Update...

So... Long time no see... I'm sorry, it's just with exams and basically 'excuse my French' crappy Internet service, I haven't really had a chance to post! You know how it can sometimes be!

So here's an update!!! 

I recently (today) had my Grade 5 saxophone alto exam, it was terrible! Pieces were okay but scales and everything else not so much! He asked me to redo one of two of the aurals and don't even get me started on the sight reading (musical term for playing a piece of music you've never seen or played before!

But on the other hand... I was asked to join my schools jazz band on the tenor sax! I went on Tuesday and well.. I LOVED IT!! Here's kinda the size difference.. tenor on the left, alto right! I'm just about tall enought as I don't know if any of you know this but I'm only 5ft 1 1/2 inches.. the 1/2 really does matter!!!

I think the tenor might be the instrument for me.. yes it's more difficult than the alto but it was just so much fun to play!!! So I suggest anyone that plays the sax try out the tenor!!

Now onto other business.. I HAVE A NEW JAM..
Some nights by Fun.. I'm kinda obsessed!

This and + The Ed Sheeran album.. all you need to help you revise.. they literally are just pure bliss to listen to when trying to concentrate on Biology and stuff along those lines!!!

Last weekend I had my 'seminar/taster session' for my Israel tour trip that I'm going on during this summer!!
I'm so exctied for 'tour', 4 weeks away with Jewish people your own age, seeing the sites, camping, climbing mountains and that's only one day!! Unfortunatly it's only offered for those of you who are jewish but.. seriously just do it!
 I'm doing FZY Israel tour and for my special interest week, I have chosen Gadna (Army training!) It's with the real Israeli army and real *ahem* soldiers...!!

 

No matter if you're in the UK, USA or Israel you can go with FZY.. so go now!!!

Its for those in Year 11..!!!

 

That's kinda it for me.. have physics revision to do! Well I'm in the home strech now.. just 15 weeks left (8 of school + 2 week holiday + 5 weeks of exams!)

 

Thanks guys for still sticking with me!!

Love you all xxx

S xxxx

 

eDofE

Now those of you doing your DofE will know most of it is now done online...
Yes you still do get given a booklet and have to have that signed by whoever you choose to mark each section for you, but filling and uploading evidence online is important.

The evidence relates to anything that is proof of you actually doing that activity for example if your skill is football, have evidence of pictures of you playing football, certificates from matches, leaflets for your football club. If your skill is learning a musical intrument, you could post a sound file of you playing it or certificate of a grade you did.
The possibilites are endless! I love the evidence section and try to spend time making sure I have enough pieces of evidence so just in case at the end of my dofe I want to create a dofe book of my time doing bronze/silver/gold!

In terms of how to actually upload everything else:

As you can see on the top part of this screenshot there is each section with a dial like formation, this will appear on your first page when you enter and sign in to your edofe account. The loggings of which your teachers will provide. Once you click on whichever section to start e.g. volunteering you will need to choose a timescale:
For Bronze:
3 months of 2 of the sections and 6 months of the last
For silver (with bronze)
6 months on 2 of the sections (1 of these sections must be volunteering) and 3 months of the other
For silver (without bronze):
3 months on one section, 6 months on one section, 12 months on one section.

You then need to choose the date you are going to start your chosen activity.
In the box below you will choose from a drop down list the type of activity your doing (self explanatory when you know yoru activity and the categories!)
In the box below give the name of your activity e.g. pilates, saxophone, football.
For where are you going to do it? Type in the address of your for example, football club or the address of your volunteer place such as the charity shop.
For the goals section, you need to think what do you want to achieve and how can you show the DofE assesors you have achieved it through evidence. So if it is to work on your ball skills in football, maybe upload a video as evidence of you doing knee ups..!
And your assesor will need to be chosen by you, they could be a teacher, your coach,.. the person who will be signing your booklet for that section!
Once you have done this you will need to submit it to your teacher, who will then approve it. You can then begin to submit your evidence. This will need to be approved. Once both sections are approved you can submit the entire section (after you've finished it obviously!) and the dial will turn to the right and will say completed!
And you can pat yourself on the back and say well done!!
I hope this answered all your questions!
Much love
S xxx

A JOLLY JANUARY.... XXX

OMG! I actually feel so bad... 27 days since I have been last seen, last hear of.. by now my parents would have called a search party, the police and probably the local newspapers to search for me!
And that ladies and gentlemen would be my 15 minutes of fame!!
But seriously I cannot beg for your forgiveness enough... I've been really busy with school and mocks and they were a priority! So today I WILL DO 2 POSTS....
This one, just about what's been going on in my life and another about DofE... so without futher ado.. here goes!
So yesterday morning at 7.15am I made my way to the American High School in St John's Wood, in order to take my very first step on the read to my american university dream! I took 2 SAT subject tests; Biology-Ecology and Maths Lv1.
Just so you know a point of comparison I do OCR Triple science biology and I found the test hard, I understood a lot of the content but some of the questions I just didn't know enough detail about them! So I would suggest if thinking 'I want to take an SAT subject test in a science' wait till AS level!
Maths Lv1, was suprisingly not so difficult, I understood a lot of it and felt I did quite well actually!
(Please do not worry your pretty ahem... gorgeous little heads about it, the second I know you will know my results!!)... you guys are living through the experience with me!!

More importantly I'll talk about the experience as some of you may have to go through this too. So I got there with my admission ticket (get when you sign up for a test at collegeboard!), No.2 pencils, calculator, ID (in the form of my red passport) and walked into a large room sort a' like a cafeteria style, there were a lot of people there, and they all stared at me as I walked down the stairs... they were all sitting in their little cliques, I sware it was like something out of Mean Girls without the plastics, the cool asians or any of them. So in fact it was nothing like mean girls!
I had no one to talk to and everyone seemed to know eachother... that was most likely because they all attend the St John's American High School! What was strange though was they all had an american accent despite the fact they live in England! I hope I keep my english accent when I go to the states!!!!
We were told to follow an official to a list which had are names and what room we were in! I was in room 345 an English classroom, with about 12 other students (11 American, 1 chinese.) I was the only one with a red passport!- and me the english one!
We were told all the rules... (you can see them all on collegeboard!), completed all the admin requriements and then handed out a big book with all the SAT subject tests in and told to just choose one of the subjects we had signed up to take and to begin (of course it was a little more formal but you get the picture!)
Once we'd done one, there was a 5 min break and then we started our second!
So that was my experience... btw it was a really lovely school, lots of classrooms, very clean!

