk to or socialise with anyone. So it's my own fault. I just want to make the most of my time with them till we graduate in the spring now.
CHAPTER TWO: DISNEYLAND PARIS
Friday, 26 October 2012
Who'd have known tomato soup was so hilarious?
Yesterday between 4pm and 6pm has made it onto my hypothetical list of Greatest Two Hour Slots Of Time Ever.
It was my Online Broadcasting lecture, which is exciting to start with because online broadcasting is a thing that I have done for a lot of my life, in the form of blogging, vlogging, tweeting et cetera. So the fact that I have now taken this beloved hobby of mine into an academic environment, much less my Actual University Degree is basically a dream come true. Really, what more could I ask for?
Here are all the good/funny things that happened in yesterday's specifica Online Broadcasting class.
1. We found out that we are definitely interviewing the CEO of a company for the documentary we have to make and present for our final project. This company also happens to be the company that the Ultimate Dream Job I have applied to is with. I'm interviewing the man who is going to decide whether to employ me or not. Absolutely terrifying, but also an opportunity that not many people get. I just hope and pray and wish that I make a good impression. I have only 14 days till the interview, so basically AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH
2. We found out the assignment for the lesson was to take the camera, sound and lighting gear to 2 different locations in the uni and conduct 2 interviews in these places. Content wasn't too important, but the tech had to be spot on. One of the locations was a huge drawing room (our uni is also a gothic castle, casual). We struggled to find it initially (imagine 5 people traipsing around a university carrying a huge film camera, a huge tripod, 3-point lighting set up, a boom mic, powerpack and headphones) and eventually we arrived at a door that Chloe was sure was the room. She peaked in but there was just a man sitting there, so we figured it was the wrong place. There was a door next to that room that she and Aaron were sure MUST be the room, but the door wouldn't open. So we're trying to open it and it just won't budge, and suddenly I hear a CHAIN FLUSH and I'm like "GUYS THAT IS AN OCCUPIED TOILET!" and Aaron is like, "Naaaah you don't get a toilet without a sign" so starts BANGING ON THE DOOR and suddenly from the room we hear this lady say, "You do know this is a toilet right?" so we all nearly collapsed laughing, apologised profusely and then found out the original room was the correct place.
3. The interview in the drawing room went very well, except for the fact we set up in 3 different locations to accommodate the fact that the background was busy, the lighting was dodgy and we had no extension cable. We then found out that we did have an extension cable, so we went back to the original place we wanted to film but had to discard because we thought we couldn't plug the equipment in.
4. We then had to go for the second interview in a tiny office. Here we were interviewing Otis, who teaches us. Whilst the others were setting up (I was the interviewer so I got to sit) me and Otis were chatting about dried fruit (don't ask) and Simon said that he had Heinz tomato soup for lunch. So I said "I really don't like Heinz tomato soup" to which Otis looked ABSOLUTELY MORTIFIED and said "Woah now, don't tell my mother that, she would actually kill you" so I then went into hysterics and whilst I'm wheezing in the corner Otis carries on, "She's indoctrinated my daughter as well, I've never mentioned soup to her and she suddenly starts asking for tomato soup, her grandma is brainwashing her. I'll try to save you but honestly, she gets violent when people don't like tomato soup" by which point I am basically on the floor laughing, makeup all over my face, can't breathe properly, and then I have to conduct an interview. Whilst I was laughing hysterically and Otis was ranting about his mother's (rather vicious) love for tomato soup, it turns out the head of Media is standing in the doorway waiting to ask Otis a question, but neither of us notice that he's there, we're just in fits of laughter talking about tomato soup keeping him waiting. One of the most ridiculous moments of my university career.
5. The interviews themselves went quite well I feel. It was the first time I've done improvisation like that in a very long time, but I was very pleased with myself. I got compliments on improvisation and on my speaking, and Otis said he was very impressed at how I went from nearly dead on the floor to completely composed and serious as soon as I needed to be. I'm not gonna lie, that isn't always the case, but it's definitely something I've improved a lot on since A Level Theatre Studies!!
6. I absolutely love the group I have in Online Broadcasting. Bearing in mind we have to create a 30 minute documentary together, and then present it live, I feel it's important that we get on well, trust each other and are like-minded when it comes to getting work done. All these things are definitely the case, and I'm so lucky I've got them. We have so many laughs (as you may have picked up on from this blog) but we get the job done, and our finished interviews were pretty much spot on! I'm proud of us and I'm so pleased I get to work with them till April.
