The Worst Part About Exams Is The Waiting. I Finished My Last Exam Of Second Year Today, And Now Comes

26/06/2020

My first year of uni has been over for an entire week now - time has flown! I have not been feeling particularly productive all year because of burnout. The other day, I decided out of pure curiosity to improve my maths skills. This is a big milestone in terms of my recovery - I’m starting to look forward to learning again :)

2/1/19

I love the library! Plus I’m spending time with my good friend and am just round the corner from town so... did someone say shopping? x

29/09/18 - 18/100 days of productivity

I must admit, I didn’t do all that much today because I spent it chilling out with 3 of my most favourite people in the world having a sleepover 💕 (No, 17 years old is NOT too old for sleepovers.)

However, I did FINALLY finish my personal statement and send off my UCAS application to my referee - eep! I also read a few pages of Le Père Goriot before I left and made myself a massive to do list for when I get home.

Luckily I have Monday morning to stay at home and work to make up for not using Saturday. But do I regret it? Nah. I’m chilled :)

Happy New Year!

Hi guys! I’m so happy I’m bringing you all along into 2019 with me!

This post is mainly to sum up what I feel I have achieved in 2018, because I think it’s so important to take a minute and appreciate how far you’ve come towards meeting your goals. I’m also going to chat about 2019, just because. But before I do, I want to wish you all the best for this year. Work hard but look after yourself - you owe it to yourself to be healthy :)

So this time last year I was officially diagnosed with depression and generalised anxiety disorder. I did not leave the house at weekends or in the holidays. I avoided all contact with people. I was miserable and apathetic 24/7 and I just wanted to sleep or cry. I was too anxious to even go into a shop alone, let alone even think about applying to universities or plan trips abroad without an older member of the family. In fact, had I not been terrified of leaving the house alone, I would not be here to see 2019.

However, a very very good teacher of mine was my shoulder to cry on, and she encouraged me to finally get a GP’s help after years of struggling alone in denial. 2018 was my year of recovery.

I still have depressive episodes. I am still anxious. But on the whole, I am human again and I am okay. Fragile still, but able to see the good in situations and not panic when I can’t. The chains that restrained my ankles are free, so I can put my best foot forward at long last.

As part of my recovery, I put myself out there. I visited universities from Birmingham to London, and I stayed with a host family for a week in Nantes. I was fortunate enough to be given a place on the Sutton Trust Summer School at Cambridge, where I met so many amazing people. I got closer to people I’ve known for years, too, because I know the time I have to see them every day is limited and fast running out. Although difficult at first because I do not respond well to change and time pressure, I know that this is the life I want.

This year is going to be my most tumultuous and scary yet. In 2 weeks, I fly to Berlin with my best friend, just me and her for my birthday. I am responsible for the budget (oh Lord) and looking after us. On said birthday, I will find out whether Cambridge accepted or rejected me. In the summer, I will sit my A Levels and find out if I achieved my goal - and I will leave the school I love so dearly forever. In the autumn, I will be settling into a new city as a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed fresher at whichever uni I choose, ready to embark on my chemistry degree. And I will have to leave behind so many people, which kills me inside.

But I know that the people who are supposed to stay in my life absolutely will. And alongside all the nerves and the sadness, I am optimistic that I will meet so many amazing humans at uni and beyond. I have been waiting for the chance to spread my wings and become a strong, independent woman for myself, and this year is when I’ll get to do it.

There is only one thing I do know for certain: my life at the end of this year will look incredibly different to how it is now.

Bring it on!

I also have a studygram: x_lauren.anne_x

Bit inactive but starting back up in September!

I finally created a studygram (@studyblrin)!! If any of you have one as well, please reblog this with your username so I can follow you, so excited!! 🌻

To any GCSE/A level students who have to teach themselves because of the coronavirus outbreak

Everyone is very much focused right now on Years 11 and 13, whose exams have been cancelled, but Years 10 and 12 will more than likely have exams next year that aren’t - and this time off means you’re losing a lot of teaching time. Whatever measures end up being taken for you next year, it’s important that you are still preparing yourselves for the eventuality that every exam goes ahead as normal. Even if it doesn’t, it’s better to be over prepared than underprepared. I imagine you’ll have been given resources to help you with this, but it’s not the same as being at school/college/sixth form.

