"Study"

Here is an example of my study process. I open the slideshow. Open my note-pad.*** I begin writing the information from the slide-shows into essay format. Below is an example of my study of 'memory':

On closer inspection, this simple and easy process is lengthened...

BY ONE-HUNDRED-AND-FIVE slides!!!! Ironic, but how am I supposed to remember all that?!

***the opening of pad action occurs approximately 3.7 hours after opening the slide-show as certain tasks like browsing the internet take priority.

Rest Day # 2

Hot day today, yay. I went to college to change my access password so I could then access material from home.

I decided that copying out notes/playgerising other people's work (I'm sure they're long dead anyway)/ reading slide-shows beat sorting my room out.

I did have a gander at the variety of clothes I own (or total lack thereof) and decided that a shopping spree is now essential. But then I remembered I'm going stateside in 10 weeks time so I browsed some of my FAVOURITE American clothes shops' websites instead.

In 2006, I weighed as light as a feather. In 2007, my body got totally confused by the sudden tonnes of food which it began receiving per day and the weight went primarily on my tummy. With a bit of gym-ness and regulation training toward the end of 2007 and ever since, my body seems to be FINALLY moulding into some sort of shape.

Hence the reason why I have no clothes. Because nothing looked good. But now it might. Hence the new shopping-ness.

Can't ever beat trackie bottoms and big hoodies all the same though. So despite my new sparkling American wardrobe which will soon stand in my bedroom, I shall continue to try my best to look like a hobo. Or as my mom says about people 'someone on the way to the recycling bin'. So cruel.

3 Down, 2 To Go

Way-hey, half way through. This is the first time I've had to drink some of my Coke (which actually is full to the brim with all my notes and answers that I can cheat with...oh but shush...). I don't know if I was actually having a hypo, but I couldn't think straight so took some anyway.

This one was psychology, which to date has been my best subject, so much so that I've already manged to pass the year having not done the exam. At the same time however, I like to do well, and so wanted to keep my grade point average up high so I did study. Six questions came up and we had to do answer three (three essays). I basically wrote and rewrote essays as part of my study process for two topics. I could have studied four (or six for that matter) but gambled and only studied three hoping those three would come up. Unfortunately only two came up, however the essays I wrote were very comprehensive, well rehearsed and contained referencing: everything I could do in order to get as high a mark as I could.

With regard to the third question, I decided I could waffle a little bit on some information and make it sound bit....bull. But instead I figured I would only get a handful of marks for that so I just went and made my other two essays as good as I could and drew some sort of spider gram for my third hoping I'd get some marks.

I'm relieved because I know I've passed but also because it's my last exam until Tuesday. It's unreal having the summer so close but sad in a way because all my 'old' (and I mean that literally, because they are actually ancient as I started school young) friends are now going to be finished college forever which means they're not allowed be immature like me anymore. Crikey!

Tomorrow I do NOT get a lie in as I have to return the rental car I've been buzzing about in. Delilah and myself are being reunited. To be honest I don't want her back having had my rental but at least she isn't banged up in an embarrassing fashion anymore.

2 Down, 3 to go...

Today was my second exam. This is the one I LITERALLY didn't study for. It had two components to it: Photoshop and Illustrator. I know my way around Photoshop a bit. I'm able to 'shop' photos to make them funny and can do useless stuff with it like that. However, it's a bit like going to a friend and being able to say a few sentences in Japanese, it's impressive, but once you go to Japan it's not much at all!

Anyway I needed to get 14% in the exam in order to pass the year, so fingers crossed I got that much but who knows? It didn't go as well as yesterday so when I was leaving I was trying to put it to the back of mind and concentrate on planning my study for tomorrow's exam. I got into my car and turned the engine on, still feeling a bit blah. "You're A Superstar" came on. Not many (I don't know if any?) people will understand the significance that song holds, but it's pretty big. Especially considering I haven't heard it at all since I heard it that day in December. I sat and listened to it, and smiled. Then I drove off and felt quite a bit better about the exam, about my day and about myself :)

1 Down, 4 To Go

I sat my very first college exam today. It was nerve wrecking, mostly because I didn't study for it. I got up at 8.30am to begin study and left for college at about 12.45pm. At least there are repeats at the end of the summer, so if I don't do well I'll get a second chance. To be honest though, who wants to spend their summer with an exam looming at the other end?? *Fingers crossed*

Being a diabetic, and having given myself a nice little hypo in another exam during the year, one where I couldn't leave to get sugar because I was too embarrassed so I just trundled through and left early, I decided to be better prepared this time around.