I know the time will go really quickly and one day I'll read this back and I'll be a graduate and I won't be able to believe it's over, but for now I'm grateful that I've got a few months left. I'm also grateful that I love my degree so much, as I know I'm lucky to have this. Third year is so much fun, I don't want it to end very soon at all ):
It was my Online Broadcasting lecture, which is exciting to start with because online broadcasting is a thing that I have done for a lot of my life, in the form of blogging, vlogging, tweeting et cetera. So the fact that I have now taken this beloved hobby of mine into an academic environment, much less my Actual University Degree is basically a dream come true. Really, what more could I ask for?
Here are all the good/funny things that happened in yesterday's specifica Online Broadcasting class.
1. We found out that we are definitely interviewing the CEO of a company for the documentary we have to make and present for our final project. This company also happens to be the company that the Ultimate Dream Job I have applied to is with. I'm interviewing the man who is going to decide whether to employ me or not. Absolutely terrifying, but also an opportunity that not many people get. I just hope and pray and wish that I make a good impression. I have only 14 days till the interview, so basically AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH
2. We found out the assignment for the lesson was to take the camera, sound and lighting gear to 2 different locations in the uni and conduct 2 interviews in these places. Content wasn't too important, but the tech had to be spot on. One of the locations was a huge drawing room (our uni is also a gothic castle, casual). We struggled to find it initially (imagine 5 people traipsing around a university carrying a huge film camera, a huge tripod, 3-point lighting set up, a boom mic, powerpack and headphones) and eventually we arrived at a door that Chloe was sure was the room. She peaked in but there was just a man sitting there, so we figured it was the wrong place. There was a door next to that room that she and Aaron were sure MUST be the room, but the door wouldn't open. So we're trying to open it and it just won't budge, and suddenly I hear a CHAIN FLUSH and I'm like "GUYS THAT IS AN OCCUPIED TOILET!" and Aaron is like, "Naaaah you don't get a toilet without a sign" so starts BANGING ON THE DOOR and suddenly from the room we hear this lady say, "You do know this is a toilet right?" so we all nearly collapsed laughing, apologised profusely and then found out the original room was the correct place.
3. The interview in the drawing room went very well, except for the fact we set up in 3 different locations to accommodate the fact that the background was busy, the lighting was dodgy and we had no extension cable. We then found out that we did have an extension cable, so we went back to the original place we wanted to film but had to discard because we thought we couldn't plug the equipment in.
4. We then had to go for the second interview in a tiny office. Here we were interviewing Otis, who teaches us. Whilst the others were setting up (I was the interviewer so I got to sit) me and Otis were chatting about dried fruit (don't ask) and Simon said that he had Heinz tomato soup for lunch. So I said "I really don't like Heinz tomato soup" to which Otis looked ABSOLUTELY MORTIFIED and said "Woah now, don't tell my mother that, she would actually kill you" so I then went into hysterics and whilst I'm wheezing in the corner Otis carries on, "She's indoctrinated my daughter as well, I've never mentioned soup to her and she suddenly starts asking for tomato soup, her grandma is brainwashing her. I'll try to save you but honestly, she gets violent when people don't like tomato soup" by which point I am basically on the floor laughing, makeup all over my face, can't breathe properly, and then I have to conduct an interview. Whilst I was laughing hysterically and Otis was ranting about his mother's (rather vicious) love for tomato soup, it turns out the head of Media is standing in the doorway waiting to ask Otis a question, but neither of us notice that he's there, we're just in fits of laughter talking about tomato soup keeping him waiting. One of the most ridiculous moments of my university career.
5. The interviews themselves went quite well I feel. It was the first time I've done improvisation like that in a very long time, but I was very pleased with myself. I got compliments on improvisation and on my speaking, and Otis said he was very impressed at how I went from nearly dead on the floor to completely composed and serious as soon as I needed to be. I'm not gonna lie, that isn't always the case, but it's definitely something I've improved a lot on since A Level Theatre Studies!!
6. I absolutely love the group I have in Online Broadcasting. Bearing in mind we have to create a 30 minute documentary together, and then present it live, I feel it's important that we get on well, trust each other and are like-minded when it comes to getting work done. All these things are definitely the case, and I'm so lucky I've got them. We have so many laughs (as you may have picked up on from this blog) but we get the job done, and our finished interviews were pretty much spot on! I'm proud of us and I'm so pleased I get to work with them till April.
