12

Today was officially my last day of Y12. Tomorrow is technically the last day, but I'm at Linguastars (more on that later). 

Firstly, what a weird day. SLT decided to cancel all morning lessons for CoPE people who still hadn't managed to finish what is possibly the easiest qualification the college has ever offered. So, it just so happened that I was supposed to be in Psychology first...which ended up being the room I was also supposed to be in to register with my form (which was handy, because they only announced it in the common room, apparently). I sat in there for about half an hour and then got told to go to the LRC where we all got very patronised by SLT. Because we'd all finished our CoPE on time and been 'good little chickens' (yes, I know, shut up Leon...) we were given the filler task of 'writing a letter to say how good college is'' to go in the prospectus. Most people didn't bother, I only did because I'm in SOS and part of the letter had to be about giving advice (which is what SOS basically are there to do). Plus, it's not like I had anything AT ALL to do with my day as all of my lessons were in the morning. Grrrrrrr.

Once we'd been freed from the LRC, Fern and I ran around trying to find all of my teachers so I could give them thank you cards and then we spent quite a while sitting outside B block talking with Sarah. We also had quite a lengthy rant to Suzanne (Head of Psychology) who seemed more than happy to rant back, haha. It was obvious from the beginning of the day that teachers weren't very impressed at the situation either. We then actually went in B block and I gave Nigel his cat mug, where I was also cornered by Lindsay wanting me to fill in a Poland feedback sheet, so me, Fern and eventually Eliza went and sat in Nigel's room while I attempted to fill it out seriously and Fern kept going ''I heart Poland'' in a weird accent. I think the heat combined with the weird morning sent her slightly insane...

There were some other things that occurred, but a) I'm aware this is all rather dull if you weren't involved in NC's latest surprise CoPE day, and b) I'm not entirely sure I want to share them on here (don't worry, nothing bad, I'm just strange).


It amused me that I started and ended Y12 in the same way - in CoPE. In that way, it's like I've come full circle and am back where I started. Yet, as a conversation I had earlier today pointed out to me, I absolutely haven't. College has changed me (a lot), and while I'm still deciding if that's a good thing, there are many things I'm thankful for about the college year (and also plenty that I'm SO not thankful for...):


New people: Keyana, Katie (even though I technically knew them both before, we never spoke), Adam (Amnesty), Kerry, Eleanor, Poppy (My CT!), Sophie, Jess, Jess, Jade, Bethan, Stevan, Emily, Becky (Team Sheepish!), James (Spanish), Chloe, Talor, Chelsea (English). The list could go on. I've met so many truly lovely people who might not realise quite how much I've appreciated getting to know them. There are some on there (e.g. Chelsea) who I don't even speak to much, but who are just genuinely lovely people who always, without fail, cheer me up when I do speak to them. 


New experiences: Amnesty International group (obviously!), Rob's Mediocre Choir, Working Title, SOS, CIN/RND, Poland, languages study day, etc etc. The one I owe the most credit to here, really, is choir. I only went because Aiden was, and then I met Poppy who is just the happiest, most fun person I have ever met (PS: she's on World Challenge in India right now and I've been itching to share this link with you all). More than just making new friends, though, something about choir helped me to somehow find the confidence that I just completely lost when I started college. But if you've been reading for a while you might already know my thoughts on choir. If anybody remembers that afternoon after I'd spent all morning sitting in an office with Tim and my dad crying, you might also remember that I had a choir performance all afternoon. I wouldn't have got through that day without choir. 


New outlook: Basically, my general outlook on college life at the moment is ''turn negativity into productivity''. I wrote about it in that stupid letter I had to do because for me, it does seem to work. I wish I'd spent less time worrying and stressing at the beginning of the year and just done something about it instead, but seen as I can't I owe it to myself to try and keep it up for Y13.


Tomorrow morning, I go off to a residential at the University of Leeds. Thankfully, it's only one night. I'm not a fan of uni accomodation after Brunel (it was basically a prison, made worse by the fact that my keys didn't work for either of the doors they were supposed to be for), but it doesn't look too bad for us. The residential is basically two days of Spanish (for me and James) and French (for Sophie) - we've nicknamed it 'language camp'. 


So, while I may be ending Y12 in exactly the same way as it started, I'm also ending it doing the thing I enjoy the most. Not too bad :)


Besos ♥ 
Rachel