All my mocks are finished now.. I've had all bar 4 results, those I got a mix of A's, B's and A*'s.
Economics... I was so worried about this one but OMG...i got 58/60! second in the class! How can I be 2nd this is just wow.. I was so happy so so so happy!!! So I really wanted to share that!!

I also had my sixth form interview for my school! I love it... Afterwards I could not stop smiling. I got so many compliments like 'perfect candidate for the morehead cain scholarship' 'oxbridge material' 'potential head girl'.
I'm not trying to brag here... but literally this is what my teacher said! I still can't stop smiling when I think about it!!!
So yeh its been a really great start to this year, I've acutally been the gym 22/27 times this month.. I'm so proud of myself! This is such a lovely feeling!!

Well I hope you guys have had an amazing month! Love you all lots and lots like jelly tots!
Much love S xxxx

My New Year Resolutions...

Happy New Year all! I hope you have enjoyed your first morning of 2013!

I slept in for the longest ever.. 11.15am.. that's crazy late!! I then had my breakfast with Graham Norton (the TV show, I taped last night!.. not actually him but that would be super cool!!!)

Last night or should I say this morning I was out to pretty late about 2.30, I had a family/friends mini gathering thing.. SO MUCH FUN! We played the name game, charades, rockband.. let me tell you I get 100% on begginer drumming!!!
Some photos you can find on my instagram: @sassyfelds
The people I were with were just so amazing and I LOVE THEM ALL TO PIECES!! xxx

Did you see LONDON'S fireworks... well weren't they something.. we have so much to celebrate this year.. Olympics, Jubillee... just wow!!

Now onto what this post is about, New Year comes with many things.. new year's eve kisses, parties, champagne, fireworks but also with regrets/mistakes/wrongdoings.. as I discussed in my last post about what this year has taught me! So this time of the year is also a chance to change, make yourself a better person!!!

So without further ado I have 4 resolutions:

1. The obvious one of everyone.. just be healthier.. that means properly going to the gym 4+ days a week and actually doing a workout! By the end of this year I want to have run and raised money for a charity 10K last year was 5K this year 10.. why not! I do kinda want to do a half marathon when I'm 18 so I'm on my way if I can do this!!
I'm going to make myself start enjoying the gym/running, the feeling release of endorphines you get aftewards is just amazing so much better than what I get after eating chocolate mousee!!
Also I will eat more than 5 fruits/veg a day, last year it was to eat 5 and I now do that, NOW I WANT TO EAT MORE!! Also take my vitamins... did you know you can only absorb calcium and phosphorus during puberty!!! I know, crazy!!!

-I started this one today and went for a run on a runnign machine of a 10K....


2. Work my ass off (excuse my french) and get therefore the grades I deserve in my GCSE. As some of you know this is my GCSE year, year 11 the big 11 so I'm gonna make it count educationally.. what I get now is important and I know I can get the grades I want as I did last year by putting in all the effort I possibly could! Also this includes SATs this year I'll be taking my SAT intensive course, starting Year 12 and all that University stuff that I need to begin thinking about.. maybe I won't be taking my SATs till 2014 but still for SATs this year counts!!

3. Make this year count: (3rd time I've said it) but seriously not just educationally.. I've realised how fast my life and those around me seems to be going, I've only got 14 or so weeks in uniform of my whole entire life! That's absolutely crazy! So I want to do things this year, make our year special!
By having the best yearbook ever, hosting the best prom ever, getting the best GCSE results ever!

4. Be the person I want to meet...I was just given 'most likely to brighten someones day' in my yearbook... I just want to always be that person! I love smiling and now no braces.. I'm gonna smile even more! I'm going to do one nice thing everyday and not for myself but because I know how happy it's going to make someone else from offering to empty the dishwasher at home to helping a friend in need or just paying for someone elses coffee at starbucks (I'm doing that next time!!)

So that's it... above I'm taking care of my body, my mind, and others.. maybe I'm not doing anything for the world... but everything I'm doing is going to hopefully make those around me worlds easier!!
So what's your resolutions.. mine has alway been to stop biting my nails but this year no.. I'll try but fail by tomorrow, maybe next year for that.. exams make me nervous and my nails are my outlet.. I know its disgusting and a horrible habit but what can I say!!!
Of course there is one more resolution... STICK TO THE ABOVE!!
AND START THEM TODAY:

 

 

I sometimes have an issue sticking to my resolutions, hey I'm only human but finally technology has given us an answer:

http://bostinno.com/2012/12/28/5-apps-to-help-you-actually-achieve-your-new-years-resolution/#ss__278303_1_0__ss

 

Here is a link to a website with information on 4-5 apps to help you keep to some of your resolutions....

ENJOY!!!

 

I hope you enjoyed this post!

Have a happy and healthy start of 2013 and I'll see you next week!
Much love

S xxxx

 

P.S. GOOD LUCK....



What 2012 has taught me...

So I know I haven't blogged in a while (20 days!) Sorry its been hectic, this Christmas, holiday, revision etc etc. But Today I'm going to be writing a post about what I have learnt from 2012. Inspired by hellokatyxo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPfFtMcLS84

This year has been quite a busy one for me, I got my first GCSE this year in History, had my first kiss (proper too!), this year has made quite a big impact on my life so far especially in regards to education!

