exams are over, yay!

I have officialy done my last ever exam. Overall I was quite pleased with this set, todays wasn't great but I think I did ok, and some of the others amazed me with how much I knew!
Anyway no more exams left, so I can now concentrate on my summer mission of finally completing legend of zelda on the n64. Yes I know I'm behind the times but if you saw how badly I played you'd understand why it's taken my nearly 10 years. Picking up from last years playing I'm on the Shadow temple. I've gotten to same point 3 times so far this afternoon and died every go! I'm no getting frustrated so a bit of TV watching and internet browsing is in order.

Two down, two to go

Well I've just had my second exam of four. It was the module mentioned in my previous post in which I got an atrocious coursework score. It didn't go too badly, I put in lots of detail, answered teh question (I hope) and wrote lots.
I now have 2 exams remaining both of whihc are in an area i am pretty happy with.

Off to Rainbows for a bit of relaxation, I'm just hoping that the church hall has been left open for us, if not it could be clay modelling outside!
Here's hoping it doesn't rain.

Bugger

I just got an email from my department telling me the coursework score for one of my modules, for which I have yet to sit the exam. It was not good news, a 40 was not the score I wanted to see. I only just passed that part. I wish they'd just not told me, as now all I'm doing is panicking about that exam. I think it's only worth 1/3 of the mark of the whole modules, but it still means I've got to do very very well on the exam to keep up a good score.
Why send me a score I can do nothing more about, ! can't redo the coursework, I have no more coursework to do so I can't really learn from what I got wrong, which is impossible anyway. A simple score lets me know nothing about where I failed. Looking back on it I'm guessing I didn't really answer the question, but it's a question I'm not sure how they wanted answering and evryone else I spoke to said the same.
Oh well, I just spoke to my Mum about and as she said, what's done is done and nothing I can do will change that. Now bak to the revision.

I'm so bored

Sounds really bad when there is so much shit going on in the world but I am so very bored! I'm sat in the library (well they call it the Informtion Commons, but that's the uni trying to be posh!) again. Last night I was here till 8pm, Monday night I was here until 7 at least, and in the past couple of weeks it's felt like I've lived here.
I think it's been worth it, I have a busy couple of weeks before all my deadlines, so really needed to get organised before then. I think I've managed it,
6000 word dissertation on teh mammalian family tree- check
1800 word essay on a named area of reproductive behaviors- check
Introduction for group talk- check

Why does it feel as if I've missed something, no one else I know is this organised yet, I know why I'm this organised, but it just feels wrong to have done your coursework for 2 weeks before the deadline!
In case you hadn't noticed I live a relatively dull ife, for so long my sole aim has been to get through university and gain a respectable degree. Now it looks as if that is going to happen it feels odd. I'll be starting doing a teacher training course in September but it will be a very different lifestyle to my current one of such self motivated learning. Having said that, I'm bored, I will never use practically any of the information from this year in my future, and I have a lovely £4000 debt to show for it!

My own personal hell is over!

I have written my dissertation, 2 days later than I wanted (I was aiming to have it done before I started back), but hey you can't have everything. I know my work on it isn't finished, but at least it means that I have 5185 words written, I'm not going to have to do the same slog again. It needs a good introduction, conclusion and abstract writing, but I need to remind myself of what I wrote 4 weeks ago and correct the bits that don't make sense. It feels like such a weight is gone from my shoulders. Now if only the university would publish the exam timetable so I can know how much revision I need to do before term ends!
It feels like this section of life is coming to an end. In 2 months I will no longer be living here, I will be living with Lex in our new flat. I will actually have a degree. A pile of information about my PGCE course arrived yesterday, it really bought it home that this is really happening to me, I have got a place, and I'm really looking forward to it.

at the in-laws

Well technically speaking not the in-laws, but I m at my boyfriends house. Yesterday I met his mum who came up to visit, and today I'm down in Oxford at Lex's house and met his Dad. We've been going out for 16 months, so I've waited long enough. I think it would actually be easier if I've met them earlier, but various things have meant it's just not been possible. Anyway I've given Lex and his Dad some family time, and I'm supposed to be writing my dissertation, so far I have 2500 words, and don't think I've really managed to say anything. oh well, I'm definitely not going to say anything meaningful while witing this so it's nose to the grindstone again.

