Practically Alice

Exams are thrown at you as soon as you begin going to school. Don't get me wrong, I sincerely value my education and I enjoy learning but I strongly dislike exams. Since year 10 (since I was fourteen) I have either been learning things for exams, revising for them or actually doing them. The way we're assessed, I feel, is rather subjective to the examiner and plays to some people's talents and not others. I find that if I am given a week or so I can right a substantially good essay, I will work hard at it and I won't hand it in late or unfinished. In exams, however, I panic and find it so hard to write stuff that is consistently good! I don't feel there is any strict criteria, so to speak, and it's hard to know what to do and what not to do. In all my AS subjects you have to know a hell of a lot of stuff (fair enough - it's AS level) but you have to have intricate and perfect phrasing and have to have extremely good essay writing skills, which I've had...

I am sitting in a classroom on a rather ancient computer with a slightly broken keyboard. I am admittedly tired and the flickeryness of the screen is not helping too much; plus the fact that I don't actually have my glasses on. I am procrastinating - despite having all my work done and I'm pretty on top of things at the moment, I haven't finished reading this book that I need to read for four pm today. I like a challenge as much as the next person but my mind seems to work in a peculiar way... I split things I need to do into two categories: leisure and work. This book that I'm reading falls into neither of these categories. I spent Saturday as an invalid, confined to my sofa and reading for pleasure and since now I'm on top of my work so I just want to spend my time relaxing... such as watching "Fight Club" (which I have taken from the school library, as it was recommended by my philosophy teacher). This book doesn't fall into work or leisure so ...

I love books. If you know me, you probably know that I love books, because I am now on a leaflet that is advertising Young Volunteering over however a larger area. It's rather disconcerting (and, to be quite frank, the picture could be nicer too!) that people can see my face whenever they want to... not that they can't do that anyway, what with making the YouTube videos and what have you thingy ma bob. This book to your *works out left and right in head* right (? I have no idea... my brain is sleepy) is the book that John Green recently recommended and I have also recently purchased because of this recommendation. I learnt last time ( Anna-and-the-French-Kiss- last-time) that John Green is pretty damn good at book recommendations! I run a reading group with some of the people I volunteer with at my library and we're just  getting started. We've had three people turn up so far ( I know. ) but we're working on it! I'm currently annoyed because I wrote a lovely...