Results Day

Today is, and always will be, one of the most nerve wracking and important days in my life so far. Today, I found out what grades I got for my a-levels which will determine my place at university.
Firstly, I want to make it clear that I am post my A-level results because this is my blog for myself; my thoughts, feelings and experiences. I am not doing it to boast or whatever.
Anyway.....
I got:
History- B
Psychology- C
Human Biology- B
General Studies- B

So I'm able to go to Manchester University to study Adult Nursing in 2015!

I'm really really really pleased with my results. The past year has been super super hard and I'm so glad it's finally over.

If you've received your results today, I hope you're okay and stay strong!!
If you have any questions or queries, comment/tweet/message me on tumblr cause i'm gonna go celebrate.
Thanks for reading,
Kitty x

The Excellent Exam Guide

Its exam season! Yay! Endless weeks of being tested on things you've learnt in the past year (or two years if you've suffered Gove's reforms)!
As you may well know, I am about to complete my A2s (second year of a-levels), so these will be my last exams taken in school. That would be exciting if these exams weren't so important that if I fail them I have to recalculate my life plan.
Anyway, everybody is stressed and exhausted and nervous about exams so I thought I'd share some tips on how to make exams more fun. (These are all things which I have done during exams.)

• Write in blue ink- The possibility of being disqualified really increases the fun suspense until results day.
• Write incredibly quickly- Instead of sticking to the time limits which you set yourself to complete that essay, finish it in 20 minutes. Then take an obnoxious break, stretch your arms and cough loudly to let everyone know you're way ahead of schedule.
• Don't bring a calculator to a calculator maths exam- You're clever enough to do it all in your head.
• Make a tower of of stationary- Be creative. The invigilators are so bored and I'm sure they'll really appreciate the wobbling tower of the contents of your pencil case. Especially when it all falls on the floor.
• Sit in the wrong seat- A quick and easy way to confuse both yourself and everyone else in the room about why you've sat in a seat without an exam paper. When you have to not-so-subtly slide into the seat in front of you, the embarrassment will cause an adrenaline rush and you'll do better!
• Drink a ridiculous amount of water until you start choking- Once you've completed your exam paper, challenge yourself to drink the rest of your water. When you begin to choke and an invigilator has to come and ask if you're okay, you've won!

Hope your exams go okay; good luck and stay calm.

Thanks for reading,

Kitty x

Moving On Up

On my final day of secondary school education (which is tomorrow but I am being proactive and posting now wow go me), I'm feeling weirdly relieved. If you read my previous blog post, you would have realised that I've been at my current school for the past 7 years, so its been a big deal to leave. But, unlike in the past few months, I'm starting to feel disenchanted with school and I really feel ready to leave. I've spent a good deal of my life there, and I've changed a lot compared to the shy little chubby girl who was really terrified of the world. I'm moving on from a lot of things at the moment, and it just seems suitable to leave school behind.
One thing I'm finding hardest to come to terms with is the fact that, after 7 years, I am only keeping in contact with a few people. I've lost more friends than I've gained and that's kind of a scary prospect. I partly think its because people don't like the person I've become- which is fine. I've changed a lot , in particular this year, because of stress, breakups, life choices etc. I'm not ashamed of the person I am. I guess that is just the way school goes, and I can't wait to move on and make new friends (or if not, adopt loads of animals).
I guess I'm just feeling a bit sad that I don't have a lot to show from 7 years of school.
I'm still going to cry my eyes out of course, this school was a massive part of my life. Plus I'm a hormonal, nostalgic, frequent cryer.
If you're also leaving school, please comment/tweet/tumblr message me and tell me how you're feeling about it.
Thanks for reading,
Kitty x


(p.s, I have gap year news! I'm heading off to New Zealand on October 24th with BUNAC! i'll do another gap year post soonish maybe though)

The Key To Happiness

I've been thinking about happiness a lot lately, and what it feels like to be truly happy. It's been a really tough past couple of months, and so any moments in which I feel happy are treasured. However there are very few moments that I can still re-live the feeling of pure joy for life, and they remind me to smile even when I'm sad.
It's a pretty rough time for anyone at the moment I feel, so I'm encouraging both you and myself to think about the happier times to get us through the darker times. So, here are my most treasured moments of happiness within the past year.