One thing 2012 has taught me is that I can't be good at everything, looking at my GCSE results you would say well you're an allrounded student, yes I feel (not to toot my own horn or anything) that I am good 'allround'. The sciences, maths, english, language... but believe me none of that comes naturally! I didnt' wake up on the day of my exam thinking 'this will be a breeze' and I didn't not come home in tears when I thought they went terribly! I get anxious so another thing that 2012 has taught me is that I shouldn't worry so much, about certain things yes but some things such as an exam if I felt I did badly I need to forget it, accept it and move on. I'm not good at everything I like sometimes to run.. but I hate sport, I'm awful at sports (seeming less perfect?) I do do a lot- from extra cirricular DofE to 13.5 GCSES, music exams, running school committes, running charity fun runs.. but the truth is in none of it am I getting A* in everything I do.. and this year I have learnt to accept that! I shouldn't be bitter about others that have got those achievements, from the students with the Grade 8 in three instruments to every time I can I see my cousins singing/dancing shows with Talent Time, they are just so talented its hard not to question well what do you have?? But I've learnt to well accept the fact that I'm not that good at dancing.. fine.. I have other stuff! And so my reader do you....
Another thing 2012 has taught me is my best sometimes IS good enough, this does relate to the very long point above...but my GCSE results showed me that when I do try my hardest despite what I think.. God is fair and gives those that work the grades they deserve! (Not trying to tooth my own horn again!) its just you all should know that if you put in the effort you will be rewarded! I promise!
Everything is going to be okay in the end!!
I have learnt from 2012 is that sometimes its ok to be a little selfish....I love putting others infront of myself, it just can make someones day, bring a smile to their face! But sometimes on the rare occasions I sacrifice my own happiness for someone elses, so I've learnt this year that if I feel I really want something and I deserve it.. I'm gonna work for it and get it regardless if it makes others a bit annoyed. If it makes them upset.. that's a different story! Such as for my yearbook commitee, one of the boys appointed me head and I checked it with everyone in the team as I didn't want to step on anyones toes. There was a resonding yes but later one of the members took me to the side and said she didn't think it was fair I was given that role... I don't know why she did it and it hurt for a bit but I thought this time I was going to be selfish, in keeping that role! (BTW: she apologised for how she sounded a day later.. we're still the best of friends!)

And lastly I have learnt from 2012 is that you can't make everyone happy, so don't even try! Like the above point.. last year 2011 I learnt that 'bitching' is not the right thing to do, you shouldn't judge people by what you see as you don't know their story! But as much as I can try to be nice to everyone just so that part of their life may be a little easier, I can't make everyone happy and I've learnt to accept that!

I hope you enjoyed this blogpost.. I may post soon!
But if I don't speak before then Happy New Year..
Maybe 2013 is going to be your year?? x
Much love
S xxx

Blogunnukah Day 8

Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey..
HAPPY HANNUKAH... its the last day of blogunnukah whos upset me I'm upset!
So today as I said I went out shopping!!

Just a list of my outfit (as somebody only reminded when in the disney store to film an outfit of the day.. was not going to do it in the disney store!)

Leggings: republic
Jumper: dad's wardrobe
Collar necklace: hannukah gift
Cami: forever21

Now hopefully I'll be able to upload parts of my day as a vlog down below:
Instead of me doing a typing one!!
BTW: there will not be a haul as I bought like one thing!!!

So I hope you enjoy the videos below!! (LET ME JUST WARN YOU SARIKA AND I ARE RANDOM!!!)

Us in Topshop.. no other explaination necessary!!!

 

People singing inside Selfridges...

 

Us in the Disney Store

 

Christmas Lights

 

Le Creperie de Hampstead

 

Happy Hannukah again!!
Much love
S xxx

Blogunnukah Day 7/14

Could you imagine a word just like our own but made up of only anti-matter???

 

This is just how distracted a triple science top set get in Physics.. we kinda went onto A-level course.. just 2 years too early!!!
But it does make you think... there could be another you but ANTI-YOU.. so for example if you're nice they'd be mean.. get it I'm taking anti literally!!

But the truth is if you ever met your anti self if you shook their hand you'd both explode.. collison of matter kind of!! How cool?? Great way to die:
DEATH BY ANTI-MATTER!!
... Okay so did nobody warn you about how random all my posts are?? Good because you may have felt less incentivised to come and visit me here!
But if there's anti-matter then we must be the matter.. unless we are the anti-matter and somewhere else they are the matter!?? Who gave us the right to call ourself matter?? Poor anti-matter it has to have anti in front of it :(

See I'm no physicist.. obviously (SO SHELDON COOPER!!) nor do I want be one but this really does fasinate me, another universe like ours but not. Is well super duper cool!!!
Believe you me if you're going to get me into Science.. it would have to be biochemistry! I mean c'mon like Spiderman, to know dna and cells and mutations work would be amazing!! ENZYMES WOO HOO!.. so glad I chose Biology for A-level!

Did you know?? Every particle is made up from more empty space than actual 'things' such as protons/neutrons/electrons or in antimatters space: anti-protons and positrons!!!
electron + proton = positrons (that is their celebrity merged married name!)
So as you can see I had physics today otherwise not alot happened today.. my voice still bugging me so no singing unfortunatly!

You're probably wondering or NOT why I chose such random times to blog well I am in no way a procrastinator as any of my friends will tell you. So I revise for a certain amount of time and my treat is to blog! It works really well!! So now I'm on my break from Biology and a bit of Econ!
So once I have finished this post I will be doing some Econ Unit 2!!
So I'm going to go do that....Bye bye xxxx

Hope you all had a lovely day
and even if you didn't just think your anti-matter self must have!!
Much love
S xxx

Blogunnukah day 6/13...

Happy birthday to me,
Happy birthday to me,
Happy birthday to Saskia,
Happy birthday to me!!!
Dont' you find it strange how everyone in my Biology class couldn't help but sing the above to me despite the fact.. its not my birthday!!
But it is the one the ONLY TAYLOR SWIFT!
Happy Birthday Swifty!!!
Ironically...... guess what I got for Hannukah.. A Taylor Swift Calendar!!

There is one thing bad about this time of the year.. what I like to call a Christmas common cold.. as I was born without tonsiles.. dun dun dah.. everytime I get cold it goes straight to my throat.. so I can't sing properly!
This is the point you all go uhhh... poor you!!
I really don't want to be ill.. at this point well at every point school is just too important to miss and to much fun to want to miss (the depressing thing is I'm not joking!!)