Snow, and no more exams.

Well all my exams are finished with, I was up at 7.30 this morning, went in to my exam and actually feel quite pleased with myself. There was a question I could answer, and even one I had done some extra reading about, just hope it gets spotted and I get given credit accordingly!
After I'd finished I persuaded Lex that I wanted to see fresh air and a view outside the city. We drove out to Burbage which was actually still surprisingly snowy. We had lots of snow at the beginning of the week but since then it has got steadily warmer. I did take my camera with me but discovered that all the batteries are dead! Doh!
I had lots of fun building a snowman and throwing snowballs at Lex and for a dog to chase. We didn't walk very far though, but it feels nice to have had cold clean fresh air on my face for a while. I'm off to work this afternoon as the person meant to be doing it is ill. I was going to have a day off, but Lex is still revising so I have nothing better to do. I'm back at work as usual tomorrow, which I'm not really looking forward to, but never mind.

Biology and ethics

I'm in the middle of revising for my final exam until the summer. Well I say in the middle, but realistically I have 2 more hours of work before my brain goes to sleep, and then the exam is at 9am tomorrow morning, yikes!
Well so I can get away with writing this post I'd better add how much I've enjoyed this module. It's one of the parts of science that I love. Real world applications of pretty cool science, and thinking about how it impacts on us all, and whether we want this innovation!
The module covers everything from transplants, assisted reproductive technologies, genetic testing, cloning and intellectual property rights on biological innovations. Now if you're not interested in science you may find it quite boring, but this is all stuff that affects our everyday life.
Do you think we should do IVF?
And what should happen to the embryos not needed after treatment?
Where should we stop with transplants?
Are face transplants right?
What about switching off heart lung machines on brain dead patients?
Should insurers have the right to ask for results of genetic test?
Or ask you to have a test if there is a genetic disease in the family?
Should we create human clones to allow research?
Will we ever allowing cloning for reproductive purposes?
Should we allow people to produce designer babies?
What about if that baby is being created to save the life of a sibling?
How do you copyright a genetically cloned mice?
Should we allow multinational companies to copyright a food produced in a different area for centuries?

I find it all fascinating, and has really got me thinking about how peoples lives have changed in the last 30 years, I can't imagine life without IVF babies, and organ transplants. However both were hugely controversial when the first started, it's going to be interesting to see how peoples attitudes change over the next 30 years.

We have a home!

Well after the tears and frustration of last week we have finally sorted out a flat. It's not been easy and has led to lots of nervous waitng but we are finally done. It's in the same block of flats and owned by the same landlord as the one we just lost out on. even Lex has secretly admitted to being quite excited and looking forward to July. We've even found a friend who says we can out our stuff in his garage if we can't move in 5 days early!
Revision is also going quite well, though I've reached the point where I'm not sure what to learn, I think a few latin names and some facts and figure might be on order.
Climbing is going well, though after yesterdays session I ache.
List of things to do today
Revise
Sort out my Rainbow overnight
Find out where my new Rainbows were when they didn't turn up to the meeting
Sort out next weeks Rainbow meeting
Make some Leek and Potato soup for tea

I think that will keep me busy for today!

Everything seems better when the sun comes out...

or does it?
after the spell of bad weather we've been having recently it's been nice to see the sun again. Not that I have been able to get out and do anything. Weekends as ever are a write off due to work, and weekdays seem to be devoted to revision. Apparently it's also rather cold as well, and while friction is supposedly better in the cold I've always been a fan pf feeling my hands while climbing!
Oh well, at least I'm still getting exercise by keeping up with indoor climbing. It will make up for the bad foods I'm eating at the moment!
Another plus is the flat hunting, we're going to see one tomorrow morning, we'll be the first ones to see it and it's in the same block as the one we missed out on. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!
My ankle also seems to be getting better, I'm doing my physio exercises religiously and they do seem to be helping. Think I might ask her for a bit of advise for my hip on the next appointment.

Renting isn't fun.