8th August - Yasmin (one of my best friends) and I went to Cardiff to visit the 'Doctor Who Experience'. It was my first trip which was without parents that I had organized and it felt good. I was starting to buzz with the idea of leaving home and, as you may remember, this was the trip where the Gap Year idea started. My favourite memory from this trip, however, was when we visited the Tardis set in the BBC studios. We were so unbelievably excited and could barely contain ourselves; which made our fellow tour-takers smile a lot. We ran around the set like hyper children, joining in with the jokes that the tour guides made and enthusiastically answering jolly quiz questions. It makes me smile about how excited we were, and the way it felt to be a little bit more carefree in a new city.

15 or 16th or something August 2013- Results day. My stomach was churning, my hands shaking and my dress sense was fabulous (dressing nicely calms me down). I had every second of the morning planned out, even the playlist for the car on the way to collect them. After the usual 'wait, how do you say your name' fiasco, I collected that ugly brown envelope. And I opened it. And I cried a bucket load of happy, 'thank god that's over' tears. I hadn't failed Human Biology which, as someone who wants to apply for nursing, is pretty essential. I stood, still shaking, having to mop up my face with my Dad's handkerchief. It was a really weird day, because a lot of people close to me were pretty upset but the relief that swept over me was unbelievable. Plus it was because of that day that I got the motivation to work for Year 13.

25th-29th October- The Berlin history trip was probably the happiest I have ever been (or that I can remember), and that was largely due to the fact that I was really really unhappy and yet I managed to let that go and enjoy myself with my best friend Darcy. The whole trip was totally amazing, but there was one moment that really stuck out. And this story will be told in great detail, so bear with me.
Darcy and I were having a pretty rough day, as many of our fellow classmates were being a bit insensitive when it came to a memorial. We eventually found a Dunkin' Donuts in the Sony Center to relax in and had a gorgeous lunch (both in terms of food and conversation) in which we shared a lot of stuff and became even closer. On our way to meet the rest of the group, we noticed a large red carpet being set up, and the Thor 2 film being advertised. One of our classmates told us that it was the Berlin premiere for the film that night but we refused to believe him. It was confirmed soon after that, but we dismissed the idea that we could turn up as we were on a school trip. Luckily, one of the attending teachers was a big Marvel fan and agreed to let us return in time to see the actors arriving. We madly fantasized about being able to see the actors and worked ourselves up into a frenzy of excitement. When the time came, our teachers said meet back at 9 and gave us free reign. Darcy and I immediately ran off into the crowd, shouting excuse me in poor German as we went, and got an okay space to see the red carpet. Chris Hemsworth passed right by us and we screamed with happiness, still amazed that we were here. Somehow, I'll never know how, we managed to get to the front of our section of barriers. We waited patiently until Tom Hiddleston arrived and screamed with happiness when he did. He spent a small amount of time signing stuff on the other side of the carpet and then went off to be interviewed. By chance, he quickly returned to the hoards of people and started signing again. His agent was keen to move him on, and by this point our barrier started screaming for him to come over.
I'll never know why, but he did. He ran over to our barrier and, whilst nearly slipping, ran straight to me and Darcy. Over the screams of people around us, he said (and if this is wrong, Darcy, please correct me. It's a mad blur) "Here are tickets to my premiere tonight, come and see my film." Darcy grabbed the tickets and he had to run off.
Screams. We screamed, a lot. We had no idea what to do. After being told what to do (go on the red carpet!) by some lovely fans next to us, we eventually got onto the red carpet. Still star-struck and mega shocked, we made our way up the red carpet to see our other friends in the crowd; amazed.
I don't think I will ever be as happy as I was that day. It was totally amazing, and made me giddy with excitement whenever I think about it.
Here are some GIFs and pictures...