So on Saturday hopefully I will have volgunnukah up for the final day of Hannukah as my best friend and I are going up to town shopping... jelly???
We're going to get a crepe from the best place ever?? Want to know where check back later!!!
I just need to get that little lady to remind me to film an outfit of the day of her and I when we have got our crepe.. good idea isn't it!! So (lets call her Sarika as that is her name!!... remember remember!!

What else is there to tell you guys?? Not much actually it was one of those days.. Well tomorrow I am recording my choirs rehersal for my ICT coursework so remind me please that would be nice!! And I have a singing lesson.. well thats a fail!!

I finalised my A-level choices for now but I have been told there is several other occassions where I may be able to change them they are as followed:
-Biology
-Maths
-History
and Economics!
... I actually can't wait for next year.. when that's all I'm studying!!! No.. hate to name names but RS!!

I would like to also bring to your attention the topic of Movember.. our school did that last month and rasied over £2,000. The male teachers of our school almost all it seemed 'forgot' to shave.. so what do you think of mustaches...

THE PERFECT THING TO SAY TO YOUR TEACHER WITH A MUSTACHE.....I AM SO FUNNY!...

thank you for agreeing Sheldon!!

 

So I hope you enjoyed this incredibly random post.. this is how I roll!!
See you all tomorrow

Much love,

S xxxx

Blogunnukah Day 5/12

So I promised I would do a blogpost so here I am doing a blogpost.. yes its a bit late!
I just got back from my schools christmas concert and yes thank you for asking it went quite well! Once I finishe playing in the Orchestra (Alto saxophone of course) I had to go back to the sixth form block and wait until the concert finished. So I plugged in my ipod to the tune of its beginning to look alot like christmas and wrote 25 or so Christmas Cards.

Now I love writing Christmas cards: this year the cards say things like
Wishing you a Merry christmas
Hope you have a new year filled with love and happiness
Good luck with your mocks!
_____ (insert subject here) buddy!!!

But the older I get the less cards I write.. do you find that! Its not like I really want to send any e-cards I mean that kinda shows you don't care.. don't you think!!

This one is going to be a short one bare in mind as I have to go wash my hair and go to bed... I mean c'mon I need my beauty sleep!

So maybe I'll have today as a little review of my day so far.. believe you me I doubt a hairwash is going to make this day the BEST DAY EVER....
Chemistry was first an experiment that ended well badly.. the opposite of our predicition happened and really the opposite of science happened, the more water we added to the reaction (therefore the lower the concentration of acid became) the faster the Mg reacted.. need I say anymore to tell you something was wrong with that whole experiment! But something of interest my teacher was wearing this amazing necklace it had an element of the periodic table that corresponded to the first letter of her name.. i NEED NEED TO FIND THIS.. S is for SULPHUR!!

Not much actually happened today.. I had an anti-bullying meeting which was perfectly fine... it was my day to prefect meaning I could stay inside when the weather outside was frightfull but the radiator was so delightful.. get what I'm doing!!!

I guess the only other thing of interest well umm I've kinda forgotten sorry.. well I did cry in English we were watching To Kill A Mockingbird, and Scout was talking about missing her mum and I just teared up.. you know how it is!  (BTW: does not mean I'm suffering from that.. its just I couldn't imagine a world without my mum in it!!!)
Hannukah today: I got this gorgeous scarf/snood/etenity scarf/whatever you want to call it! I also got some cute bits and bobs giving me ideas for other peoples christmas gifts!

So thats it for now I guess!! Sorry it was short
Hope you all had a good day!
Much love
S xxxx

Welcome to Blogmas/blogunnukah

Hello all,
Happy Hannukah!
Right now I am blogging (obviously), while wearing christmas PJ's and matching socks(IRONIC.. AS I JUST SAID HANNUKAH also just to make this would even more ironic I got these PJS for Hannukah!!!... I'm too cool!

So I've almost been MIA for 2 weeks! I am so sorry, you know how it is with exams and mocks but I know thats no excuse!! So to make up for it today, the 11th of December, I Saskia Feldman pledge to blog everyday of December.
For now I'm going to call it blogunnukah as its only the 4th day of Hannukah but afterwards it will become Blogmas!! Does this all sound good!
BTW: due to this I am not going to be doing my series of American universities or DofE until January.. so sorrie for anyone who now is annoyed!!
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO WELCOME TO:

 

BLOGUNNUKAH! DAY 11

 

I thought today I'd just kind of talk about how I celebrate christmas being Jewish. I am what they call a 'reform' Jew. See the thing is the stuff I love about Christmas I don't get:

- the tree

- the decorations

- the lights

- the presents!

 

But before you go all uhhh poor you! I love Hannukah, it may be because as most of you know I am quite obsesssed with candles and during hannukah you get to light not 1 not 2 but 8 candles.. actually in actual fact you get to light 44 candles over the 8 days.. wow that is huge!! You can see why a candle maniac like me loves this festival! BTW I am leaving out the fact that my mum is absouletly amazing at getting me gifts I love for Hannukah... I mean PJS how does she know!!!?????

 

 

What else do I love during this festive time... Michael Buble but more generally every single christmas song ever written by mankind or womenkind!!
From Wham to Band Aid to Mariah Carey... c'mon I know I am not the only one!!!

My favourite song has to be Mariah Carey All I want for Christmas is YOU...

I can't be the only one!! This song is just well its just so christmasseyyy!!!

If you haven't seen it just watch it for yourself you will see what I am talking about!!

Now how can I forget Christmas films from The Holiday to Love Actually and traditional ones: Miracle on 34th Street and Bishops wife: (Please see all trailers below!!!!)

The Holiday trailer

Love Actually Trailer

Miracle on 34th Street Trailer

The Bishops Wife Trailer

ENJOY!!!

One of these vlogunnukahs will be all about my favourite I'll make sure it includes a review... just so you know why I love them so much!!!

 

I guess thats it for now.. I promise promise to blog tomorrow! I think I'm going to discuss christmas gift and present ideas!!
So please look forward to that.. I'm kidding.. but that would be so cool if you did!!!

Much love

Happy Hannukah!

S xxxx

 

 

 

 



HELLO DRAMA QUEEN??

