The Student Room Group

A-Levels with Pizzazz(y.r)- A GYG Saga

Hi everyone! :smile:

So, first of all, apologies for the terrible pun. Expect a lot of those in the coming GYG.
Secondly, hi (again)! It's zazzy.r on here, but if you'd prefer you can call me Rosa :smile: I've just started Year 12 at a grammar school in the South East.

Subjects studied:

English Literature
History
Spanish
+ Music theory, until November, when my exam is (aaaah!)

Extra-Curriculars:

Either an EPQ or Young Enterprise (we have to wait until we get a final answer from our school)
Piano- I'll hopefully be doing grade 7 in the summer
I also sing in a choir but that's not particularly serious
At the moment I'm considering going for Head Girl or at least prefect/ senior prefect.

Other interests:

I love musicals so much! My favourite at the moment has to be Six The Musical or Oliver! The Musical, but I love so many and am constantly finding new ones to love.
I love to read (as you can probably tell from my A-Level choices)
I find linguistics really interesting (by the way, if you're looking for a fun podcast about modern day English: lingthusiasm is amazing, hosted by Gretchen McCulloch and Lauren Gawne. I'm not affiliated with them, it's honestly just brilliant)

Uni hopes:

My dream would have to be English Lit + History at Oxford. The offer is only AAA (*only* she says), and my GCSEs are above the median at this course (7x 8 or 9s if you were wondering), but the course is gruelling, as is the interview process, and I just don't know that I'd cope or enjoy it. Ultimately, though, my downfall will be caring about what others think. There was a trip to Oxford in Year 11 for the top twenty students in my year, as they were "identified as having good prospects if they chose to apply to Oxbridge". I did end up on the King's College London trip for the next twenty students, but, nonetheless, it did really knock my confidence. That said, my GCSEs were better than expected; significantly better than many who went on the Oxford trip in the first place. Now here's an issue: there is a second trip in two weeks from today, open to anyone, regardless of GCSE standard. I do want to go, but we have to go up to a specific teacher (my old maths teacher, who I reckon thinks I'm a bit dim) to get the letter. That thought- the thought of having to specifically say to someone "I am considering Oxford and may have a chance, please help me" terrifies me. ANYWAY essay over, sorry, but big love to anyone that read that.
Durham
Bristol
Exeter (but Exeter doesn't offer Eng + History so it'd have to be the Penryn campus, and living in Cornwall is a bit scary)
York
Southampton
Sussex
_______________________________________________________

Honestly I'm just starting this blog with the aim to find a bit more motivation and hopefully make some pals along the way?

If you have any questions about anything, be that me, my courses or just generally, I'll try my best to answer within reason. :smile: Have a wonderful day everyone!
(edited 4 years ago)
Reply 1
Good luck! :rave:
Reply 2
Original post by nyxnko_
Good luck! :rave:

Thank you!
Reply 3
Hello All!

Updates on today:

Today I'm really tired to be honest, not sure why but I did have a bad headache yesterday so perhaps I'm getting ill, which would definitely not be ideal. This morning I've been taking it easy, I wrote up my timetable to a better format for me (but not fully as they haven't timetabled our private studies or PE lessons yet), and I was sorting out uni open days. I've not signed up for any yet because it's all a bit up in the air at the moment. It's a bit of a nightmare to be honest, I missed Southampton and it's all already super stressful!

Plans:

I'm busy tomorrow for my NCS graduation, but it's a mystery as to how long it'll take, which means I need to get a good amount done today. I think I'll organise my folders and finish my notes today. Maybe I'll read Streetcar which will take a couple of hours, but if not I'll do some Spanish. Honestly I have no clue how today will pan out, but fingers crossed I actually get something done today!! I should also email ahead for Young Enterprise, because that's part of the application process- not entirely sure whether I need to, since it was my reserve, but better be safe than sorry I suppose?

How's your day been?

Song of the day: Outlines by All Time Low. Absolute banger. Go. Listen.
Reply 4
Hope you feel better soon :hugs:
Reply 5
Original post by nyxnko_
Hope you feel better soon :hugs:

Thanks!! Bad headaches have become a regular thing now and can be quite debilitating because they're That painful. Probably should go to the doctor or something, or at least grow up and take painkillers but I have bad experiences so nope. Oh well! :smile:
Reply 6
Original post by zazzy.r
Thanks!! Bad headaches have become a regular thing now and can be quite debilitating because they're That painful. Probably should go to the doctor or something, or at least grow up and take painkillers but I have bad experiences so nope. Oh well! :smile:

Defo go to the doctor's if they're that painful :console: Maybe they'll offer some insight into what causes them :redface:
Reply 7
Hello all!

It's been a while since I've posted but nonetheless in terms of meaningful updates I'm a bit thin on the ground!

Stress is getting bad- I'm letting piano slip a bit because I've not done any of that, we're being set huge tasks for some lessons already and I am struggling a bit in all honesty, but that's okay I suppose. This update will be short but, basically, tasks at the moment:


- 11 kinds of scales from G and Db, plus the arpeggios etc.
- Tidy up
- Finish notes
- Email the guy whose book I've been trying to help to edit
- Type up timetable
- Do my bibliography for a big history project (halfway between a dissertation about James and Charles- whether either of them was equipped to be a monarch and which was worse)
- Write a few lists to do with essays for my English teacher
- Read Death of a Salesman as wider reading for Streetcar
- Notes on apocopation for Spanish (someone help!!! When do you apocopate???)
- Watch a Spanish show on Netflix (it is a specific one but the name has gone)


I have done some other things already today but I won't list them now!

