How to deal with goodbyes

I know I said I would be back after exams, but I am on a revision break. Writing a blog post can also count as English revision as well as text type revision for Spanish. There is my declaration over!

Well, I decided to write this blog post because tomorrow is my last official day at school as my exams start on Bank Holiday Monday (UK holiday only, thanks IBO!). So while the whole country is having a day off, the IB students of the UK have to come in a sit an exam. Yes, I am bitter. However, getting back to the end of my school career.

This week, I have finally come to terms that the time spent with my amazing IB cohort is coming to an end, which is one of the most saddest things that I think I have had to come to terms with. Today, for example, I said goodbye to one of them who I won't see before exams finally start - it turned into an emotional mess. However, it has hit me that the reason why I am so emotional and sad about these two wonderful years coming to an end is because they were wonderful. Even if other parts of life were not going that smoothly, I still had an amazing support group at school which I am incredibly thankful for. If they were not wonderful, I would be happy to walk out the door and this goodbye would be so much easier.

Therefore, I am saying that hard goodbyes have their downsides, but they are not necessarily permanent due to the fabulous invention of the internet and trains. They also mean they are so very very special people, and you were lucky to have them in you life in the first place.

I thought I end this emotional blog post with something my friend tweeted me that sums up what I want to say but far more eloquently, there are always positive sides.

I will talk soon after exams.

Much love,

Harriet

Just Life.

This post is dedicated to all the lovely people that have recently started following my blog! This added motivation has suddenly made me start to write a blog post which I haven't done in awhile on a Saturday night when I could be watching TV or sleeping. However, I felt that this would probably be the best use of my time at the moment and I have forgotten what it feels like to type anything you want to say, rather than trying to answer a vague question for an essay. It feels good!

Anyway, so what has been happening in my life? Well, since returning from a dreadful Gold Duke of Edinburgh Expedition a few nights before, I returned to school, which wasn't one of the things that I would have like to be doing (for your information, I would have liked to be sleeping for days on end until my body had fully recovered from mental and physical damage - this is what Gold D of E feels like). After an 8 week summer playing with horses, swimming, tennis and family, I had no time for doing serious IB work that was on my list of things that preferably needed to be done before term starts, and preferable before my wonderful trip to Wales (D of E - so not wonderful in the slightest unless you count the free ice cream at the end). Well, as you may have guessed, work wasn't at the top of my priority list, so after returning back from mountains and sheep poo, I managed to do some but not all.

However, after returning to school at the beginning of September, I soon returned to my routine of constant work followed my interruptions of food, sleep and chatting withe IB lot which had been lost with the loss of structure to my days with the rigid school timetable). But, I have to admit, returning to school wasn't actually as bad as I thought. However, I have now realised that this is my last year in obligatory education, meaning that university or life will be next outside of this little bubble of free hot chocolate, sarcastic but hilarious teachers and amazing friends. Soon, I will have to face the world by myself without this security blanket, which truly terrifies me.

It hasn't helped with all the stress of applying to university as well as finishing off the ever lasting Extended Essay (16 pages and 4000 words later) that is the bain of any IB students life - which I did tonight (Yippee!). However, this month full of work and stress which has lead to pure exhaustion has put a lot of perspective on life. If I can get though this year scotch free (with a limited amount of mental breakdowns), then I will be pretty well set up for life with the attitude of wanting to get things done and not waste any moment of having time off.

Therefore, I leave you with this thought: how will you make the most of life. I also would like to dedicate this post to all the people that have been going through a difficult stage in their lives - we will damn well get through this and live to see the other side!

Much love,

Harriet

xxx

30 Day Snap #27

All my deadlines for the end of term - compared to last week I am a lot calmer!

P.S. Here is Sprinkle of Glitter's Post about the 30 Day Snap

Much love,

Harriet

xxx

30 Day Snap #25

My working space for writing my extended essay, not really working but its comfy (maybe that's the problem!) Oh the IB, all I want to do is sleep but instead you give me 4000 word essays.

