Chattery II: for off topic generalities

[Sirkana]

Oh, that's rubbish - all subjects, perhaps especially English, should expand your horzons, and if you have teachers that can't... It must be especially frustrating that you know you *could* have the really great ones. Luckily for us, each of the Y13 classes for English has one good and one less good teacher - it's even rumoured to be department policy, thogh I don't know whether that's true.

Haha, well, it's not as if we don't pay for them indirectly... But yes, they're so nice and new and shiny. My friend even names hers.

[Eyes of Wolf]

Oh wow, I wish that was our English department's policy! Somehow some people have got the two very good ones together, and those two teachers only teach that one class in our year. Similarly, I got the two worst Maths teachers together. But I'm not as worried about that as I am about English!

*cough* ...I've named several of my pens. I was very sad when Philip II finally gave up the ghost. I quite understand.

[Sirkana]

Yeah, it somehow doesn't matter quite as much in Maths, but it's still a pain.

Haha, I get too attached to inanimate objects already, even without naming them!

I love all four of my subjects, but ugh this term is going to be intense. Back to the personal statement...

[Eyes of Wolf]

Today, one of our Maths teachers wasn't there. Someone brought up something as a joke that was actually completely true: we learn more when she's not there. Oh dear.

Oh lord personal statements. Don't envy you. Also, four A2s? I'm impressed, and good luck! I'm already stressing out about what to drop/whether to drop/whether it would even be possible not to drop one. This term truly will be insane; this week, I've had lovely free lunchtimes lazing around, but from next week all the extra-curriculars and lectures really kick into action.

[Sirkana]

Oh dear indeed...

I'm not sure you should be impressed, it's more a measure of my indecisiveness than anything else. I hope it won't turn out to be a horrible mistake, but along with extra-curriculars every lunchtime and two or three days after school, as well as UCAS, doing four is going to be more of a step up than I thought.

If I were you, I wouldn't carry on with five to A2 - for one thing, it won't benefit your university applications. You still have a lot of time to decide what to drop; it may not seem like it, but Year 12's only just begun really. That said, if you really really want to continue in all of them, it's probably possible.

Do you mean public lectures? I'd definitely recommend the ones at the LSE for PPEish stuff, and some of the ones that Gresham College run look good as well. I'm not sure how convenient they are for you, but they're worth looking into.

Well, the school's deadline for personal statements is tomorrow, which is terrifying, but at least it'll be over.

[Eyes of Wolf]

I have faith in you! YOU CAN DO IT!

I know, it would be hell with UCAS on the side, and I do far too many extra-curriculars, which I'd have to really set to one side. Not sure I'm ready to do that. It's more that I really would be quite sad to drop any of my subjects; the exception is Maths, but it's the subject I find easiest and it's a nice contrast to all my others as well as being good for Economics. Problems, problems...

Our school actually organises...a LOT of good lectures. A really surprising amount for a medium-sized school. Very lucky in that! I've heard about the LSE ones. Apparently they're free, which is a huge plus point. They're not horribly far and I'll probably go see some, if you recommend them! The problem is mostly time.

Ahhh, good luck! At least you got yours in before school really kicked in, so you don't have to stress about it while you have piles of other work to do as well.

[Sirkana]

Haha, if you say so! I'm relieved to have it mostly done, though.

Yes, the extra-curriculars are a problem; I'm definitely going to have to prioritise, which in practice will mean doing less debating. I'm sorry it'll be hard to decide - that's why I carried on with four myself. And just to complicate things, I think they do say that Maths A2 is pretty much necessary for PPE and similar degrees, not just for economics, but for stuff like formal logic.

That's really good! Ours runs some, but not nearly as many as it could. And yes, I should have mentioned that both the LSE and the Gresham College ones are free. Here's the page where the LSE advertises theirs. Most of them are available as podcasts too, which is a lot less time-consuming. If you go to the actual event, you do generally have to get there quite early.