Yeh that hello.. is for me! Wow I think I completely overreacted yesterday but well you know!

Yes I am blogging 2 days in a row.. ain't it a treat!! NOT!
Just a short one I'm afraid to say it all went well with my english teacher, we spoke, he gave me incredibly good advice and ways to improve and has even agreed to mark a new essay I wrote on the same title to see if I actually did improve on what he said!

Looking at my work.. no I am not that proud of it anymore...its not what I thought it was like at all.. thank g-d that wasn't a real one.. I'm suprised I got such a ok grade as I did!

Thanks all of you for being there for me when I was in a bad mood yesterday.. next week I'll be back to my old self and DofE series will be beginning!
Thank you all
Much love
S xxxx

??????

I deleted it.. I'm sorry...
Much love
S xx

Life.. + Intro to DofE series!

In order to see just about dofe.. skip to after this part:
So like right now... I am sitting on a chair blogging, just the sound of that makes me feel super cool!!So just some, kind of, well, you know what's that word.. its on the tip of my tongue... background I guess to my week.
This week has been anti-bullying week.. we have broken even on our wristband sells and our teacher baby photo competition is going incredibly well!! I am so glad its just all worked out so well!

What else...
hmmm... lets see, so today I got my hair cut at the local hobs on the student night by a friend of mine.. yes okay it does take a little longer but it costs so much less (£10) and I love what she did.. she had curly hair so she knew exactly how to dry it so I would love it! I suggest do the they call them model nights at hairdressers and beauticians.. it helps them and is cheaper for you!

Also today I had my grade 6 singing exam.. I do LCM board, I felt I did okay until it got to the interview.. yeh basically flopped!
I mean what and how would you answer
'When do you think the seeds of musical theatre were first sown?'
I had no idea so I went on about Stresemann and Germany when their musical theatre industry began booming!!!

Thats basically all I wanted to tell you!
DofE

Now onto DofE.. this was sent up by the Duke in order to encourage young people to volutneer, get physical and learn a new skill.
There are 3 sections
-Skill
-Volunteering
-Physical
and the expedition
(I will do an individual post about each and my expereinces)

Bear in mind this is only for the UK: many schools do this program but if yours doesn't, check out the below link to find a place near you that you could join to start your DofE...
OR using their tips online try to convince your teacher/school to start doing it at your school!!

I hope this was a good preview of whats to come!!
Got to get back to chemistry revision!
Have a nice week all!
Much love
S xx

Parents evening....

Parents evening.. the one day a year when your parents get to find out really how you act in school.. where the naughty (not that kind... I know what you were thinking.. ok the bad kids) KARMA strikes... and all of their behaviour and misdoings are snitched on to thier parents!

Now don't call me a geek.. honesty its just that well, I, I- I LOVE parents evening!! Ever since I was a young one of I think 6 or maybe even earlier...I have looked forward to this day as my mum always seems so proud. So I guess I should tell you.. I behaviour in school.. I'm basically a goody-goody two shoes. (BTW: I wrote a book called Miss Goody Goody in yr 5 I'll publish the first chapter after this post I promise.. please remember I wrote it in year 5.. its not that amazing.. but if you guys like it I'd be happy to post the next chapter every couple of days??)
I hate being rude.. and I love a challenge.. wow.. I do sound like a nerd.. Oh god!!!
The truth is I love to learn something new and especially I LOVE SCHOOL... that's why I want to stay in education (university) as long as possible... get opportunities I wouldn't have thought I could!!
So is that you?? Do you like a challenge??
Do you enjoy school??
If so, teachers DO AND WILL notice.. so maybe you will be looking forward to parents evening this year!!!

On the subject of working hard and doing well I found this quote.
'Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity'
This quote.. is so true...!

Just some quick background info: I found this quote as I was surfin' it up on the web.. looking for quotes to potentially put in our years yearbook.. (slightly retorical huh??)
I have been named official editor in chief and am loving it!! I couldn't have asked for a better yearbook team.. they have such enthusasim and going to meetings is a joy! As well as this the same commitee also organises prom.. how amazing??? So excited, believe you me I will be doing blogposts explain the how tos of planning a) a yearbook and b) prom!!!
This year is going to be amazing.. my last year in uniform.. I think I'm gonna miss my marron and black striped blazer!!!

Hope all of your weeks are as lovely as I am feeling mine is
Much love
S xxxx

College Road Trip...

So I have been MIA for the past 2 weeks... yes scold me! Its just I have been so busy... I mean I was meant to have 3 tests today.. so been revising for those! By 'meant' one got cancelled, postponed till next Thursday! The second one: economics.. don't get me started I thought this would be my chance to shine and get 100% I was wrong.. last time I got 2 marks off of 100%.. annoyed yes I was!

But now back onto the point of this blog, I do that often don't I go off on a tangent.. ha tangent I also had a maths test today.. here I go again! I'll stop I promise!

So onto my college road trip.. WOW! It was fantastic!
You all knew due to the fact I told you in my last post I had two storms to face: Hurricane Sandy and Frankenstorm. But this only altered our plans a little: Here was the altered timetable of our week:

Saturday 27th October: Flew to Washington stayed there that night
28th- Drove 2 hours to Charlotesville, Virginia
29th- Visited University of Virginia (UVA)
30th- drove to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, had evening there
31st- HALLOWEEN: Vistied University of North Carolina (UNC)
1st- travelled all day to ohio
2nd- Visited Ohio State University
3rd- Drove to Washington.. travelled home!

So we basically did a triangle on a map as shown below:

Now onto each individual university...
Lets start with UVA.
Now UVA didn't really get a fair chance due to the fact that as the storm was so close to them they had cancelled all classes and tours and all the students were told to stay inside!
So when we got there.. no one was around.. the weather awful!
I was NOT impressed! moreover I was a bit disappointed!

As tours were all cancelled we went by (my family and I) the dean of students which was open compared to the dean of admissions and we got a meeting with the dean of admissions to answer all my questions and a private tour by the senior associate of the Dean of Admissions.
So in actual fact we got alot of benefits to no tour being on!! The way they spoke about campus convinced me it is somewhere I definitely want to apply to.. so thats staying on the list!