 

Anyway! Those were my happiest moments of this past year (yes I know we are in May of this year, but I can't top Berlin). I'm not kidding when I say I think of these when I'm sad, and it really does work. Remembering that Tom Hiddleston personally gave you tickets to his film premiere really gets the Serotonin levels rising. 

If this blog post can tell you anything, it's that life can be really rubbish sometimes and it can suck when you feel you have nothing to be happy about. But that doesn't mean it always will be. One of the reasons why I had such a fantastic time in Berlin was because I was in such a dark place, and suddenly I was given a chance to relax and enjoy myself.

Even when things are going wrong, you can always have something to keep you going.

Feel free to share your happiest moments with me in the comments, on twitter or on tumblr.

Thanks for reading,
Kitty x

p.s) this blog post is dedicated to Darcy, my best girl. I love you, keep going. 

How Not To Revise

Revision is not a fun pass-time, or at least it isn't for me. As you may remember, I am revising for my A2s which will be my last exams taken in school ever. Due to this, several different family members/friends/teachers keep telling me that "it's a hard push now but it will be over soon". I am perfectly aware of this, but it doesn't make it easier- I would rather just give up and become a full time crazy dog woman. Nevertheless, I have spent this past week of Easter break revising, and I couldn't help but think of ways which I could (unsuccessfully) revise whilst having fun.
So I made a list of things to try at home to spice up revision!

- Take a shot every time you get a question right, so you get drunk and revise at the same time! Everybody knows alcohol makes you remember better.

-If you get a question wrong, do 10 push ups. Your brain will work harder to not get them wrong or you'll be so muscly that you won't need to revise, you can simply impress the examiner.

- Do an Easter Egg hunt thing around your house, but with clues as exam questions.

- Remove your eyeballs and imprint mind maps on them, but remember to put your eyeballs back in your head.

-Busk revise! Speak through and explain the topics you're revising on the street to the public. It will stay in your head and someone will probably hopefully give you money. Either through pity or insanity.

- Pretend that you are learning everything in order to survive a Zombie Apocalypse. Really commit to the part by only dressing in rags and carrying a large weapon during your allotted revision time.

- Turn yourself into a Disney princess and swish your hair out of a window whilst singing what your revision is. You can then re-enact the songs during the exam!

- Create a trap in your house in which you can only escape from if you do an hour of revision and a past paper.

- If you get really desperate, try snorting/smoking/ingesting your revision notes just before the exam. Your body will then soak up the information due to the Adrenaline and you'll pass with flying colours!

I hope these will help over the next few months when we are all revising. Best of luck mes amigos!
Thanks for reading,
Kitty x

The Great Open Day Obstacle

I should, if I had it my way, be writing this blog post from the rooftop apartment which overlooked Rome, eating mozzarella and bathing in the spring sunshine. This is sadly not the case as my holiday has now ended, and the next 10 weeks will be filled with crying and revision- oh to be a sixth former!
To give myself peace of mind that I am in some way spreading my somewhat limited but amusing (at least I hope) wisdom, here is a post about open days.

Summer time (shh we're nearly there. Or at least I was when I was in Rome yesterday. Sigh.) means open day time. This roughly translates to gallivanting around universities, aimlessly looking at slightly shabby accommodation and nabbing as much free stuff as possible. For many, there is no clear action plan with open days and this makes me sad. As an experienced open day goer (I went to 9, I was a little bit obsessed.) I have developed a solid plan for you to follow.

