06/09/2018 When You Want To Be Productive But Your 5-year-old Laptop Decides To Take Half An Hour To

Upgrades, people, upgrades!

Happy 2021! (It’s finally snowing where I live - yay!)

I managed to condense 11 weeks of phys chem into 2 sides of A4 (plus a separate list of equations) in preparation for open book exams.

I’m not sure I like open-book exams. On the one hand, it takes a lot of memorisation pressure off; on the other hand, I have a tendency to over-rely on notes and almost cheat myself out of actually internalising the material. What do you think?

I have learnt from my mistakes in the past and decided to make prompt sheets from memory based on past papers. I then combed over my notes and filled in the gaps, writing down anything important that I couldn’t recall.

We all forget things.

So today I was meant to give a presentation in front of my chemistry class, but I completely forgot and didn’t prepare anything. I was mortified when my name was called and I told her, “But I can’t - I’ve literally not prepared for this at all!” The room went silent and I felt so awful in that moment.

My chemistry teacher said, “I will see you outside.” And I thought I would get a bollocking. As soon as I got outside, I broke down crying, annoyed at myself because I never do things like that. I wanted to show her how on it I am and how well I can rise to challenges like public speaking, but instead I failed to follow a simple instruction and humiliated myself in front of the class.

So I went outside, ready to go on the defensive about why I should not be made to present. My teacher gave me the biggest hug and told me that I am only human - which is why she would let me do my presentation next week and just in front of her. She reminded me not to be so cruel and hard on myself, because I do that. I beat myself up over little things.

She told me that I have so much on my plate right now with university stuff as well as upcoming mocks that I should allow myself to be forgetful once in a while.

She told me that she is usually the most organised person ever but she forgets to bring stuff to the right lessons all the time.

She told me she doesn’t hate me, isn’t disappointed in me and all she wants is for me to stop stressing. And then she told me to go to the toilets and wash my face while she told the rest of the class not to talk about it.

My point is, it’s okay to skip a beat and forget something. It’s okay to admit you are only human.

And I am blessed to have a teacher who genuinely cares. How many people can say the same nowadays?

22/3/19

Real studying is messy

Also if you haven’t heard Lewis Capaldi’s “Grace” I THOROUGHLY recommend you do because it is amazing

Happy Friday folks! Enjoy your weekend x

It’s a low-key kind of day

I haven’t been that active on here recently, but I feel it is important to do what I can to support the BLM movement.

Saying this is probably futile, but I don’t want to stay in the shadows. I have a voice of privilege and I need to use it somehow.

I will start by saying this. As a white person, I do not claim as my brethren those who think that discriminating against another person for the colour of their skin is acceptable. I don’t associate myself with hateful people. If those people were family members or friends, they aren’t anymore, as far as I’m concerned. I am ashamed of those who carry out, condone and defend racially-motivated attacks and police brutality.

I am doing all I can, as one single, unimportant individual, to support the cause, including speaking up to racist comments - but I could always be more educated. If anyone could recommend any books, podcasts, documentaries, films etc that explore racism, I’d love to hear about them.

What’s your favourite book?

Ever finish a book and get lost in all the choice of where to go next? I have no idea! So come on Tumblr, help me out :)

For anyone who sees this in the same boat, if you haven’t met Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell or All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, I urge you to give them a try!

The life of a bookworm...

Me: OMG YOU HAVE TOO MANY BOOKS! READ THE ONES YOU’VE GOT BEFORE BUYING MORE!

Also me: *sees a book on Amazon* Oooooh that looks interesting... let’s take a cheeky peek... oh, shit. I put it in my basket. Oh, double shit. I accidentally paid for it. With next day delivery. Well, it’s mine now!

Life is mean. It builds your hopes up and then lets them crash and burn in the most brutal way. But pick yourself up, soldier. You are stronger than the harshest disappointment and more resilient than your grief.

Revision time!

ft tea and toasted hot cross buns

Me voilà hahaha

has this been done yet?