P.S. Here is Sprinkle of Glitter's Post about the 30 Day Snap

Much Love,

Harriet

xxx

30 Day Snap #21

Politics Briefing is on my hand! 

P.S. Here is Sprinkle of Glitter's Post about the 30 Day Snap

Much love,

Harriet

xxx

30 Day Snap #20

Well, today was a lovely day. It was the day where we could talk about the IB until our hearts content by answering questions and telling prospectus students how amazing it is! To tempt people to ask questions - our teacher gave us a sheet if ROSAs (they are basically meaningless stickers but they get you a house point). 

Now I have this many left and I suddenly feel all powerful! What should I do with them?

P.S. Here is Sprinkle of Glitter's Post about the 30 Day Snap

Much love, 

Harriet

xxx

30 Day Snap #19

My 2 weeks are planned - constant work and no free time. Fun fun fun!

P.S. Here is Sprinkle of Glitter's Post about the 30 Day Snap

Much love,

Harriet

xxx

30 Day Snap #16

What I woke up to this morning. I can already tell that today will not be a good day!

Much love,

Harriet

xxx

30 Day Snap #15

Well, In going to have a fun weekend! All the homework ever! Thank you IB!

P.S. Here is Sprinkle of Glitter's Post about the 30 Day Snap

Much love,

Harriet

xxx

30 Day Snap #2

Well, this is sort of cheating! I have 2 snaps for you today! I thought a snap of the work surrounding me wasn't exciting enough, so I included a view from my bedroom window when it was sunny with blue skies (something to remember). Well, today, I have been stuck at home doing revision for internal exams that are happening next week. So revision for me!

See you tomorrow with another snap or two!

Much love,

Harriet

xxx

P.S. Here is Sprinkle of Glitter's Post about the 30 Day Snap

The IB - the bain/ love of my life

Hola peeps,

I am quite enjoying this blogging melarkee (new favourite word) , so I thought I would write another blog post from my every expanding list of things I want to blabber on about, and this was at the top: the IB.

The IB is an educational programme for students to do at sixth form (ie when they are 15/16). The IB stands for the ‘International Baccalaureate’ and is equivalent to A-levels. But, instead of choosing 4 AS levels for one year and then 3 A2 levels the next year, you have to stick to 6 subjects throughout the whole 2 years. This is a bit of a workload but if you enjoy variety, it is really fun!

There are 6 categories for subjects that you have to choose, but again this offers not only variety but a structure to your education.

•          Group 1 – English
•          Group 2 – Languages
•          Group 3 – Humanities
•          Group 4 – Sciences
•          Group 5 – Maths
•          Group 6 – Arts (this is optional as you can do 2 subjects from groups 2,3 or 4)

They are also divided into 3 higher levels and 3 standard levels. So if you don’t do maths, you could choose maths studies (which is maths but FUN!) or if you love Science, you could do a higher science which would mean more detail.

Just listing them makes me realise how much work they all are, however there is more fun. If you are an IB student you also have to complete some lovely things in the Core; which are: Tok (AKA Theory of Knowledge which is just mind boggling’ meaning you come out and do ask what is life), an extended essay (4000 words of cleverness) and CAS (Creative, Active and Service). If you don’t complete them, you FAIL the IB (even if you get 7 points in everything else...which would be a real shame).

I can hear people go, why 7? Well, 7 is the maximum points you can earn in each subject and is just the number the IB picked because they wanted to be different (the answer to almost everything they do, don’t get me started on Internal Assessments!). However, this is almost impossible to get if you want to eat or sleep but just happens to be the amount that Oxford and Cambridge want in ALL YOUR HIGHERS, which is nice of them isn’t it?

No, but really, I do actually really enjoy the IB, it has become part of me (I know, cheesy, but true). I have met some great people that I hang out with most of the time (as there are only 12 people in my year that do it). We have become the IB family and is completely #internationalbadasslaureate (inside joke, sorry!). So, my advice to anyone with the dilemma of choosing something else or IB, do IB because you will have a love/hate relationship but mostly love. I promise.

Speak soon. Much love!

Harriet

xxx