• Make sure you book yourself onto said open days, if needs be, and sign in. They will keep track of who has signed on and arrived, and may help your application (this could be an urban myth, but it doesn't hurt).
• Take a parent/guardian/someone responsible. I mentioned this in my 'How Do I University' post, and I meant it. Going with your friends sounds like a laugh but, sorry for being a party pooper, your parents/guardians/responsible person are the ones who will be helping you/probably paying through this process. Plus they will inevitably ask questions to the slightly scary people who you're too shy to say anything too- which is a bonus.
• Plan before you go. Check how to get there and what talks/tours you want to do. The planning will get smoother with each open day, and soon you'll be darting in and out of the confused crowd of teenagers who don't know where the shuttle bus leaves. Amateurs. 
• Take a bag and a pen/paper. One of my parents always did, and we always used them. I don't know how just do it- you'll look really prepared and cool.
• Go to student finance talks. Please. At least one. They are super helpful in outlining what you're entitled to and will make your process for student loans a lot easier. And it will make your parents happy which, during the uni process, is a blessing; trust me.
• Go to the course talk. Every time. This seems really obvious but, even if like me you're doing a course that has to be the same at every uni, the way its presented etc is really important. If the course leader squishes you all into a small room and talks at you for 2 hours, re-evaluate that uni.
• Visit the course building(s) that you are interested in! You'll find current students there who will give you the most realistic spin on the course that they can, and it will be worthwhile. Plus you should be going for the course talk anyway....
• Go along to the student union because they're usually super cool and make you think 'oh wowee I wanna go here!', plus that is where the free stuff is.
• If possible, hop along to student accommodation. It's a distant future thought, I know, but it could be a make or break. One uni I visited planned to put all the nursing students together in this creepy cul-de-sac; deal breaker.
• Know your limits. Once you start wishing that you had never even thought about uni because your feet ache so much, or you are planning on slicing off the face of the next person who mentions the word student loans; stop. Take a break. It's a surprisingly tiring experience, don't be afraid to have a nice piece of cake and a cuppa.
• Try and be practical. You could be living in this environment for 3 years! Don't decide to choose a uni based on the fact that it has a really pretty lake on campus.

I know it's a long list, but its stuff I wish I had known. I grant my knowledge to you, young warrior, use it well.

If you're mega keen to know where I went/applied to get the inside gossip, Tweet/comment/tumblr message me.

Thanks for reading,
Kitty x

Are You A Feminist?

I am a Feminist. I have been since I understood what it means, thanks to my sister. I am by no means an expert on Feminism, and I don't do as much as I should to promote it. But the reason why I wanted to make this blog post is because I am sick of having to correct my peers' ignorance on this topic, I shouldn't have to.
It's 2014 and some people still think that Feminism means 'man-hating'. The Oxford dictionary states feminism as “The advocacy of women’s rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes”.
Equality. Feminism is all about just that. It is a movement which hopes to improve issues in which women face in the modern world, in order to make the sexes equal. Yes, there are issues with men’s rights too, and nowadays those are fought alongside women’s rights because people realise that the sexes aren't equal.

People who say “I’m fed up with feminists thinking that ‘equality’ means that they have to have better rights than men” (actual quote from someone I know) are incorrect. They are talking about people who believe in matriarchy which, as defined by oxford dictionary, is “A system of society or government ruled by a woman or women”. 

These definitions are, obviously, not the same. But we need to help the ignorant realise that Feminism doesn't mean man-hating. Feminism is important because it is helping to create equality. I need Feminism because I shouldn't have to endure cat-calling in the street when I'm wearing my school uniform. From the age of 13/14, I have endured (albeit small) moments of street harassment. I have had female teachers call me a slut because my skirt is not knee-length. I have been taught that the way I dress will determine whether I deserve to be harassed, either verbally or physically. For these reasons, I am happy to call myself a Feminist. I am happy to correct the ignorance which gets thrown around on Facebook, Twitter or the Sixth Form common room. I hope that one day I will be able to say I'm a Feminist without getting criticism.

Apologies if I have stated something incorrectly, please tell me if so!

Thanks for reading,
Kitty x

How Do I University?