I know the time will go really quickly and one day I'll read this back and I'll be a graduate and I won't be able to believe it's over, but for now I'm grateful that I've got a few months left. I'm also grateful that I love my degree so much, as I know I'm lucky to have this. Third year is so much fun, I don't want it to end very soon at all ):
Wednesday, 24 October 2012
Six chapters
CHAPTER ONE: The Job
It has been 3 days since I applied for The Job. I sometimes forget about it and then
when I remember I can think of little else for hours. The closing date for applications isn't till October 31st so it's going to be a while yet before I hear anything, if anything. Ohgod it just occurred to me that if I don't get it they might not let me know! How long is acceptable to wait till you contact them enquiring?!?! Ohmygod I can't believe I didn't think of this sooner!!!! SO MANY WORST CASE SCENARIOS!!!!!!!!
CHAPTER TWO: Pilates
Something that I have started doing this semester is Pilates. Me and Amy wanted to do yoga ideally, but the classes at our gym coincided with lectures, so we chose Pilates instead. It's a lot harder than you'd imagine, but strangely calming. Or maybe that's just because of the zen-balancing music they play. Or the fact that a lot of it is done laying down on a comfy mat. Believe it or not, it IS exercise.
CHAPTER THREE: Geriatric Musings
It's my birthday soon. Which is utterly terrifying. I started this blog when I was 16 years old, and now I'm about to turn 21. I was re-reading old blogs the other day, seeing the transition from GCSE panic, to sixth form to starting university. It's interesting how some things haven't changed at all, and other things are a whole new kettle of fish. Ultimately though I believe I have kept at least SOME of my "essence" (how disgustingly contrived that sounds hahaha) so that's reassuring. I still wear a lot of the same clothes from when I was a lot younger, such as the Converse All Stars I got when I was 14 (7 years ago!!!!!!!!!!) and my Green Day hoodie that I got when I was 15. Some things never change.
CHAPTER FOUR: Afternoon Tea
Speaking of my birthday, Stuart has organised some sort of surprise for me the week after. He has forbidden me from asking questions, and I know nothing other than that it is in the late afternoon of November 28th. I know this because he asked me if I wanted to go for a meal as a birthday treat but I said that we often go for a meal, and could we please go for afternoon tea instead? He thought it was a lovely idea (although that might just be because I read him the patisserie list at the hotel I wanted to go to for it!) and booked it for me as a special extra treat (: How nice is that! I love afternoon tea; I love how quaint it is and I love sarnies and scones and I LOVE desserts with a burning passion. I've been to a couple of afternoon teas before (at the Ritz and the Savoy no less) so I am very excited about that. It's almost a good thing turning 21 by the look of things!
CHAPTER FIVE: Degree
I've started really getting my head down with my uni work this semester now. I've started an essay that is due in at the end of November and I'm plodding on with my huge portfolio for my Advanced Digital Imaging. Not to mention my dissertation prep, which is now underway. I felt out of my depth and panicked, but then my tutor told me that I'm actually very ahead with my development, so that was reassuring.
CHAPTER SIX:
Shower and hairwash time soon, then bed. Whilst I'm doing that, enjoy these photos from my afternoon tea at the Savoy. Me and my brother took my nana and grandpa earlier in the year to thank them for being wonderful relatives. It was a lovely afternoon. Jocy xxx
It has been 3 days since I applied for The Job. I sometimes forget about it and then
when I remember I can think of little else for hours. The closing date for applications isn't till October 31st so it's going to be a while yet before I hear anything, if anything. Ohgod it just occurred to me that if I don't get it they might not let me know! How long is acceptable to wait till you contact them enquiring?!?! Ohmygod I can't believe I didn't think of this sooner!!!! SO MANY WORST CASE SCENARIOS!!!!!!!!
CHAPTER TWO: Pilates
Something that I have started doing this semester is Pilates. Me and Amy wanted to do yoga ideally, but the classes at our gym coincided with lectures, so we chose Pilates instead. It's a lot harder than you'd imagine, but strangely calming. Or maybe that's just because of the zen-balancing music they play. Or the fact that a lot of it is done laying down on a comfy mat. Believe it or not, it IS exercise.