So, if you need help with chemistry, French, German, biology or maths, I am happy to answer your questions. I took these subjects at A level and achieved A*AAAA, and I achieved 11 A* grades at GCSE. I am now doing a chemistry degree at a Russell Group university. I taught myself the A level maths course in a year, on my own - I know how difficult self-teaching is and I know that there will be people who will struggle more than others with this. I’m not saying this to brag at all; I’m saying that I am more than qualified to give you some tips if you would like them!

I have no doubt that your teachers will be doing their best to help you as well; I am just offering to do what I can because these are unprecedented circumstances. Nobody knows what next year will look like, or even if we’ll be able to return to our respective institutions in time for the new academic year. The best thing you can do for yourselves is to keep your heads down and do the best you can to keep learning, ready for your eventual return.

I know you probably feel a bit lost (or maybe you don’t - lucky you!) without a teacher in front of you to guide you, but if I were in your boat - and to some extent I am, because I still have to think about standing myself in good stead for next year - I’d be looking to do all I could to minimise my disadvantage.

(Obviously I am busy with my own work as well so I won’t be able to respond immediately, but wherever I am available I will try my best to give you a different perspective on a topic, or perhaps point you towards some new resources if I know of any!)

Good luck guys.

22/09/18 - 11/100 days of productivity

I’m in the library today, currently doing maths. I’ve already gone through 4 sets of quizlets for German and next up once I finish this will be to finish my chemistry homework.

My friends are going to turn up at some point, too. I’m going to help one of them with a personal statement and then I’m going to read Le Père Goriot

About me!

This is a little late but let me introduce myself. My name is Lauren, but most people nowadays call me Lozza (or some variation thereof).

I’m a January baby, born in 2001 and I’m an absolute nerd! I love learning and am curious about just about anything so I thought I’d finally join the studyblr community because I love it here!

I’m that one friend who is always spouting out obscure facts you didn’t realise you needed to find out :)

I’m taking my A Levels at the end of this academic year (2018-19) and I’m studying:

- Biology

- Chemistry

- French

- German

- Maths (self-taught)

with the hope of going to Cambridge to study NatSci and eventually specialise as a chemist.

I love languages as much as I love science and am also a bit artsy sometimes - I used to want to be an author and I love writing. Art, too! I also love horses and used to ride (I can’t anymore unfortunately - my wrists have given up on me 😂)

Organic chemistry is my favourite thing ever and I do play with molecular modelling kits for fun. I’m also always buying books (mostly in French and German nowadays) and I never. end. up. reading. them.

Anyway, I’m always down for a chat so my ask box is open 24/7 if you need someone to talk to or even just want to say hi haha

I’m always looking for mutuals so don’t be shy ☺️

15/09/18 - 4/100 days of productivity

A bit unorthodox, perhaps, in that I’m not studying today - I’m going to the University of Nottingham open day :)

It’s a lovely feeling when it all comes together in your favour. There is light at the end of the tunnel, no matter how long or dark that tunnel is 💛

I told myself that I could do it, and I did. When I got my first exam back, I was happy until others put me down. Our class has gotten our results back from exam three, and I did exceptionally well. I was one of the highest grades in the classroom. Some classmates ask to see your score in hopes of making them feel better about themselves, and some genuiley care. I am not sure how to explain it, but when people ask about your mark, you can tell if they are genuine or not. The usual people who like to ask about my grade wanted to know what I got and when I told them they simply said, “oh.” I felt that they were expecting me to fail because I know that feeling too well. Studying in the library, mostly every day until 11:00 pm, really paid off. I just want to remind myself that I can do it, and I am proud of you.