Panic time! It's almost April! Things are starting to happen! Mad panic is starting to descend on schools (especially sixth form, see my previous post) but there are also lots of pretty flowers and baby animals springing up everywhere.
For me, its 'crunch time' when I'm meant to be planning my gap year, deciding on my university place, doing my coursework, revising, socialising and looking for a job... but instead I'm blogging.
But I do not want to complain about being in Year 13, I have twitter/tumblr/family/friends for that! I'm here to tell you all about the beginnings of the university process because its that time of year, and I'm a university veteran. This time last year, I was madly booking open days to attend whilst looking into the course I wanted to do and checking I was on track to get those grades. For me, it was slightly easier when it came to the Uni process because my sister had already been through it. But, unlike her, I was determined to visit a wide range of universities because, quite frankly, I had no idea where I wanted to go. I ended up visiting 9 different universities.
So, to prevent you from getting completely stuck on how to start the 'How do I university' process, I thought I'd give you some pointers:

• What course do you want to do? Unfortunately, our culture seems to insist you know what you want to do with your life right now. Luckily for me, I had known since age 11 but others don't. Take a moment to think and don't be afraid to shop around for different options- Is uni right for you? If you are completely unsure, talk to teachers, friends, parents, etc. If you're utterly stuck and see no way out, take a deep breath and think. You cannot force a career choice. 
• Where is your course offered? People always seem to miss this step. Your course isn't offered everywhere- I'm sorry to burst your bubble. You are going to have to use the UCAS website and search, which is possibly the worst website I've ever used. You will have to search for different variations of your course, and some places won't appear but don't worry! WhichUni and WhatUni are better, use them as well. 
• Begin to shortlist! Get rid of Universities that don't float your boat,  have ridiculously high grades for you, and are in the wrong country (Scotland is difficult to get into, they favour Scottish and EU students over other UK students). Do not get rid of cities you don't know/ don't like because you might be surprised.
• Book your open days. Just do it. Check the dates, ask for those days off from school/college/work and, if possible, get someone sensible to come with you (not friends that are choosing the same uni, if possible. They make decisions harder.) Once you visit, you'll get an idea of what that university is like and you can ask questions galore. Once you've done this, you'll be able to know whether you want a campus or city university, whether you want to go on tariff points or grades, whether you want to live near or far and, most importantly, who offers the best course for you.

Never forget that this is your process, nobody else's. If you really really really hate a university, don't be afraid to blacklist it, even if your parents/family/friends/teachers/guardian angel tells you otherwise. Trust your gut instinct! I visited the university my sister attends and hated it, it made me feel like I was in a bad crime drama. I also hated some very prestigious universities that my family wanted me to attend. I wasn't afraid to tell them because, in the end, I was the one who'd be there for 3 years+. 

Try really really really hard, however, not to pick a favourite. You might not get your favourite and it hurts. I set my heart on a university which I could have pretty easily got into, but sadly they changed their criteria last minute and refused to allow deferred entry. I didn't know and, to my dismay, was very quickly rejected after submitting my application. It sucked, and I regretted every setting my heart on one place.

Best of luck my lovelies! Tweet/comment/tumblr message me if you have any queries.

Thanks for reading,
Kitty x

Springtime in Sixth Form

It's this time of year, as my biology teacher said, when people either sink or swim. For very obvious reasons, this is the hardest part of the year. I look around the Sixth Form at this time of year, and I see very tired faces. Faces that crave caffeine, sleep, to not be doing a-levels anymore and probably alcohol (gin and tonic please, if you're offering). Everybody is aware of the pressures that are on them (upcoming exams, coursework, UCAS/future plans) and there seems to be a constant struggle to stay awake and keep fighting. Some people do begin to slip and lose motivation, I know I am, but you have to realize that it will be over soon and you can relax. It's not gonna be a fun next few months, but it will be worth it.
If I can do it, you sure as hell can.

That's all for now, my next blog post will be about the road to choosing universities but I thought I'd wait till all got back to me.
Keep going, and just remember that , as my dad says, worse things happen at sea!
Thanks for reading,
Kitty x

The Realisation That I'm Leaving

Ten weeks. That's all. I have ten weeks left of secondary schooling and then I'm done. I've spent the last 12 years of my life in school (3 different ones but still) and it's really strange to think that it's all ending.