CHAPTER THREE: Geriatric Musings
It's my birthday soon. Which is utterly terrifying. I started this blog when I was 16 years old, and now I'm about to turn 21. I was re-reading old blogs the other day, seeing the transition from GCSE panic, to sixth form to starting university. It's interesting how some things haven't changed at all, and other things are a whole new kettle of fish. Ultimately though I believe I have kept at least SOME of my "essence" (how disgustingly contrived that sounds hahaha) so that's reassuring. I still wear a lot of the same clothes from when I was a lot younger, such as the Converse All Stars I got when I was 14 (7 years ago!!!!!!!!!!) and my Green Day hoodie that I got when I was 15. Some things never change.
CHAPTER FOUR: Afternoon Tea
Speaking of my birthday, Stuart has organised some sort of surprise for me the week after. He has forbidden me from asking questions, and I know nothing other than that it is in the late afternoon of November 28th. I know this because he asked me if I wanted to go for a meal as a birthday treat but I said that we often go for a meal, and could we please go for afternoon tea instead? He thought it was a lovely idea (although that might just be because I read him the patisserie list at the hotel I wanted to go to for it!) and booked it for me as a special extra treat (: How nice is that! I love afternoon tea; I love how quaint it is and I love sarnies and scones and I LOVE desserts with a burning passion. I've been to a couple of afternoon teas before (at the Ritz and the Savoy no less) so I am very excited about that. It's almost a good thing turning 21 by the look of things!
CHAPTER FIVE: Degree
I've started really getting my head down with my uni work this semester now. I've started an essay that is due in at the end of November and I'm plodding on with my huge portfolio for my Advanced Digital Imaging. Not to mention my dissertation prep, which is now underway. I felt out of my depth and panicked, but then my tutor told me that I'm actually very ahead with my development, so that was reassuring.
CHAPTER SIX:
Shower and hairwash time soon, then bed. Whilst I'm doing that, enjoy these photos from my afternoon tea at the Savoy. Me and my brother took my nana and grandpa earlier in the year to thank them for being wonderful relatives. It was a lovely afternoon. Jocy xxx
Sunday, 21 October 2012
Ageing up
SOMEHOW it turned into halfway through semester one of my final year at university.
It turns out that a part of final year is working out how to transition into a real life human. Unfortunately, it does not involve being surrounded by stars and sparkles, doing a spin in the air and morphing into a taller person in different clothes. This is only the case in the Sims.
What it does include is applying for jobs. I've had part time jobs since I was 15, and my friends who didn't go to university have had full time jobs for a few years now. But I've been in the glorious bubble that is full time education, and the time is coming for the bubble to burst and for me to be exposed to the Outside World.
The other day, October 18th, I found an advertisement for my Ultimate Dream Job. You know when someone suggests something, and you'd like to do that thing loads, and you get all excited and squirmy inside and you just want to DO IT NOW, like when someone tells you you're going on holiday or when you have tickets to see your favourite band. I read this job opening and that's how I felt. Every single line of the ad, every single requirement for the role, every detail just consumed me with a squishy feeling I usually only associate with the prospect of cheesecake. I just want this job SO BADLY. It encompasses everything I love to do, everything I've loved to do since I was 15 years old, everything I think I am good at. I keep re-reading the ad and sometimes I believe with every fibre of my being that there is no other person on this planet Earth that is more perfectly suited to the job than I am. And other times I am enveloped in the fear that someone else will apply who is better than me. But mostly I just feel that if I was given the opportunity, I could be the absolutely best person for this job that they could possibly imagine, and that I'd do everything in my power to get to this point. And sometimes I feel sad because I truly don't think I could ever feel as excited about a job as I feel about this one. I feel like this is the Job For Me, and that even jobs I've previously been interested in and intrigued by pale in comparison.
On Monday I'm applying for this job.
I'm terrified, excited, determined, confident, self-doubting and thrilled by this prospect. But most of all, I'm convinced that I am the right person for the job and that I could truly do it justice.
PS I just looked back and on September 2nd I wrote in a blog that I needed to work out what I want to do with my adult life. THIS JOB IS WHAT I WANT TO DO WITH MY ADULT LIFE.
It turns out that a part of final year is working out how to transition into a real life human. Unfortunately, it does not involve being surrounded by stars and sparkles, doing a spin in the air and morphing into a taller person in different clothes. This is only the case in the Sims.