The only drawback: the area of charlottesville, especially downtown I was not impressed with the shops.. I am kind of a city girl but the city of charlottesville was basically the UVA campus!
So maybe not my first choice! But it did provide me with alot of information that I needed and wanted!!

UNC
I have a friend 4 years my senior who left my school to attend UNC on one of the best scholarships in the world: The Morehead Cain, more will be on this in my scholarship post! So when we got there we made plans and she invited me to spend the evening with her. I got to see nightlife of a university and I LOVED IT! I REPEAT, LOVED IT! I met all her friends, who were (gorgeous- the guys and the girls!) and incredibly friendly and welcoming. She showed me the stadium, dorms all they don't show on the main tour!!
I was in heaven.. I could totally picture myself going there.

The next day we had a tour and session booked.. suprise suprise at the session I was the only international student.. in fact the ONLY student not from North Carolina.. out of about 50!!!
The tour was fantastic, our tour guide was y a sophmore and senior student who never hesistated when I asked a question, provided such a huge amount of information! I would love to do that when I get to university!
I just couldn't get over the amount of study spaces there were.. you could study everywhere... everywhere!!
The librarys huge.. facilites amazing.. student organisations something out of a movie!
Plus.. the sorority houses as one picture below.. were just like out of a movie!!!...

However still with this university, there may have been a large town and 2 shopping centres (large) just down the road still Chapel Hill was mainly UNC.. but I did love UNC!

As you can see from my timetable I was at UNC on Halloween.. that meant everything including the frozen yoghurt was pumpkin themed... I love pumpkin so this was a real plus for me! (The fro yo was amazing!) .. wow I'm running out of adjectives...!
There is a tradition that every halloween in Chapel Hill on Franklin street (one of the main streets on the campus) 30,000people go there all dressed up to just walk around. The street is closed from 9-12PM and someone told me they hire $200,000 worth of police just for that night!! We stayed till 10.. I had seen enough.. that was exactly the type of thing i wanted to be doing on campus!!

Now onto OHIO
The truth was I didn't have high hopes for Ohio.. it was in columbus, a big industrial city much like London.. with 55,000 people in it.
When we got there we went out for dinner at a part near the campus.. not realising it was literally a road away.. I didn't see any students, well I didn't think I did!

Now onto the good news.. I went onto campus the next day.. and when I got on and saw all the students walking around and happy just like in UNC (more so in UNC though) and I feel in love.. again! We went to the student centre and picked up a map due to the fact no tours were running that day.

But fate was good to us again like in UVA.. we mistakenly fell upon a 'honors and scholars program' for american students and was told we could happily join their 2.30 tour!
Our tour guide was amazing, she was a 5yr nursing student and she like the other guides spoke with such confidence and gave me so much information!
We got to see the dorms, the gym, libraries!
Bigger than UNC.. but not too big that I felt isolated!!
I loved it... and the best part of it was the street I ate on the previous night is a 2min walk from campus, theres places to eat on campus and off.. the city where internships are in there many.. right around the corner! The biggest shopping centre I have ever been to 25 min drive.. wow.. wow!!!

As it was bigger it offered less study abroad programs.. I will do a whole blogpost dedicated to what that is and what uni's said to me about it.. but I am definitly undertaken sometime abroad.. abroad!!

At all UVA, UNC and Ohio there was a central hub of students,
UVA: THE CORNER
UNC: THE PIT
Ohio: THE OVAL
Mainly just for the bottom two.. due to the weather these areas were just like a movie you had students holding up boards 'vote for sam for student boy president'
'run a 5K for cancer'
'sponser a rower'
.. It was something out of a dream..
And this is what I feel you would miss in an English university
The word 'keen' doesn't exist there.. eveyone is passionate about something and is not afraid to show it.. isn't that just amazing!
Doing extra-cirriculars doesn't separate you into jocks,... etc eveyones still together.. a big family as they called it!
And that is why I want to go to an american university....

Overall all the 3 univerisities offered me something different:
they all offered me though what I wanted a campus university, with student life!
UVA + UNC: as they were smaller they could offer the more focused attention.. more study places I felt.
Ohio: could offer me the city.. shopping, nighlife other than on my campus...
Such a hard decision.. hopefully I'll have that choice to make if I get into all 3...

So some top tips for what you should think about if planning a college roadtrip:
-Don't go when theres a natural disaster
-Only go to a maximum of 4.. too much information to take in otherwise.. my bag of brochures and information is taller than me!
-Visit different types of universities so you know what you want- small/big, rural/city??
-Drive everywhere don't fly
-Try to book your places around tour dates.. they are free and worth all the time
-make a meeting to talk to the admissions people especially if you are an international student
-HAVE FUN ON THE TRIP:
              -make a college road trip cd
              -Or bring lots of revision to do as I DID, for the long journeys!!
-Look on college boards tips for college visits for more advice!


Hope this was all helpful
Much love
S xxx

BTW: IT WAS ELECTION CRAZY EVERYWHERE..I LOVE THAT.. In 4 yrs when this happens again. I will be a college student!

At the airport...

So I'm right now sitting on a computer blogging in the lounge of Terminal 5 Heathrow airport..
can I get a woop woop???

So excited for my college road trip (believe me an advice blog will be coming up soon!)

So basically if you are so very lovely and concerned for me knowing that as I am going to be visiting

-Washington DC

-Virginia

-North Carolina

-Ohio

You will be worried and will know all about the Hurricane Sandy.. yes their on the S part of the alphabet!

Looking at this picture below its forecast is basically everywhere we are going...

GREAT!

So a few very few minor changes have been made in order to keep us out of trouble especially during the long college drives!

-Well, we may not make it to Ohio but will wait and see! It doesn't seem fair does it, that after planning for months on end... it could all be ruined by a tiny hurricane well actually a big one.. otherwise it wouldn't be causing all this mess!!

Now I've seriously been loving and I mean loving Taylor swift's new album RED..
This morning I ran to it and it really kept me going... I managed to do my 5K in much less time than normal!