I've been at my current secondary school since I was 11, since I continued through Sixth Form, and I'm really going to miss it. I've not loved every second of my time here, that would be a huge exaggeration, and there are still days when I am joyous that I am leaving all these people behind.

Things I'll miss:

• Memories. I can walk around school and see where I used to chat and gossip, see where I started my longest relationship, where I broke down, where I found out that he liked me or where I first started to feel like an adult. It's terrifying to think that I will be leaving these places, but at least I know that all these places will be there for other people to make those memories.
• Teachers. I can't imagine what it's going to be like not having my favourite teachers encourage me, or just exchange witty banter. I'm pretty dependent on my teachers and I can't imagine life without them.
• School uniform. I will miss wearing a tie everyday. It is a skill I will probably never use again.
• The library. I love that stupid library. It's so warm and cosy and the school Librarian is really nice to me.
• The History and Drama departments. It smells like coffee and mental breakdowns and hours of hard work.
• Feeling like I'm queen of the school. Being in Sixth Form certainly has its perks.

Things I won't miss:

• 'Lower schoolers'. They bumble around with no purpose in life, occasionally making catty comments to you to impress your friends. Not fun.
• School dinners. Don't get me wrong, its not awful but there is a specific smell/taste to everything; bland.
• School uniform. I know I said I'll miss it, but it has 'swings and roundabouts'. I will not miss the days when I am stopped in the corridor and female teachers call me a 'slut' for wearing a skirt above the knee.
• Bells. My entire life at school is controlled by bells, and I don't like this. I am not one of Pavlov's dogs, thank-you.
• Assembly. Nothing kills your morning vibe more than sitting in a room with people you hate and listening to your head of sixth form make inappropriate sexist jokes.
• Plastic chairs/tables with chewing gum underneath/carpets with trodden down food. 

I hope this helps you appreciate school more/empathize if you are also leaving/makes you nostalgic about school.

I, however, am still terrified.

Thanks for reading,
Kitty x

Fight or Flight

There are times when I long to sweep away half the things I am expected to learn; for the overtaxed mind cannot enjoy the treasure it has secured at the greatest cost.- Helen Keller

Stress is a normal physical response to events which make you feel threatened or upset. Your nervous system floods your body with hormones such as adrenaline so it's ready for action.

I've heard quite a few stories about people having a really stressful time at the moment, and all I want to do is wrap them in a duvet, give them a cup of tea and stroke their hair. When I was going through my most stressful times, I would have loved someone to tell me how to deal with and that it would be okay. So, here's my story of stress.

I've always struggled with stress, ever since I began formal examinations and serious school work. Until Sixth Form, I'd generally managed to keep it under control. Once I realised that Year 12 was a massive uphill struggle, I began to stress. Year 12 saw me struggling with Human Biology and whether or not I'd actually be able to pull it off as an AS level, as well as sorting out my Drama performance.

Doing Drama is by far the most stressful experience I've had to date. Everything was going okay until one of the group members became really ill with something contagious so simply couldn't come into school. It was completely terrifying because none of us in the group had any idea what to do. With only two weeks until our exam, we had to carry on without a member and hope she'd be better. I decided to take charge (it's what I do naturally) and try and sort it all out. I reached a point where I would just break down whenever I wasn't doing Drama, and I was unable to concentrate on anything else. In the end, we had to post-pone the performance and we scraped through the exam.

The real issues came at the start of Year 13. I started off the year badly, as I broke up with my long-term boyfriend and felt pretty damn sorry for myself. As a way of forgetting about him, I threw myself into my work and started to compile my life around school. By Christmas I was massively struggling and spending all of my time work or crying. It got to the point where my poor history teacher had to take me aside and tell me straight that I was working too hard, and that I needed to take a step back. I took a deep breath, listened and took his advice.

I'm still stressed. I still get a sickening feel when I come across a problem that I feel I simply can't handle, and I spend far too much time thinking about school; but I'm getting better.

The best way to deal with stress is taking a step back/deep breath and reviewing the situation. It's all about prioritizing what needs to get done and when, and making allowances for yourself to relax. Read a book, lie in bed and just think, or just whatever keeps your mind off whatever is stressing you.

