UCAS & Uni.

Original Image here

I said in my last post that I've spent the last two days having 'lectures' and talks about university applications through the UK system UCAS. These two days mark the start of the beautiful process that is applying to university. I'm honestly enthralled at the prospect.

Although I am desperate to go to university and leave home, I am not looking forward to the process of doing so, or the rejection I know will go along with it.

Basically the two days at school get seemed pretty much pointless. I feel like I already knew most of it, and I just feel like I could have spent my time doing something much more useful, like planning for EPQ or doing independent research, rather than being forced to fill in 'course comparison' worksheets - I already have a spreadsheet comparing them all, so why do it again?

Anyways, I'm off to Aston University in Birmingham tomorrow for a higher education fair, which I am actually looking forward to, I must admit. It might help me to decide on my 5 different options for uni, because my current list is in excess of 10 potentials, which I need to narrow down, otherwise I'm going to have trouble applying.

Anyone else out there going through the same thing as me? I'm sure its just as annoying and daunting, but hey, at the end of it, we'll all get to leave home and be by ourselves for once. You have no idea how much I am looking forward to that.

Seriously.

No offence Mum.

Race for Life.

This Sunday, 30th June 2013, I am doing the Race for Life in Shrewsbury. If you haven't heard of that place its probably because not many people have. I think, like most places in Shropshire, its only famous for its landscape.

Well, I might be doing the Race for Life, except I forgot to book the day off work and guess what? I've been given a shift that day. So I'm trying to get someone to cover for me, as long as as i speak to my boss tomorrow, all should be fine. Hopefully.

There's also the issue with the lack of training I've been doing. By lack of, I mean I cannot remember how long its been since I last ran. Yeah, that long. I'm not talking years here, a few months ago I was jogging every morning like a pro (pro time-of-day-wise, not style or ability). Its been a while anyway. Reckon I can train fo a 5k in 4 days? 

Hmmm....

Anyway, if you fancy sponsoring me a little, that would be amazing. Thank you if you do, every little helps!

I guess this is the part where I tell you why I'm doing Race for Life and what my story is. 

Basically, 3 years ago my Mum was diagnosed with breast cancer, about this time 3 years ago she'd just started her chemotherapy in fact. It was an extremely difficult time, not only because she was ill, but because it was just her, me and my sister who was only 9 at the time, so we had to make do and try to go on with life as normal. Anyway, I'm doing Race for Life this year because a group of my friends suggested it and obviously the fight against cancer is very close to my heart, hence my contribution to the cause, and hopefully yours.

This truly is an awful disease, and the way it seems, I don't know the statistics, its just an observation, but the way it seems, cancer cases are on the rise, and although treatments and preventions are developing all the time, its just not currently quick enough; there are some people we can't yet help, but one day, hopefully, we can cure the majority of unfortunates who are diagnosed.

Cancer, we're coming to get you. 

(we includes you too if you decide to sponsor me, to do so, click this sentence.)

Interesting fact about Shrewsbury: the other thing it is famous for is that Charles Darwin was born and raised there. (yep, the Charles Darwin!)

Work Experience.

Its been a while since I last posted on here - bad Chloe, bad - but there have been several things going on and I don't have much of an excuse for having a distinct lack of internet presence, but there is a little there, I jut won't go into detail, in the hope that that makes the not-an-excuse excuse a valid excuse. Get me? Nope, didn't think so.

Anyway, as usual, I digress.

And I have the opportunity to say 'I digress' in far too many of my posts, demonstrating to me and most likely you that I have an amazing ability to ramble, go off topic and come up with nonsensical spiel.

So, I digress...

Again.

For the past two days (yes, two days, that's how pathetic my school is. Just two), I have been doing work experience at my local Council in their web & digital department. So I thought I'd blog about it.

Why not?

There isn't much to say really, because unless you're a computer nerd like me it will make net to no sense and will bore you until your eyes stream tears of blood. Yeah, that bad. I liked it though, its the kind of thing that makes most people eyes bleed that really flicks my switch (not to make me sound uber-creepy or anything... honest).

Apparently, I'd come at a really good time too, because they have just been changing platforms, so there was a lot of work to see happening, a lot to learn and a lot to be getting on with. Exciting stuff.

Again, only fellow nerds will agree. Sorry about that.

I'm quickly forgetting how this was supposed to be an interesting topic, so I might finish up about here. Although as usual, I won't, I'll carry on jibbering until I fall asleep or run out of jibber. You know I'm not joking.

The next two days are going to be filled with oh-so-fun-and-thrilling lectures (performed by my teachers, just to make them even more interesting) about applying to university through UCAS and personal statements etc etc. Oh the joy. I'm then going to a university fair on Friday which should be pretty useful actually, so even though it won't be the most exciting of days, it should help me to make the daunting decision of where to apply.

So that's my week in a nutshell.

How's yours shaping up?

The Waiting Game.

You know those situations where all you can do is 'have patience' and wait, because 'the time will come'? Yeah, well I feel like there are way too many of those going on at the moment. Par exemple:

Driving.

I've taken my theory test. I passed it. I turned 17 in September last year, however for some stupid reason that is honestly completely my fault - just procrastination I guess - I didn't start driving until the day after the world was supposed to end. December 22nd. It is now June 8th of the next year and I'm still learning; spending £40+ per lesson and being told today that it'll probably be another 2 months until I can take my practical test - just keep practising - you're not quite independent enough with it yet. Awesome. The annoying part is, that my instructor thinks I'm still too dependent, when she's not giving me the reins to be more independent, because she's still telling me exactly what to do all the time. Ermm... yeah. That's great.