So you're all coming along with me on the really FIRST STAGE of the rest of my life...
COLLEGE here I come...
You never know the next time I am on my way may be in 3 years time when I am actually going to my university to study!!
How very very very exciting
Much love
P.s. I noticed a large number for the amount of views of my blog..
I love you guys...
S xxxxxx

Getting in the festive spirit...

So the festival that I am getting in the spirit for is...
YOU GUESSED IT...
CHRISTMAS..
NO, not really its Halloween! I love halloween... but I hate being scared, watching scary movies, dressing up to look like anythign scary... basically the whole idea of halloween!

But I love the festiveness, the pumpkins, the fun disney movies (did anyone say.. Halloweentown!) and all the chocolate and sweets!

Wikipedia says:
Halloween or Hallowe'en (a contraction of its original title "All Hallows' Evening"),^[5] also known as All Hallows' Eve,^[6] is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows. Most scholars believe that All Hallows' Eve was originally influenced by western European harvest festivals and festivals of the dead with pagan roots, particularly the Celtic Samhain.^[6][7][8] Others maintain that it originated independently of Samhain.^[9]
Typical festive Halloween activities include trick-or-treating (also known as "guising"), attending costume parties, carving pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, visiting haunted attractions, playing pranks, telling scary stories, and watching horror films.

... so interesting ahem* not really!
So what are you going to be this halloween.. well I wish I were here for it, on second thought no I DON'T.. I AM GOING ON... a college road trip!! (BTW: there will be a blog post on this!)
ROAD TRIP
ROAD TRIP... just like in the movie with 'That's so raven girl!
Trailer here:

My dads.. nothing like that, thank God!! xxx


But even though i actually won't be in London, but in UNC, North Carolina I still have decorated my room.. with blow up ghosts and pumpkins, candles adn a big glow in teh dark pumpkin: (pictured below!)

But going to the US means one thing... Bath and body works Autumn candles
- LEAVES!!!

How exciting I have been waiting for wht feels like years for the 2 for £20 sale!!!
MY FAVOURTIE FALL SCENT!!

So this all brings me onto how you have decorated your room/dorm room or even house for this season... is it pumpkin fantasia land or candles everywhere or lets scare the beejebas out of everyone because we can!!
What are you doing on the 31st..
1. Haunted Hayride
2. Haunted corn maze
3. Haunted house
4. Trick 'o' treating!!

So whatevery you're doing.. please have fun! AND STAY SAFE.... in more ways than one... from (what you're thinking I meant) to just being carefull on your night out!!

Much love
Enjoy the week, will be back soon!
S xxxx

Bullying....

As mentioned in my above post I am one of my year groups anti-bullying rep.
No I am not doing it for my green badge on my blazer, or ucas points but instead because I love helping people.. I get this thrill when I see that I have made someones day or they have decided to smile!!

So OCTOBER IS national bullying month... and in honour of this there has been a large variety of campaigns everywhere in order to remind us and the world of all the reasons why bullying needs to stop!

I bet we have all see the video of Amanda Todd:
Due to its subject matter I don't want to include a link here... if you guys understand!
The way she was treated by people that were meant to be her friends... its disgusting and that is the whole point of why Bullying is wrong. Calling people names won't make you feel better in the long run.
I feel that bullying really only gets attention when someone has killed themselves because of it but for the idea of bullying to get so so bad, that a person feels they only way to stop the pain is to kill themselves... its just awful!!
Their are many different forms of bullying:
-Physical
-Mental
-Cyber
-Verbal
...to name just a few...
The truth is they are all just as bad as eachother...
As girls lets admit it.. we all WE ALL BITCH!! okay done.. but why? does it make us feel better to call someone names or to talk about them..

To quote an amazing girl called 'Megan Parken' (meganheartsmakeup on youtube)

Even these girls that we respect and look up to are torn down my 'haters' who go onto their videos or blogs on purpose to write hateful comments about the person!!
And then to quote another movie
"calling someone fat doesn't make you any skinnier,
calling someone stupid doesn't make you any smarter"
(This should be there aswell... calling someone ugly doesn't make you any prettier")

Its true!


All bullying is as bad as eachother whether the scars are on the head or on the heart! If your 13 or 30.. or any age above or below bullying can still have its effects, so why not try to just be NICE.. keep that comment inside your head... keep that anger inside... stop before you type that word... think what effect your action is going to have on the victim... NO ONE LIKES A BULLY so why would you want to be one!!

Why do some people bully?
There are a lot of reasons why some people bully.
-They may see it as a way of being popular, or making themselves look tough and in charge.
-Some people bully to get attention or things, or to make other people afraid of them. Others might be jealous of the person they are bullying. They may be being bullied themselves.
-Some bullies are being bullied themselves, often by an older person, most often in their family.
-Some bullies may not even understand how wrong their behavior is and how it makes the person being bullied feel.
(http://www.safenetwork.org/Bully_Prevention_In_Schools.htm)


There is a very good song by the amazing artists Megan and Liz called
'Are you happy now?'
Its message is just.. exactly the point of anti-bullying teams!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Lq3iagZzloU

Our Anti-bullying week is coming up on the 14th of November, and we are doing a variety of different fundraisers and activities to get everyone involved in stopping BULLYING at our school!
Themed assemblies...

A bake sale...

Selling 'Anti-bullying week 2012' wristbands...

Quiz...

Talent show....

These are just a few of the things we are planning to do... we also have just recently done a poster competition and the winner had their poster about 'anitbullying' put in every form room!
So if you want to do something to stand up against bullying join your Anti-bullying team or create one if you school doesn't have one!
Good luck
And may we all do well in this never ending battle against bullying
Much love
S xxxx

P.S. If you are being bullied or know someone who is... please don't waste time... talk to someone, parent, teacher.. someone you trust before its too late!! If you need some more advice below are a couple of helpful links:

Careline

Provides telephone counseling for those being bullied or facing any other problems
020 8514 1177

Anti-Bullying Campaign (ABC):
Helpline that provides advice for both victims and bullies who want to change.
(Term time: Mon-Fri 10.00-16.00)
020 7378 1446

 Bullying online:

www.bullying.co.uk
help@bullying.co.uk
(you can email someone for support and advice 24/7)

 Childline

www.chlidline.orguk/bullying.asp
helpline: 0800 1111

Life Choices...