[Eyes of Wolf]

Ahhhh, I've got a competition this weekend actually! It's a shame that you'll have to put debating on the back burner, but I know I'll end up doing the same next year too.

Oh dear, Oxford themselves say you should probably do at least AS, and that you should understand differentials...which is oddly specific of them!

Oh my, there are far too many LSE ones I want to attend! I need to discipline my lecture attendance, I think. There's one on "a manifesto for a Federal Europe," which sounds gorgeous. I tend to get really impatient with podcasts, to be honest - I'd probably remember more if I actually attended one. Though it's really good that they do provide them as a matter of course.

[Sirkana]

I was asked to fill in for someone at a competition this weekend - it's probably the same one! Unfortunately I've got an open day on the same day, so I can't go.

That is weirdly specific! Don't ask me why, I barely know what a differential is...

I know, they look great, don't they! And it is always nice to go yourself - you can even ask a question if you want. Actually, I probably wouldn't, but it's nice to know that you could hypothetically. Anyway, there are enough that even if you miss a lot, there's always more.

[Eyes of Wolf]

Arrgh, got two seconds, a first, and a fourth. That fourth was courtesy of an old nemesis of ours, so we weren't too surprised, but it was all very annoying.

I can't work out why they'd be more fundamental to Economics than anything else...

Questions! Probably wouldn't dare, but if I had something I was itching to ask then it would be really annoying to actually be sitting at home unable to.

[Sirkana]

Bleh, that does sound annoying, especially as I suppose you probably had a chance of breaking until the last round. Good motions?

Yes, the problem with asking questions at lectures is just that it's sort of terrifying.

I'm still stressing about college choices, which seems silly given that I'm unlikely to get into any of them. How are things for you?

[Eyes of Wolf]

I know. Our hopes were dashed. But a teacher who was with us, whom I'd previously disliked, broke into an impressive stream of swearing under her breath when it happened. I have a newfound respect for her.

Oh, which ones are you considering? And what are you applying for again? (Sorry if you've already told me, I get confused!) You can so get in. Belieeeeve in yourself. (I hope that helps.)

I'm going a bit insane - school activities + birthday party tonight, starting my homework now, going to continue until, well, the early hours...Wrote a three-page English essay in under 2 hours yesterday and got a fairly low mark for it today, so somewhat angry too.

[Sirkana]

Well, it's nice to know that they're so invested in your success!

I'm applying for Classics - I was swithering for ages, though. If I don't get in where I want to this year, I might apply for History next year, just because there are so few good Classics courses out there. And I really don't know on colleges; I was thinking Merton, but then I realised what its reputation was, so I'm reconsidering. Thanks for the confidence in me - I just think I might as well give it a go!

Things pile up so quickly, don't they? I was pretty much on top of my work this week, but then I had to miss a day, so the weekend is going to be intense. Getting ill is basically impossible.

[Eyes of Wolf]

Oh, good luck! With Oxford, fewer people apply for Classics so it might be incrementally easier to get in than for something horribly oversubscribed? Don't get me wrong, I'm not underestimating how hard it will be - just trying to give envouragement. The website gives the applicants-to-places ratio, I think. And it's always worth applying, though I think you have a high chance anyway.

Oh wait, what's Merton's reputation? I'm not really down with the colleges properly! Everyone tells me I should apply for Balliol. For reasons which may be obvious.

I don't even want to miss days for things like faculty-organised class trips to lecture days. It's getting far too hectic already.

[Sirkana]

On paper, it's the easiest thing to get in for, actually, which is a good thing until you don't. Haha don't worry about not knowing about college reputations, I didn't until about two weeks ago (not even Balliol...). Basically Merton's meant to be one of the most terrifyingly academic, but I've noticed that most people who go there seem to like it and it's people from other colleges who say it's horrible, so maybe I will apply there.

I know, it's so stressful! But seriously, go to faculty lecture days, they're much better than school!