What it does include is applying for jobs. I've had part time jobs since I was 15, and my friends who didn't go to university have had full time jobs for a few years now. But I've been in the glorious bubble that is full time education, and the time is coming for the bubble to burst and for me to be exposed to the Outside World.
The other day, October 18th, I found an advertisement for my Ultimate Dream Job. You know when someone suggests something, and you'd like to do that thing loads, and you get all excited and squirmy inside and you just want to DO IT NOW, like when someone tells you you're going on holiday or when you have tickets to see your favourite band. I read this job opening and that's how I felt. Every single line of the ad, every single requirement for the role, every detail just consumed me with a squishy feeling I usually only associate with the prospect of cheesecake. I just want this job SO BADLY. It encompasses everything I love to do, everything I've loved to do since I was 15 years old, everything I think I am good at. I keep re-reading the ad and sometimes I believe with every fibre of my being that there is no other person on this planet Earth that is more perfectly suited to the job than I am. And other times I am enveloped in the fear that someone else will apply who is better than me. But mostly I just feel that if I was given the opportunity, I could be the absolutely best person for this job that they could possibly imagine, and that I'd do everything in my power to get to this point. And sometimes I feel sad because I truly don't think I could ever feel as excited about a job as I feel about this one. I feel like this is the Job For Me, and that even jobs I've previously been interested in and intrigued by pale in comparison.
On Monday I'm applying for this job.
I'm terrified, excited, determined, confident, self-doubting and thrilled by this prospect. But most of all, I'm convinced that I am the right person for the job and that I could truly do it justice.
PS I just looked back and on September 2nd I wrote in a blog that I needed to work out what I want to do with my adult life. THIS JOB IS WHAT I WANT TO DO WITH MY ADULT LIFE.
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
Second year of university = done.
What goes to show how long it's been since I blogged is that I've had the new Blogspot interface for AGES but when I clicked "New Post" I only just saw this new window thing for the very first time.
I've been fairly busy, but that hasn't been the most consuming thing. What has consumed me is the fact that the things I've been doing have all been vitally important to how the rest of my life will probably pan out.
Yes, that seems (and probably is) exaggerated, but right now, at this moment in time, I feel like everything depends on my final degree classification. Which I'd like to hope it doesn't, but that's what it seems like now. And last semester I don't feel like the grades I got were entirely what I expected/wanted/had hoped for. So this semester I've gone a bit MAD with effort. And I feel like it has paid off, although knowing me I've just horrendously jinxed it.
My favourite module was probably Music, Culture and Technology. This shocked me, as it was my only 100% theory module. But I absolutely LOVED it. It was about the music industry, the technology behind it, the theory behind it, history, people, everything. We learnt about cassettes, vinyls, singles, race, gender, class, really amazingly interesting stuff. What made it perfect was the lecturer, Lee, who is absolutely brilliant. I really loved this module particularly because every week we had to write an 150 word blog in response to the lecture, and each blog was worth 10%, and there was 10 of them. So this was 50% of the module, and the other 50% was an essay. I got a First on the essay, and 6 out of the 10 blogs were a First (3 2:1s and a 2:2) so IF MY AVERAGES ARE CORRECT (please whoever is in charge of these things let them correct) I got a First overall. HUZZAH!
My second favourite module was Magazines, Culture and Society. 50% of the module was a report on a magazine of our choice, for which I chose Wanderlust which is a brilliant British travel magazine. For the other 50% we had to produce an extract from a magazine, of the same genre as the one we did our report on. So I made 11 pages from a travel magazine inspired by Wanderlust. It was my proudest piece of practical work ever, and handing it in today actually hurt me inside a little bit! I can't wait to get it back and show my family. I don't even mind that I spent £75 getting it printed all fancy like - I wanted to show it off best I could!
Another module that I really liked was Video Production, for which me and my group had to make an advert for Domestos. It went well, and I will probably put it on YouTube soon for people to have a look at if they would like to.
My last module was Radio Production, and this was my biggest struggle as such. I didn't find it difficult, as I am confident talking in front of an audience, and I am competent when it comes to editing. But it was more of a state-of-mind issue that I had, but I think hopefully I overcame it and that my final result is good. We had to do a radio talk (40%) and I know that bit went well, and then a 5 minute radio feature (60%). Fingers crossed with that.
Ultimately, looking back, this semester went incredibly well. Just one First would make me ecstatic, but I'm holding on to the hope that I may have maybe got another one. We'll see.