I don't like having to sort out renting a house every year. It's getting annoying!
This year me and Lex are sharing a flat, we want something with 2 bedrooms, that isn't a shithole but at the same time not so expensive we'll be paupers next year. Now that doesn't sound too demanding does it. Well so you'd think. Everything seems soooo expensive in the areas we're after.
We finally found a really good flat in the right area for a really good price, rang up as soon as we viewed it to find that it had gone 30 minutes earlier. I could have cried/screamed! Luckily the same landlord owns another flat in the same block. The current tenants aren't around at the moment so no-one has viewed it yet. Because we lost out on the other he has said he'll let us know as soon as they're back so we can look round. We've said if it's the same as the other one we want to sign a contract and get this whole annoying process sorted!
Only problem is the time the contact starts, 5 days after Lex has to leave his current flat, and 2 weeks after I have to leave mine. We'll sort that out nearer the time though. I'm sure we can persuade some people to keep some of our stuff for us for a few days and if not it'll have to go to my parents house. We're also kind of hoping the current tenants leave a few days early, in which case we might be able to move in a few days early.
Ok enough of that, I'm driving Lex mad with it at the moment poor boy, but I can't seem to settle until I know this is sorted! Anyhow I'd best try and do some work, but worryingly it seems like I know everything which can't be possible!

Things are looking up

Well since my last post things are a bit more cheerful. I have a place to do my PGCE next year, conditional on me gaining my degree, so I'd better get revising then. This bit isn't going so well, in preference to revision today I have cleaned the kitchen and bathroom untill they're spotless, and taken down the Christmas decorations. It's also nice to be back in Sheffield and be in charge of my own life again, just me and Lex and to be honest that's just how I like it. some friends are already back so we're getting together on saturday to catch up. I've also been climbing since we got back, definitely feeling a bit of a loss of fitness!
Anyway I really had better go and get some work done, I also need to think about starting to find a house for next year, something I could really do without!

Happy New Year

Things just don't seem right at the momment. It mosty feels that I'm just marking time untill this year is over. My degree no longer seems all that interesting and is simply a means to get me on a PGCE course and start doing what I'm really interested in. I have a set of exmas then another 12 weeks of teaching then one more set of exams then it will all be finished, quite scary really, it only seems like yesterday that i was a scared little fresher hobbling round crutches. Speaking of which I finally have a physiotheapy appointment to see if I can get my ankle sorted out any better. I'm sick of having an irritating amount of pain every time I do things. It's not enough to really stop me doing anything but does mean that whatever I'm doing isn't as enjoyable as I woudl like.
Not surprising when you see what it looked like after the accident!









The New Year seems to have got both me and Lex down, neither of us really want to be doing our degrees anymore but a least I have a definite goal at the end of mine. We both spent last night in his flat watching Blackadder, fell asleep accidentally at 10.30 then were woken up by fireworks, said Hapy New Year and went back to sleep. What an exciting life we lead!

Cristmas is over, Long live Christmas.

Well the annual torture is over, I like some elements of Christmas, but I am finding myself becoming more scrooge like the older I get! Watching other people open their carefully chosen presents and seeing the delight on their faces is wonderful, opening my own is agonising, I do sometimes wonder if these people actually know me?
I also love the food that goes with it, but I do wish I could be left to cook it, I wouldn't say I'm fussy, rather a perfectionist, and I think this is where christmas falls down as you get older, as a child you don't really care about the fine details, and don't even notice them, but I do, and need to have them or somehow Christmas isn't perfect.
However this year was an improvement on previous years, we weren't at home we instead spent the week in a holiday cottage in North Wales. I have avoided strangling every member of my family though at times the temptation to do so was very very strong. This years preents on the whole were better than previous efforts. I only received one thing that went on to the pile for instant recycling! This I feel is a record, considering last year I finished the day in tears with a cry of I don't want any presents next year, I'd rather people gave the money to charity than see all this stupid waste!
Christmas was also helped by being somewhere where we could do things, walks nd bike rides meant that I could stomp in to the distance pretendig that what had just been said hadn't upset me. The week was also helped by Lex coming and rescuing me just before I was ready to start screaming at my normally wonderful family members. We can normally get along but a week of forced proximity by a small cottage was just too much. I even took him for a bike ride so he could actually test his new bike.

So all in all not a bad Christmas, but I'll still be campaigning for changes next year! I no have the joy of work to look forward to!

