Starting Sixth Form

This time next week I will have completed my first day of lessons as a sixth form student. Today, I had my final preliminary interview, during which I confirmed my GCSE grades and my subject choices for the next two years. Mrs Bird, my interviewer, was very surprised to hear that I managed to achieve an A* in English Language, especially after the marking scandal, and I was relieved to find that my A-level subjects (psychology, chemistry, biology and German) still fit into the timetable matrix. Also, us students were permitted to choose our tutor groups, and I managed to swindle a place in 12.1 with three of my best friends, plus the same tutor as I had during my mandatory schooling!

iPod Challenge Day 25: Biggest secret?

(It's the last day!)

Trash, Trampoline And The Party Girl - U2

(My biggest secret is that I adore this song? Or that I still think the world revolves around me, as I did when I was three? Hmm...)

iPod Challenge Day 24: Biggest fear?

Baby, I Believe In You - New Kids On The Block

(A couple of days late, but oh well... my biggest fear is being believed in.)

iPod Challenge Day 23: What will play at your funeral?

Street Life - Roxy Music

(Last time I did this a Roxy Music song came up for this question! The opening lyrics seem strangely appropriate "wish everybody would leave me alone", but I guess what is played at my funeral won't really matter to me.)

GCSE results day

At 8:00am today, most of my jitters from last night had subsided, and I only had one hour to wait to discover my GCSE destiny. The minutes passed swiftly; before I knew it, I was at school, nervously approaching the results desk. Overhearing somebody say that the documents were organised in alphabetical order, I slowly gravitated towards the left-hand side, and landed directly in front of my name. That was all I noticed as I snatched the stapled sheets and held them closely to my chest. Eventually, I summoned the courage to look, and was flabbergasted to find this:

• History: A*
• Religious Studies (full course): A*
• Biology: A*
• Chemistry: A*
• Physics: A*
• D&T Graphics Products: A* (I didn't expect this at all; a B would have been great)
• German: A*
• English Language: A*
• English Literature: A*
• ICT: Distinction
• (and Mathematics A* from March)

In total, that's 10 A*s and 1 Distinction, which is the highest grade attainable on the OCR national course and has the point equivalent to halfway between A and A*. I am absolutely delighted with these results; when I began Key Stage 4, over 23 months ago, and even as recently as May, I was rather frustrated by my high target grades, but now I have actually achieved them! My friends did very well too, getting lots of As and A*s between them. I'm especially happy for Jasmine, who has overcome a lot to become one of only 1.6% of students in the country [x] to achieve an A* in Health and Social Care. Now I have A levels to look forward to.

Pre-results day jitters

Tomorrow, in roughly ten-and-a-half hours time, my fingers will be grasping a crisp, freshly sealed envelope and battling against the shaking that will most likely overcome me, to tear the seal and discover my destiny. I'm feeling very weird at the moment, a bit light-headed, chatty (very unusual), energetic and shaky. It's reminding me of the night before Em's operation; I think being over-nervous manifests itself in this way with me. I'm sort of giddy, it's really weird. I'm looking forward to being on the other side, but I don't want to go through the difficulty (or discovery) to get there. It feels too soon, too big, too scary, too imminent. But it must happen. It's got to happen, and it will happen.

I will find out my GCSE results tomorrow, once and for all.

EDITED 2012-08-23 12:43PM: There was no envelope.

iPod Challenge Day 22: What will you dance to at your wedding?

Lipstick - Jedward

( I think this'll be a great track to dance to at my [presumptive] wedding, not for a first dance, though.)

iPod Challenge Day 21: What do you think of when you see the person you like?

(Yesterday's...)

Mothers Of The Disappeared - U2

(This one doesn't make sense, maybe because I don't actually have a "person I like" right now.)

Ostrich in Derbyshire

I took these photos on Sunday in Derbyshire. Click the pictures to view larger versions.

iPod Challenge Day 20: What do you want to be when you grow up?

Angels Too Tied To The Ground - U2

(I want to be an angel? Maybe I want to work to help people in need?)

iPod Challenge Day 19: What is your life story?

Somebody Told Me - The Killers

(My life story is told by someone else? Maybe that's because I have difficulty remembering specific events that have shaped the way I am today. Actually, this song kind of reminds me of my first year at secondary school.)

iPod Challenge Day 18: What do you think of the person you like?

Fire - U2

(I don't "like" anyone at the moment, but if I did still like a certain someone it would burn me.)

iPod Challenge Day 17: What do you think of your best friend?

Treatment - Labrinth

(I don't have just one best friend, and this song doesn't make me think of anyone in particular. Which of my friends would have broken me down so much that I need treatment? Hmm...)

iPod Challenge Day 16: What do you think about very often?

Love Is Blindness - U2

(I think about love very often, specifically what love is.)

iPod Challenge Day 15: What do your parents think of you?

I Will Follow - U2

(My parents think I follow the crowd or I rely on them too much.)

iPod Challenge Day 14

Peace On Earth - U2

(My friends think I'm peaceful and they strive to be like me. No, perhaps they think I'm unachievable or unreachable, not very grounded, as this song seems to question the strive for peace.)