So yes, that is my second year of university over with. I'm not happy with this for two reasons. The first reason is that this semester has been horrifically short and therefore I do not feel I have got value for money AT ALL when it comes to tuition fees. And secondly, it means I'm two thirds through, and it's going outrageously fast. Ugh.
I'm very excited about third year, as the modules I've picked all sound brilliant. I'll write about them more another time. Right now my eyes are aching from tiredness and I'm contemplating another slice of cherry tart.
I hope everyone's well, let me know.
xxx
I've been fairly busy, but that hasn't been the most consuming thing. What has consumed me is the fact that the things I've been doing have all been vitally important to how the rest of my life will probably pan out.
Yes, that seems (and probably is) exaggerated, but right now, at this moment in time, I feel like everything depends on my final degree classification. Which I'd like to hope it doesn't, but that's what it seems like now. And last semester I don't feel like the grades I got were entirely what I expected/wanted/had hoped for. So this semester I've gone a bit MAD with effort. And I feel like it has paid off, although knowing me I've just horrendously jinxed it.
My favourite module was probably Music, Culture and Technology. This shocked me, as it was my only 100% theory module. But I absolutely LOVED it. It was about the music industry, the technology behind it, the theory behind it, history, people, everything. We learnt about cassettes, vinyls, singles, race, gender, class, really amazingly interesting stuff. What made it perfect was the lecturer, Lee, who is absolutely brilliant. I really loved this module particularly because every week we had to write an 150 word blog in response to the lecture, and each blog was worth 10%, and there was 10 of them. So this was 50% of the module, and the other 50% was an essay. I got a First on the essay, and 6 out of the 10 blogs were a First (3 2:1s and a 2:2) so IF MY AVERAGES ARE CORRECT (please whoever is in charge of these things let them correct) I got a First overall. HUZZAH!
My second favourite module was Magazines, Culture and Society. 50% of the module was a report on a magazine of our choice, for which I chose Wanderlust which is a brilliant British travel magazine. For the other 50% we had to produce an extract from a magazine, of the same genre as the one we did our report on. So I made 11 pages from a travel magazine inspired by Wanderlust. It was my proudest piece of practical work ever, and handing it in today actually hurt me inside a little bit! I can't wait to get it back and show my family. I don't even mind that I spent £75 getting it printed all fancy like - I wanted to show it off best I could!
Another module that I really liked was Video Production, for which me and my group had to make an advert for Domestos. It went well, and I will probably put it on YouTube soon for people to have a look at if they would like to.
My last module was Radio Production, and this was my biggest struggle as such. I didn't find it difficult, as I am confident talking in front of an audience, and I am competent when it comes to editing. But it was more of a state-of-mind issue that I had, but I think hopefully I overcame it and that my final result is good. We had to do a radio talk (40%) and I know that bit went well, and then a 5 minute radio feature (60%). Fingers crossed with that.
Ultimately, looking back, this semester went incredibly well. Just one First would make me ecstatic, but I'm holding on to the hope that I may have maybe got another one. We'll see.
So yes, that is my second year of university over with. I'm not happy with this for two reasons. The first reason is that this semester has been horrifically short and therefore I do not feel I have got value for money AT ALL when it comes to tuition fees. And secondly, it means I'm two thirds through, and it's going outrageously fast. Ugh.
I'm very excited about third year, as the modules I've picked all sound brilliant. I'll write about them more another time. Right now my eyes are aching from tiredness and I'm contemplating another slice of cherry tart.
I hope everyone's well, let me know.
xxx
Thursday, 26 January 2012
Grades
The other day I got my grades for my first semester of my second year at university. They are as follows:
Web Design - 54%, 2:2
Media Thinkers - 64%, 2:1
TV Studio Production - 64%, 2:1
Image & Visual Culture - 61%, 2:1
I'm really not sure how I feel about these grades.
I was totally fine about Web Design because I struggled with it in year 10 and I struggled with it this time too. HTML and coding and building the whole site had so many processes, and I've never been good at processes. This is why I always hated physics and maths, whilst I enjoyed humanities; they are more free thinking. So with Web Design I decided that rather than trying to be over-ambitious and not pulling it off I'd rather stick to my capabilities and get a firm pass, which I did.