Song of the Day: Together in Electric Dreams. Such a BOP and it definitely needs to be more appreciated
(edited 4 years ago)
Reply 8
Original post by nyxnko_
Defo go to the doctor's if they're that painful :console: Maybe they'll offer some insight into what causes them :redface:


Yeah, thanks :frown: I expect it's dehydration or my glasses being dodgy, but can't get more since I'm 16 now so oh well, they never last long so it's not so bad
Reply 9
Original post by zazzy.r
Yeah, thanks :frown: I expect it's dehydration or my glasses being dodgy, but can't get more since I'm 16 now so oh well, they never last long so it's not so bad

Try and stay hydrated then :hugs:
Still, they must be very painful even if they don't last long :console:
Hope you get those tasks done!
And who's the artist of electric dreams? :holmes: Would like to give it a listen :redface:
best of luck
May the odds be forever in your favour, fam.

Tag me. I'm also studying literature! What awarding body are you with? :smile:
Reply 12
Original post by nyxnko_
Try and stay hydrated then :hugs:
Still, they must be very painful even if they don't last long :console:
Hope you get those tasks done!
And who's the artist of electric dreams? :holmes: Would like to give it a listen :redface:

Aw thank you, it's just hard to remember to ahaha
Me too!! It's mostly just very tiring- if you (or indeed anyone) wants I'll post an update soon enough
Philip Oakey + Giorgio Mordor- Together in Electric Dreams :smile: I expect you'll recognise it but it's still unfathomably underappreciated
Original post by gw07mcgheerachel
best of luck

thank you! I need it

Original post by Tolgarda
May the odds be forever in your favour, fam.

Tag me. I'm also studying literature! What awarding body are you with? :smile:

Thank you! I'm Edexcel, you? (Streetcar, Othello, Christina Rosetti, Modern Poetry, Dracula and Dorian Gray)
Original post by zazzy.r
Aw thank you, it's just hard to remember to ahaha
Me too!! It's mostly just very tiring- if you (or indeed anyone) wants I'll post an update soon enough
Philip Oakey + Giorgio Mordor- Together in Electric Dreams :smile: I expect you'll recognise it but it's still unfathomably underappreciated

If it helps, there are apps out there to track water intake and they remind you to drink water as well :yes:
Don't feel obligated to post updates :nah: You should post when you feel like it :redface:
Didn't recognise it :colondollar: but that is one boppy song! :dance:
Reply 14
Afternoon!!

It has been a good while since I've posted. I'd say it has been eventful but that would be a terrible lie! But, some basic updates:


I'm really struggling with history. My class is full of very very hard workers, and my teacher is piling on the work like there's no tomorrow, and it feels a bit like I'm drowning. :confused: I love history, but am debating dropping it- likely for Government and Politics. Thoughts?

I'm starting a book club? Mad.

My music theory has taken a back seat, which is just a tad stressful since my exam is the 6th Nov. I have a "don't die, kids!" course about driving from the school on that day, which is a trip, so I look forward to trying to blag my way out.

Grade 7 Practical is going well!

I have decided I definitely want to study English in some capacity. I have a huge doubt in my mind about if it's useful or worth it. I could, however, see myself in academia in one form or another.

I laughed till I cried today in Spanish, and my English teacher gave our class a group therapy session, both of which were much needed.

This has been the first time I've really struggled with Spanish, but I'm definitely keeping with it. I love language, and I love Spanish. It's been hard but I'm really enjoying it.

We're finally starting our set texts for English! We had some lessons on linguistics though, and that was super interesting, and as such a) I will really miss them and b) I really, really, really love linguistics.

I got onto EPQ!! 10 or so people did, but the question now is what to do it on. Definitely literature, maybe the presentation of power, or to what extent literature is a reflection of history, or something, but I Just Don't Know.

My physics remark went up!! If you had told me 6 months ago that I'd end up with an 8 in physics, I'd have said you were lying.

I now have half hour sessions once a fortnight with a language assistant to improve Spanish speaking, and the other week I spend an hour helping year 11 with speaking, which actually isn't as terrible as it sounds.

So, I went to the Oxford trip, in the end. It was amazing- I even met the English tutor at St. Anne's, and she was so lovely! I was the only one at my table, so I, in effect, had a one-on-one with her, which was quite intense and uncomfortable, but honestly she was one of the loveliest people I've met in a good while.

We're getting our first assessments. Pressure!

Our Spanish class has a new guy now! It was just four girls, and we were getting close, but now it's a bit awkward. Still, though, it's a far more interesting dynamic now.


Wowo, I had quite a few more updates than I'd anticipated! How have you all been? :biggrin:

Side note, but I'm new to GYG- please do tell me what you want me to post! My to-do list? (If so, I will write it now but realistically post it tomorrow morning).

I'm not quite sure what else to add so I'll love you and leave you. Have a wonderful week!

Song of the day (though, I suppose, it's more like the week): "Did It To Myself"- Orla Gartland. New release, but I do love Orla.



Tags: (I've just taught myself to do this, and I have to say, I am rather proud)

Spoiler

glad to hear you enjoyed oxford!
and hmm..from personal experience, you can literally post anything and everything lol (w-within reason...)
Interesting that you got such a discussion with someone so knowledgeable in her field, and also so experienced and immersed in the teaching of English literature. I'd have loved such a trip.

Also, I hear that the volume of content for politics is quite large, so you want this to be a very calculated decision. You don't want to trade one cumbersome bag of stress for another, so I'd advise that you check the politics spec and see how much you like it. Shame that history is becoming such a burden, haha.

Good luck with Spanish!

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