Hours spent wanting to be violent to people- countless
Actual outbursts of violence- none
Hours spent walking- 25
Hours spent biking- 6
Hours spent playing Trivial Pursuits- 8
Hours spent eating- too many
Hours spent Climbing- None!!!!!
Hours untill I can go back to Sheffield- 18
Number of root canal fillings-1
Number of Dental appointment remaining to complete root canal filling- 2
Hours of work done- 0
Hours of work that must be done if I am to pass the exams- too many


Bah Humbug, Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year

I have regained my life!

It's so nice to have actually finished for christmas. Don't get me wrong, I love my degree, but 12 solid weeks of it with no break is enough to sap anyones enthusiasm!
I'm spending a week in Sheffield for several reasons really, I get to spend more time with Lex, I get to actually socialise with my friends, I had an interview for my teacher tarining course, and there was no way I was organise enough to go home right at the end of term!
It's been so nice over the last few days to have time to actually interact with people, for the past few weeks my life has been taken over by coursework, I'd forgotten what some people actually looked like. But over the past few days I've been out for Lex's work Christmas do, which was very nice, been to the climbing works with some friends and had a really good time. I'm also going to get all my Christmas presents from Lex tomorrow. On Wednesday we're having a take away social gathering, and then on Thursday I'm going climbing again.
Wow what a busy social life, and then I get to go home and see family.
I had my PGCE interview today and I think it went really well. They can't actually say they're offfering you a place, but he did say he was very impressed with my interview, and kind of said as near to "you've got a place" as he could! All thisis very good news as it means I'll be staying in sheffield for at least another year and I'll be doing something I really enjoy.

Well as promised I'm back to write all about my horrendous work load, why are all my modules due in at the same time, there's no justice!
However thing sare looking brighter, after spending the last 2 months in the lab collecting the data, I have finally written my 5000 word report, my poster for parasitism is finished, and even better my Biology and Ethics poster is done. All I have too do now is edit and check them all, now that is going to be hard. My brain works in an odd way, and as a result my brain works even more oddly, so all my writing is very odd! If that makes sense. so as a result there is lots of editing to be done.
Anyway by Wednesday all this will be over, and in the evening I have the fun of the climbing clubchristmas meal to look forward to. I'm actually going to go and get my hair cut and for one I get to dress up, pictures to follow!
In preparation for my PGCE interview next Tuesday I went and spent yesterday in a secondary school, and I actually really enjoyed it. I miss being with that age groups of kids on a regular basis! I was in one lesson which is made up of those with learning disabilities and behavioural problem when someone decided to set off a firework! Well at least it's given me something to talk about in the interview!

Buckingham Palace

Well yesterday I got to see what a Buckingham Palace Garden Party is really like. Unfortunately I wasn't a guest I was only there as a steward, but I did have a great day, got to have a cucumber sandwich and can say I've been to the loo in the palace!
The only down side was dressing as a piece of rock, because I was representing Girlguiding UK I had to wear the lovely new formal stripy blouse, and it is hideous!
I saw the Queen, Prince Phillip, Prince Charles and Camilla, and quite a few other minor royals. I also got to see the chaos behind the food tent, there are people running about like crazy, huge boilers heating all the water for tea and more plates of sandwiches than you can believe!
I just have a few days to recover before I have my Queens Guide award presented, but tonight I'm taking my Rainbows out for a picnic, then on Thursday promised my housemates I'd go out for a drink with them.

Oh and I nearly forgot (test for my parents to see if they read this!) I have passed this year of my degree, all my results average out at a 2.1 which I'm very happy with, my result of 74 in evolution of terestrial ecosystems has left me very amazed with myself!

Ants are little people!

Spent today doing part of the write up for a field course I was on last week. I basically spent a few days feeding ants bits of Bernard Matthews turkey ham. Turns out they quite like the stuff, though after spending that many days chopping it up in to little pieces I now hate the stuff more than I did before!
Anyway my report has to be super scientific, so I was very good and went to the library to find some references and books! I swear the place gets scarier everything I visit it. I did get some books though including a really good one from the 1930's! Basically it describes ants as people all the way through, including that they love each other! Very sweet!


Am now at Lexs for the last time until he moves! It's quite upsetting as I had grown quite fond of this house. And I have to downsize in beds! May not sound too bad but when your boyfriend is 6"6' he can take up a lot of space without even trying.
The new flat is nice though, and my feet will no longer stick to the kitchen floor, which has to be a plus.