Media Thinkers was a complicated module. I loved the subject and I loved the things I learnt, and I even loved the essay topics. LO AND BEHOLD I even loved WRITING THE ESSAYS. What I didn't love was the fact that with both essays I sent drafts to my lecturer to get feedback before I submitted my final one (feedback of which I followed) and I still only just got a 2:1. The way I see it, if I write an essay that needs improvement, the improvements I am suggested by the lecturer should allow me to achieve the highest possible grade. Call my crazy, but bearing in mind with the first essay I was only given 5 things to add (all of which I added) I did assume I'd done better than 64%. The second essay was even more ridiculous because all of the feedback I got for my draft was ALREADY IN MY ESSAY. And I still only scraped a 2:1. I've talked to the head of Media once about this and have got a meeting next week with the head of education or something, at which I can communicate my views on this. So even though I feel like I should have been given tuition that would have got me to a higher grade than a lower 2:1, I was unsurprised by my result.
TV Studio Production was a brilliant laugh, and I really, really enjoyed it. I am eager to get some feedback on my grade because I'd like to know where my portfolio blog lost marks because I thought I followed the instructions quite well.
Image and Visual Culture was hit and miss for me, I loved the practical side of it but struggled with the essay because we were restricted as to the sources we could reference, which for me was quite repressing. Additionally, my lecturer didn't have time to read my essay draft (I'm not going to go into this now because I'm still very cross) which I know was my downfall. I was so, so proud of my photo essay so I want to know what they didn't like about them. Essentially, I wanted to do very well in IVC, but as soon as I found that my essay draft wouldn't get read over, I lost hope.
For as long as I can remember I've been a perfectionist academically. I don't mean that I always achieve extremely highly, I mean that I always beat myself up when I don't. It began to an extreme when I got majority As at GCSE and was absolutely gutted they weren't A*s. I remember just HATING myself because I knew that I didn't work my absolute hardest, and I knew that if I had have worked my absolute hardest that I would have got A*s. When it came to A Level I had a pretty stressful time at school and the obstacles I encountered meant even I was quite pleased to get my ABBCE. And in my first year of university I got a First, which I was absolutely DELIGHTED about. So all I wanted to do this year was to reach the standard I had set myself and work and exert effort and do just as well again...
...which is why I'm not entirely sure why I'm not more upset about my three 2:1s. When I really think about it it's really quite upsetting, to know that working your hardest and putting in the most effort you could possibly put in is only worth 60.75%. Literally JUST a 2:1. Actually now I've got my calculator out and done the maths I feel a fair amount worse. I just want to excel. If I could look back on last semester and think "Well if I had done this/that/the other I would have probably done better" than fair play, I would have regrets due to not trying my best. But I cannot think of anything I could have done differently to get a higher grade.
I think this is about accepting my standard. My standard is only a 2:1. I need to work on eliminating my grand delusions of Firsts and just be okay with average.
Web Design - 54%, 2:2
Media Thinkers - 64%, 2:1
TV Studio Production - 64%, 2:1
Image & Visual Culture - 61%, 2:1
I'm really not sure how I feel about these grades.
I was totally fine about Web Design because I struggled with it in year 10 and I struggled with it this time too. HTML and coding and building the whole site had so many processes, and I've never been good at processes. This is why I always hated physics and maths, whilst I enjoyed humanities; they are more free thinking. So with Web Design I decided that rather than trying to be over-ambitious and not pulling it off I'd rather stick to my capabilities and get a firm pass, which I did.
Media Thinkers was a complicated module. I loved the subject and I loved the things I learnt, and I even loved the essay topics. LO AND BEHOLD I even loved WRITING THE ESSAYS. What I didn't love was the fact that with both essays I sent drafts to my lecturer to get feedback before I submitted my final one (feedback of which I followed) and I still only just got a 2:1. The way I see it, if I write an essay that needs improvement, the improvements I am suggested by the lecturer should allow me to achieve the highest possible grade. Call my crazy, but bearing in mind with the first essay I was only given 5 things to add (all of which I added) I did assume I'd done better than 64%. The second essay was even more ridiculous because all of the feedback I got for my draft was ALREADY IN MY ESSAY. And I still only scraped a 2:1. I've talked to the head of Media once about this and have got a meeting next week with the head of education or something, at which I can communicate my views on this. So even though I feel like I should have been given tuition that would have got me to a higher grade than a lower 2:1, I was unsurprised by my result.