Things to do tomorrow

The day after tomorrow I'm going away, so I'm going to make a note of outstanding things I must do tomorrow in preparation.

Things to do tomorrow:

• Pack (try to remember sunglasses)
• Schedule 25 day iPod challenge posts to cover my time away
• Design Derbyshire Diaries cover page
• Finish burger flavour Pringles (if not tonight)
• Schedule a "happy birthday Donnie Wahlberg" tweet for Friday 17th
• Delete pictures from the camera

iPod Challenge Day 13: What is your motto?

New Year's Day - U2

(Maybe "every day is a new beginning"?)

I'll have to do day 13 and 14 tomorrow, and Thursday - Monday will be scheduled as I am going away

iPod Challenge Day 12: What’s your life’s purpose?

Happiness - Will Young

(Perfect!)

iPod Challenge Day 11: How do you feel today

(I forgot to post yesterday)

Another Crack In My Heart - Take That

(I don't know, the title is quite negative, but I've felt okay today - not quite my best. This morning there was a thunderstorm right by us; one of the booms sounded like it was directly above our house, so the word crack could be a tenuous link to the unsettling that caused.)

iPod Challenge Day 10: What do you look for in a guy?

The Ground Beneath Her Feet - U2

(I look for somebody I can step on? I think it's best to take this based on the lyrics, rather than the title in a literal way.)

iPod Challenge Day 9: How would you describe yourself?

Walk On (18) - U2

(This isn't really how I'd describe myself; to me, this song is about inner strength, resilience and letting go of something that's holding you back, which isn't really me. I guess it could be my ideal.)

iPod Challenge Day 8: Say something wise:

One Life - Glen Vella (Eurovision 2011, Malta)

(Here are the lyrics:

Life’s a game, it’s a mystery
which we give into
Days go by, no lesson learned
Just things that you do

Things change even in my mind
Not in my heart
I am who I am and I’m here for you

One life show what’s in your heart
Love me like I love you
One life It’s all we got to live
Time to set your heart free

Chase the pain away move on and don’t give up
This time it’s all up to you
You can love yourself toooo

Life is strange and heavenly a sweet surrender (surrender)
Love begins within ourselves
Makes up our lives
Hold on to what life brings you
Just be who you are
You can do it too
It’s all up to you

One life show what’s in your heart
Love me like I love you
One life it’s all we got to live
Time to set your heart free

Chase the pain away
Move on and don’t give up
This time it’s all up to you
You can love yourself toooo

Don’t try to judge me
You don’t know how I feel
Love me, love me for who I am
My life, I will give it all, I give it all to you, give it all

One life show what’s in your heart
Love me like I love you
One life it’s all we got to live

Time to set your heart free

Chase the pain away
Move on and don’t give up
This time it’s all up to you
You can love yourself too
It’s all up to you you can love yourself too
You can love yourself too)

iPod Challenge Day 7: What would you wish for if you only had one wish?

Spanish Eyes - Backstreet Boys

(Yup, I think it's pretty standard to wish for Spanish Eyes. I'm more into the U2 kind, but these will do.)

iPod Challenge Day 6: What is your life like?

Let's Try It Again - New Kids On The Block

(My life is something that needs trying again? I hope not... It could represent my perseverance; I don't give up on things I want in life easily. I will gladly try things again to improve, unless I don't believe it's worth it.)

Olympic Fever!

Over the last 9 days, I've spent the bulk of my time watching and supporting Team GB the Olympics; even my fingernails are behind our athletes!

iPod Challenge Day 5: How do you feel about love?

Waiting on the World to Change - John Mayer


(I feel differently about love to the rest of the world, and I believe their views are the ones that should change, not mine. I feel that love is important and can transcend almost anything: gender, class, race, even age, within reason - I don't think it's right for me to condemn a relationship between, say, a 20-year-old and a 45-year-old, only based on the age gap.)

iPod Challenge Day 4: Where would you like to be right now?

Awake (Live) - Josh Groban

(This is one of those songs I didn't know I had. The lyrics seem to be about treasuring the moment when time is running out, so it seems the location isn't what's important, it's the company. I like the song, btw!)

iPod Challenge Day 3: Describe your current relationship

Cartoon World - U2

(I take this to mean that it doesn't exist in reality, which perfectly describes my current relationship!)

iPod Challenge Day 2: What do people feel when they’re around you?

Mrs Right - NKOTB

(People feel that I am perfect for them? Nah, this song is actually very uncertain, "Are you really Mrs. Right? 'Cause I can't make up my mind", so maybe people are unsure of how they feel about me; I put people on edge and I'm difficult to be around because they don't know how to react to me or what to expect from me.)

iPod Challenge Day 1: Describe Yourself

(I've never been good at describing myself; I wonder what the shuffle gods will supply to assist me…)

Walkin' My Baby Back Home - Joey McIntyre

(Hmm… I can't quite figure the relevance this song has to myself; I guess it could denote how far I've come since I last undertook this challenge? Or  maybe it just shows how important Joey McIntyre has become to me? I don't know…)