The STRICT rules say one bottle of water only, so last week I politely went and asked if it would be ok if I brought in a small thing of Coke (Cola...) just in case. I figured it would be pretty straight forward, but NO. I needed a consultant's letter. I guess it would be pretty easy to conceal answers in the black liquid and all that...

Then I read the rules about bathroom breaks, and still not fully over my tummy sickness, I wanted to be sure that should I need to leave if I felt unwell I wouldn't be penalised and lose time. *DING DING* Another consultant's letter please!

So I went in today and the invigilators were ever so nice and explained that they had got the message about me and that I'd be up the front and near the door which was great, and allowed my coca-cola and hooo-haww.

During the exam I saw one of them opening to read the letter and watched her expressions. Rather humorous actually! The letter basically gave my health history and had a list of my 'ailments'. I take it as a compliment that I don't look like I have anything wrong with me!...until I open my mouth but that's for another day... :P

We had three hours to do the exam so naturally I raced at the start, then slowed down, then stopped, got distracted by other things, started daydreaming about the summer (happens me when I study too) and then I started again. Loads of people left after the hour which made no sense to me at all. So I hope I've passed anyway. Computery one tomorrow.

Boohoodles.

Busy Lizzy...

...that's what I'd call myself if my name was Elizabeth, but it's not. But I've been busy all the same!

I had our college's formal ball on Wednesday night which was great fun! I've seen some pictures this morning (because my camera died on me that night so I am relying on others who happen to be terribly slowwwww!) and amazingly I actually look a healthy weight! I ALWAYS manage to see a too skinny me in formal pictures but these ones I look healthy in- whooo. Although saying that, the dress that I wore managed to drop my lung function down to about 50%: I could barely get it closed and when I did, I could barely breathe. It took a bit of getting used to but I did it- no pain, no gain and weight gain=pain!

The next night we decided to go to the local (my college's local) because we're supposed to be studying and I am the queen of procrastination. I only meant to spend an hour there but ended up leaving at closing time. Boooo.

Yesterday, having officially finished college and being a mere 3 days away from exams I saw this as a perfect distraction free opportunity to get my head in the books. Instead it went into a cushion as I fell asleep on the couch.

Not to worry, after dinner I cracked open the book and started writing essays. I used to be great at revision but it's been three years since I left school and so my new method is just to write essays, highlight them and learn them. This way I'm repeating the knowledge when I go to write it, when I go to highlight it and when I go to learn it. I may change my tactic for next year...

So today I've slept in until lunch time and EILEEN is insisting we go out to town tonight. Normally I'd say no, what with middle of the night being my prime study hours, but my legs are looking fantastic from the formal ball and it would be a shame to waste them. Like, d'uh!

Oh well, be young, be foolish, but be happy!

The End of TBWW

This week was Tracksuit Bottom Wearing Week. I usually wear jeans or other but at the start of this week I had a sore (and preggers looking) tummy which is unusual for me, so I opted for the comfy option...for the entire week. Trinny & Susannah say that when you don't feel like making an effort, that's the very time to make a special effort. Remind me to pull their book out of the bin before Monday.

I have to have a scan done on Monday on my 'second belly button' as there's a question mark over whether it's actually 1000000% shut. So I'll make Monday a TBW day too.

On other fronts my exams are starting in just three weeks. I HATE exams. I freak and stress and panic and give myself hypos (sugar= TOO low) from time to time. Luckily I found out that I've already passed 2 of the five classes already through my assingments I handed in over the year. I'll find out if I've managed to pass a third on Tuesday. Both lecturers suggested that I should attempt their papers anyway just for experience. I told them I'd think about it but I might be busy that day. (Which EILEEN calls a bad attidude - um priorities!)

And I got some sort of cold yesterday.

In other news, EILEEN got some sort of killer cold yesterday too. *shakes fist*

Well if I'm honest, I already had mine before I went stalking her so she shant (word?) be blamed THIS time. And tip: if you BEGIN to get the sniffles, do numerous sinus rinses, it's seemed to keep the blocked nose element of this cold away from me thank goodness!