TV Studio Production was a brilliant laugh, and I really, really enjoyed it. I am eager to get some feedback on my grade because I'd like to know where my portfolio blog lost marks because I thought I followed the instructions quite well.
Image and Visual Culture was hit and miss for me, I loved the practical side of it but struggled with the essay because we were restricted as to the sources we could reference, which for me was quite repressing. Additionally, my lecturer didn't have time to read my essay draft (I'm not going to go into this now because I'm still very cross) which I know was my downfall. I was so, so proud of my photo essay so I want to know what they didn't like about them. Essentially, I wanted to do very well in IVC, but as soon as I found that my essay draft wouldn't get read over, I lost hope.
For as long as I can remember I've been a perfectionist academically. I don't mean that I always achieve extremely highly, I mean that I always beat myself up when I don't. It began to an extreme when I got majority As at GCSE and was absolutely gutted they weren't A*s. I remember just HATING myself because I knew that I didn't work my absolute hardest, and I knew that if I had have worked my absolute hardest that I would have got A*s. When it came to A Level I had a pretty stressful time at school and the obstacles I encountered meant even I was quite pleased to get my ABBCE. And in my first year of university I got a First, which I was absolutely DELIGHTED about. So all I wanted to do this year was to reach the standard I had set myself and work and exert effort and do just as well again...
...which is why I'm not entirely sure why I'm not more upset about my three 2:1s. When I really think about it it's really quite upsetting, to know that working your hardest and putting in the most effort you could possibly put in is only worth 60.75%. Literally JUST a 2:1. Actually now I've got my calculator out and done the maths I feel a fair amount worse. I just want to excel. If I could look back on last semester and think "Well if I had done this/that/the other I would have probably done better" than fair play, I would have regrets due to not trying my best. But I cannot think of anything I could have done differently to get a higher grade.
I think this is about accepting my standard. My standard is only a 2:1. I need to work on eliminating my grand delusions of Firsts and just be okay with average.
Tuesday, 17 January 2012
Routine
I don't know how I feel about routine.
When I'm with my friends and it's the holidays and we have no obligations and just take each day as it comes I absolutely revel in the lack of routine. However, last semester when I adored all my modules and had my timetable learnt by heart I really loved the routine of when and where I had to be and what I was going to learn.
You'd think from this that I'd be one of those happy go lucky cruiser-alongers and to be honest, I'd love to be. Sometimes I am. Sometimes I take change in my stride and can just grit my teeth and deal with whatever is thrown at me. But more recently I've been extremely susceptible to stress and have been suffering from anxiety induced illness very frequently. As much as I don't know the precise reasons as to why I'm a bit of a mess at the moment, I'm really hoping that settling back into termtime routine from tomorrow will help my brain out. It will give me some more focuses and I'm hoping to distract my conscious from whatever is subconsciously messing with my head.
Saying that though, at this precise moment I feel really terrified about routine because what if I don't feel well and what if I have an anxiety attack and what if I'm not good at one of my modules and what if I fall out with a friend and what if one of my lecturers doesn't like me?
When I don't have a routine I can invest time into thinking and analysing and trying to sort these things out. What if I don't have time anymore?
Although maybe having too much time to think is my absolute downfall.
When I'm with my friends and it's the holidays and we have no obligations and just take each day as it comes I absolutely revel in the lack of routine. However, last semester when I adored all my modules and had my timetable learnt by heart I really loved the routine of when and where I had to be and what I was going to learn.
You'd think from this that I'd be one of those happy go lucky cruiser-alongers and to be honest, I'd love to be. Sometimes I am. Sometimes I take change in my stride and can just grit my teeth and deal with whatever is thrown at me. But more recently I've been extremely susceptible to stress and have been suffering from anxiety induced illness very frequently. As much as I don't know the precise reasons as to why I'm a bit of a mess at the moment, I'm really hoping that settling back into termtime routine from tomorrow will help my brain out. It will give me some more focuses and I'm hoping to distract my conscious from whatever is subconsciously messing with my head.
Saying that though, at this precise moment I feel really terrified about routine because what if I don't feel well and what if I have an anxiety attack and what if I'm not good at one of my modules and what if I fall out with a friend and what if one of my lecturers doesn't like me?
When I don't have a routine I can invest time into thinking and analysing and trying to sort these things out. What if I don't have time anymore?
Although maybe having too much time to think is my absolute downfall.
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