It will be okay, I promise.
Promise me you'll take a break every once in awhile, okay?
Thanks for reading,
Kitty x

An A-level Survival Guide

Disclaimer, A-levels suck.
I'm half kidding, I promise. They're completely new and exciting for all you poor GCSE takers who can't wait to take the subjects you are really passionate about. As I'm ending my time in Sixth Form *panicked crying about leaving school*, I thought I'd give you some tips about how to survive a-levels.

• Take subjects you enjoy. These subjects will basically be your life for the next two years, so don't take something just because you're good at it! Adding to that, being good at something at GCSE doesn't mean it will be an easy ride. Take subjects that you want to scream from the rooftops and write blog posts about. Also, choosing to do subjects that universities really like such as biology, chemistry, physics and maths may seem like a good idea but they will kill your spirit and make you hate education. Try and find a balance!
• Start to actually think about what you want to do in your life. Whether it's uni, college, a job or an apprenticeship look at your options ASAP! It's always better to be prepared, and the time when you actually have to decide comes really quickly.
• Take time to relax each week. Sixth form is a big shock for most people and I know from personal experience that it can really stress you out. One day you'll be sitting doing your work in the library and you'll suddenly find yourself stress crying about life. As long as you have whatever extra-curricular activity makes you happy, you'll be fine!
• Try and act like an adult. This is probably the most obvious piece of advice, and yet the most forgotten. Sixth form is a place where you are in adult limbo; not old enough to be completely responsible but not young enough to act like a huge prat. If you act like a young adult, you will be treated like one. Teachers will respect you and your two years of being overworked and crying will be illuminated by fond memories of your amazing teachers.
• Balance your social life. I say balance as opposed to have or don't have one. Do not party every 'student night', but don't spend all your time working. There will be times when you go out after a long day at school and it will be a lovely release. However, if you decide to go to a gig on a school night, get drunk and subsequently have to post-pone your psychology experiment because you are hungover, you will feel a fool (totally not my experience...)
• Don't waste this opportunity. Once you reach the penultimate months of your time in Sixth form, like I have, you will look back and think "where did the time go" blah blah blah. 

I hope this guide was in some way helpful! 

Thanks for reading,

Kitty x

The Beginning

One fine afternoon, someone suggested that I spread my somewhat limited wisdom on yet another social networking platform.
I want to start a blog all about how to cope with launching into the world of choosing universities, becoming a student nurse,how to plan/survive a gap year and just general life advice. As I learn the hard way, I'll update all you lucky people on how to avoid the mistakes or take the opportunities by the scruff of the neck.

I'll start off the boring way and tell you a bit about myself.
I'm 17 and currently taking 3 a-levels (human biology, psychology, history). I'm hoping to become a nurse in the very near future, but first I've taken the mad decision to attempt to travel the world with my best friend on a very small budget. 

A lot of people have asked me why I'm taking a gap year, and my answers have varied in their truthfulness each time. On my personal statement I made it look like it would really help me excel in my chosen career; an incredibly idealistic view, but I still hope its true.
My friends and teachers and parents all think that it's to earn money and see the world.
But it's really because I don't want to start being a proper adult yet. I want to travel and work long crappy jobs, make slightly stupid decisions and spend money on stupid souvenirs which I'll keep for 30 years whilst I re-tell my gap year stories. With my chosen degree of nursing, you start working in a placement pretty quickly so you're essentially a nurse from that point, and although I think I'm ready to do that one day, this year isn't time. I need a bit more life experience before I can start help other people with theirs. I can't imagine what it would be like to be fresh from 'cushy' sixth form life to being in a position where people genuinely need you; that terrifies me right now. I'm hoping that by this time next year, I'll be desperate to start university and nursing and adult life.

So there you go, I've poured out the truth about my mad reasons for a gap year. 
Stay tuned for more slightly depressing home truths, and rants about how I am winging life.
Thank-you for reading,
Kitty x