Exams. 

'Ooh, you're so pathetic, its such a non-problem to have exams. Try real life.' 

Point taken, however, having taken all but one of this season's exams so far, and pretty much being sure that I've aced absolutely every one of them (sense the sarcasm there - I probably failed at least all of them.), I must say that this waiting game between May/June and late August until we find out if we may or may not be able to get into a good university etc in a year's time is a little frustrating. It's just waiting. It's out of our hands. There's nothing we can do. But Oh Dear Lord how much I wish we didn't have to wait 3 months.

Life.

Little more of an obscure one, but all you fellow adolescents out there will probably know what I'm talking about, and if you don't then maybe its just me and I'm the weirdo here.

Do you/have you ever felt bored with waiting for time to catch up with you so you can move on with your life? I'm seventeen years old, nearly 18. I'm stuck in a stupid school where I go to sixth form and I'm stuck there doing full time even though I'm only actually doing anything productive half the time. But because its a school and we're clearly 'not independent enough to be self-responsible', we have to spend all day every day in that godforsaken place.

I'm stuck living at home with my frustrating-to-fuck family. If language offends you I'm sorry. Chill out about it. Calm down. It's one word. I live in a hole of a nowhere surrounded by fields and cows and tractors. If only I could... oh, I don't know, drive, maybe I wouldn't be so bothered by it. But I am stuck here day-in-day-out doing nothing with no one, and being treated at least 3 years my junior.

It's unsettling how excited I am at the prospect of moving out this time next year, being on my own in the big wide world and being able to finally be independent. I'm independent by nature, but at this current time, I feel I'm being suppressed; forced into dependency. Just because.

If it weren't for the whole fact that I only have a part time job and don't have life savings, I would say I could probably make it on my own now. Say, if money weren't an object, I'd be out of here like a shot. There'd be a Chloe-shaped hole in the wall. Not even the door - the wall. 

Yep. That's passion.

I hope I'm not the only person to feel this way. There are so many things we're all waiting for right now, and its the anticipation and looming possibility of failure or bad news that gets us down. I remember waiting for my Mum to come home from the hospital, knowing that when she walked in the door I would find out whether or not she had cancer. She did. It was awful, but she's *fingers crossed* recovered now.

Its just the waiting game, yet whatever the end result is, when the game is over, the relief of just knowing is almost better than getting good news. Make sense?

While I'm using this post to complain about waiting, I'm talking about the things you inevitably have to wait for; when there isn't much you can do about it, although I will prove my driving instructor wrong next time I see her. Dependent my arse.

If there's something you can do to change something or make the wait quicker, do it. Don't sit around waiting for things to just happen. Isn't there that saying that's about books and how you have to turn the pages to get to the ending? Well, that applies here. Never stop turning them pages.

Seriously, don't.

5 Things I Don't Understand.

I'm a pretty opinionated person at times, and I also enjoy making lists. So here's the kickstarter for a new '5 things' series type thing. I was going to do 10 things, but that's a lot of things to think of on the spot. So here goes...

1. Why my pyjamas are always too short.

I'm a pretty short person. I'd like to say I'm 5'4" but in reality its more like 5'3". Yet, my pyjamas always hit my ankle or just above. I have tall friends. Their pyjamas fit fine, they even trail on the floor sometimes... I'm baffled.

Original found here

2. Why men give me pet names.

I am seventeen years old, and yet at work, when I'm on the till, a high proportion of the male customers over 30 refer to me as 'darling', 'chuck', 'poppet', 'sweetheart' or something similar. Why? WHY?? They don't know me, they don't give the guys pet names, and I'm not a pathetic five year old. If you're in this male over 30 quota, and yes I'm talking to you. Don't do that, it seriously pisses people off.

3. Crop tops.

Need I say more? They're all the rage right now, but when people wear them all I see is their bare midriff, which I honestly don't care to see. It isn't sexy or cute, its unnecessary. May I also add that crop tops give the insane illusion that ones breasts are far droopier than they actually are? Seriously. Throw in one of those tight turtleneck crop tops and BOOM: instant boob de-lift. And why would you wear a turtleneck to cover your chest, but then leave your stomach on full display? It doesn't make it OK.

4. 'Hipsters'.

Umm. Ok, so if I recall correctly, the 'hipster' trend was supposed to be about being unique.  Yes? I'll tell you now - it failed. Because almost everyone is wearing 'hipster' fashion right now, to the point where you throw some studs and a couple of geometric prints onto a T-shirt and ERMAHGERD it's hipster! No. No it is not. This whole not-a-trend-trend is so out of hand now, that I have to spend hours trawling the internet for clothes that aren't covered in studs, or half missing because of the 'pretty' cut-out that shows a lot too much bra, or covered in geometric/aztec/moustache prints. 

The Hipster Starter Kit.

Pay attention: Wearing the same thing as everyone else because its 'unique and individual' IS NOT UNIQUE.

5. Selfies (& Snapchat)

Too many times I've sat in the common room and watched people hold their phone in front of them and pull a duck face. In the company of people; friends! Just no. Don't do it! There are two people who sit in my 'area' of the common room, and they sit next to each other, take selfies and then snapchat them to each other. Err, need I say more? Also, snapchat to me just seems like the perfect way to send naked pictures, without worrying about them going viral. I'm pretty sure that is what it was invented for. I'm good thanks.

Discalimer: This post makes me seem like a complete traditionalist prude. I'm not, I'm cool with showing a bit of skin and sending your friends naked pictures and whatever. I won't judge. Just, do it in a normal fashion.