You know what.. someone up there doesn't want me to have a good week!
Do you ever feel like that???
You've tried and succeed in having a great start to your week (Mon-Thu and Friday morning) and literally it all just comes crashing I mean CRASHING down... friday afternoon and saturday!
Those who are at my school will know about Friday afternoon but lets just say it involved alot of shouting and disappointment on peoples part!! (More on this later)
Besides the point this post is about life choices!

This morning I went for another run.. a life choice
I have decided to train for a 10K.. life choice

But when you reach Year 11 you have another life choice: A-levels
What to take? What not to take?.. should you stay on? Should you not!!

I know in my mind what subjects I want to take but then I am being pulled this way and that by basically my teachers who want me to do their subject..
Don't please don't get me wrong.. its nice to feel 'loved' to the extent your teachers want you to take a subject.. but the truth is the more they do that, the more guilty I feel saying 'No'
So right now due to my nature I have agreed to 'think' about the following AS levels:
-English literature
-Economics
-French
-Biology

I don't know what to do??
My definites are
-History and -Economics
Because I enjoy them and well because there just subjects I love learning and studying and revising adn also my school offers great teachers for both subjects!!

I also enjoy english literature so that is quite high up the list and I think I should take maths..
But then theres people saying
'Take a language, it looks better at A* level!' What makes them so sure I am going to get the A*
'Take a science it would be good for univeristy especially the US'

Its difficult, everytime I think I have decided I go back on myself and question every move!
What am I going to say when my teachers ask 'so you thought about it??' I don't want to let anyone down!!!

The truth is I am normally the one giving you advice.. now I need it from you... not just from family, teachers, friends... people I don't know....
Thanks

Now back to my 'bad' but 'good' week.. basically had some bad news this morning and it lowered my selfesteem a bit.. no it wasn't a break up!! But I guess (now for some advice) I'm gonna be knockered down so many times.. as you will be but the important thing to remember is that person knocking you down whether it be a friend or parent or even a teacher... in a couple of years when you are far away living the life you want, they'll still be here, wishing they never said it!
I guess that sounds a bit like .. well bullying if you ask me.. I wonder if you guys have seen this video all about the news presenter who recieved the letter about her 'weight'

When I heard I was appalled... I am an anti-bullying rep (On wednesday I will do a blogpost talking about that)... what gives someone else the right to belittle another human being and make them feel like nothing!! NO ONE!
The man who wrote the letter has since apologised but yes he is entitiled to his own opinions but why does he have to write them down.....
Another mention of bullying was on the most viewed page of youtube about the girl Amber Todd....her life story; upsettting, awful.. that people would want to hurt someone that badly be it physically or mentally!
So my next blogpost will be all about Bullying I feel so strongly about it.. (theres are reason and you can guess it!)

Thanks for listening guys
You don't know how much this helps just getting it all out!!
Much love
S xxxx

Making choices....

The next part of my University series is going to be.. about choosing the right university!

This is one of the most important parts of the whole process for obvious reasons... it is where you will spend 4 years of your life being educated!
To start with you need to write a list of dealbreakers:

-2 year or 4year... just trust me.. for an international student 4 year is easier!!!

-Large, medium or small??
So large, over 15,000 people- this is for those of you (like me) that want to still be able to meet someone new in your year on your last day of senior year! And for those of you who don't like everyone to know who you're dating or to know you!
Medium (between 6,000-15,000), this is smaller than large... obviously... but I guess this is for those of you who like meeting new people but would like to recognise a familiar face at least twice a day!
Small (below 6,000)
The smallest university I know has 600 people... so if you want a school smaller than your highschool where everyone knows one another and you know everyone too. This is the one for you!
Of course in each section there are extremes ranging from those with 600 people to those with 70,000 people!

-Public or private?
Normally the main difference is price however for an international student fees are what we call 'out of state' and are expensive for either one... shouldn't determine your choice!

-What campus setting? Urban, suburban or town???
This below website explains the differences...
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/find-colleges/how-to-find-your-college-fit/campus-setting-rural-suburban-urban
which fits your bill?????

-Single sex or co-ed??
I'm a flirt so this was easy for me... co-ed! If you were at a single-sex high school maybe branch out and try something new....!!!

-Residential campus or commuters??
This basically means would you rather have all your friends stay at your uni to sleep and the weekend or to go home... bearing in mind unless you are living off campus... campus may be quite empty over the weekend!!

-Does the school offer one or some of the majors you may want to take?
YOU ARE GOING TO UNIVERSITY NOT JUST FOR THE EXPERIENCE BUT ALSO FOR THE EDUCATION: DO NOT i repeat DO NOT go somewhere where in your last 2 years you can't major in the subject you need for the carrer you want... I think thats called career suicide!!- WAIT.. you can't lose something you never had!

-SAT scores?
How do you measure up... could you actually get in??

-Price?
Is money an issue then you  need to find a university that will I repeat again.. WILL offer financial aid to you... specifically to YOU, the INTERNATIONAL student!!!

AND THE MOST IMPORTANT...
DO THEY ACTUALLY TAKE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS????

So now you have a list of your dealbreaks.. so you won't look at any of those universites that don't fit that:

You can now add some other secondary dealbreakers such as:
-Greek system (more to come)
-Student publication (newspaper or TV or radio station)
-Certain sports- WILL BE A DEAL BREAKER IF WANTING TO GO FOR TEAM OR SPORTS SCHOLARSHIP!
-Other extra-cirricular activities..

But fear not instead of searching through the entire almost 4,000 universites.. there is a quick and easy method developed by the amazing collegeboard: a search for universities depending on the choices you put in...

SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR:
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search
-type your options but start with only your absolute dealbreaks... then keep getting more specific until you feel you are left with a nice amount (between 15-30) that you can go through and by process of elimination pick the ones you want to apply for!! (but thats not till later...!!!)

Good luck
Please leave any questions below as comments.. happy to help
Much love
S xxx