ah, uni life, how i "love" you.

So, it's the second week of uni and I ache all over.

I really don't know why I'm stil doing Chemistry. Okay, that's a lie... it's just a subject that I need to complete so that I can hopefully continue my studies once I finish my Science degree. But I'm still not liking it much. I remember the good old days when Chemistry and I couldn't be separated. I spent hours on Chemistry in year 11 because I actually enjoyed it. But now it's just a nightmare. Maybe it's because I haven't been working on it as much as I should, but it still doesn't explain why I get to bored and sleepy during Chemistry lectures.

Sometimes I regret dropping Physics for Optics. I miss doing Physics despite my whinning. It's a fun subject and learning about the way the world works is just incredible. It's just learning about Relativity that kinda busted my relationship with it. BUT, I like-love Optics. Some of the lectures can be quite boring, but most of the time it's pretty fascinating. However, its greatest advantage is the people in my Optics practical. We've only had one prac so far, but I'm really enjoying their company.

I reckon one of the best decisions I made in VCE was not to pick up Biology. There's just so much information that I need to memorise that my mind aches from thinking about it. But we're doing genetics right now and it's pretty interesting. I just wish I didn't have to be tested on it, otherwise, I would willingly go to all lectures.

As for my breadth, Human Rights and Global Justice, I had no idea it was a second year subject. I picked it for its little contact hours but I find I'm doing a lot of work for it. It's kinda like Biology in that I have to memorise a lot of stuff, but it's also demanding in my "critical thinking" area. Despite that though, I like learning about Human Rights and Global Justice from a variety of disciplines - Law, Medicine, History, Population Health and Social and Political Sciences.

Anyway, the real reason why I ache all over is because of my BRACES!! And because I have to take these big arse tablets every day since I'm really really really low in iron...

habits of mind and our homeroom gift

Another sheet that Mr O shared with my Yr 11 homeroom. I managed to find the sheet online :O

So here's the link to have a look (downloadable pdf - look for summary poster). But I'm just gonna do a summary of the summary of it. I love lists. They're so organised :D

Thanks to www.habitsofmind.org

1. Persisting
2. Managing implusivity
3. Listening with understanding and empathy
4. Thinking flexibly
5. Thinking about your thinking (metacognition)
6. Striving for accuracy
7. Questing and problem posing
8. Applying past knowledge to new situations
9. Thinking and communicating with clarity and precision
10. Gather data through all senses
11. Creating, imagining and innovating
12. Responding with wonderment and awe
13. Taking responsible risks
14. Finding humour
15. Thinking independently
16. Remaining open to continuous learning

And, at the end of the year, when each homeroom teacher needed to .... compliment their respective homeroom, Mr O wrote us a poem. He printed it on nice paper and I swear I'll get around to laminating it one day!



Ode to St Angela's 2009

Now there's no one sweeter than our Bonita
And Maureen is everyone's mate
Sam is either hyper or asleep
Anna's a thinker who is deep
And Monica reckons she's "the Great"
Emma is a gemma
Jenny Thai is nice and shy
Quesion: Now if someone goes out with Janani
Should her name be changed to Jananme
Morgan is always smiling and glowing,
And a nose ring on Nicole is always showing,
There's always a grin on Sophia Nguyen?
But is there anyone as fair as Claire?
Is there any jewellery with as much bling?
As Shannen Wickremasinghe?
We must confessa we all love Tessa
And Ana is a boomer
I can't tell the difference between the Watson twins
But I love Aliesha's dry sense of humour
Catherin tells me where to go
And then what to do
And if I want another opinion
Lillian always gives me her point of Vu
I'm not being silly, but where is Lily?
When I got assigned to year eleven
I wasn't sure of what would be hell or heaven
And I don't want to turn this into a farce
But St Angela has got to be the best class!

- Class Teacher: P O'Neil 2009 -

thanks mr o

I've been cleaning through my pile of worksheets, books and whatnot throughout the years. I found this in my homeroom section from Year 11. Still remember the homeroom periods that I had in that year. Mr O really took care of us and tried to inform us and encourage us for the future and of course, at that time, the struggles of VCE.

He told us the story of a man and his persistence and perseverance towards his goal.I remember sitting there being in awe of this man. I'm pretty sure Anna was as well...HAHA. Anyway, here's what Mr O shared to the class, and since I'm gonna throw the sheet away, I wanted to type it up so I've got it somewhere.


"Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.

Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.

Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.

Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.

Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.

The slogan "PRESS ON" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race"

- Calvin Coolidge -

Train ride home

Just a tidbit of a conversation I heard. I thought it was sweet and it probably made my day.

Hey, I'm still on the train right now. There's some beef in the fridge, but it's fine if you don't want to cook. You're probably dead tired. Wait till I get home and I'll see if I can do something with it.

- A male on the phone.

latin pop

I'm really getting into Latin pop music right now. Been youtube-ing non-stop! I feel so familiar with the genre - maybe its because there was a period of time when all I did listen to was Latin pop. Of course, this was back when I was in year 5 and 6. I constantly played the tape whenever I could - in the car, in my room etc. It got to the point where I made duplicates just in case something happened to the primary one. Thank goodness I was smart, keke. My primary cassette didn't work anymore, all the tape had gone out of its case.

I remember that most of the songs in the tape were sang by Marc Anthony. Funnily enough, there was a Backstreet Boys song as well - Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely. I loved all the songs on that tape. Never skipped a song, though it was kind of hard to skip a song to begin with. I would usually end up in the middle of the next song or lose my attention and wound up at the end of the tape.

Anyway, here's one of the songs that I've been listening to on repeat.

David Bisbal - Buleria


ENGLISH TRANSLATIONhttp://lyricstranslate.com/en/buleria-buleria.html

[CHORUS]
Buleria, buleria, so deep inside my soul
It's the blood of the land I was born in
Buleria, buleria, I love you more every day
I live being in love with you since the moment I saw you

Come, like a madman through life
With the heart beating
Because it knows that you are there

Ah life! It throbs with joy
it inebriates my feelings
with your kisses more and more

Ah skin! The moon's curse
the beauty of a rose
and the warmth of the sea

Ah you are! sweet wine from the grapes
where I drink, with your lips,
from the fountain of love

[CHORUS]

I want, to live here by your side
chained to your body
charmed by passion

Ah nothing! Without your love I'm nothing
I'm a drifting ship
that is shipwrecking because of the pain

The perfume from your breath I want to breathe
and that magic there is in your gaze
(I want) to be the hero of your dreams and so much more
I want to be your calm and your storm

[CHORUS x2]

Come near very slowly, allow yourself to be felt
Start already this fire that is inside me

(Ay, ay, ay, Don't leave me without your love)
Without your kisses I'm nothing but a pitiful heart
(Ay, ay, ay, Don't leave me without your love)
By your side there is no sorrow, there is no pain
(Ay, ay, ay, Don't leave me without your love)
For your memory is always walking the same path I walk

[CHORUS x2]

Ah Virgin (Mary) in heaven, you know how much I love her
she is the moon, she is the moon, without her I die
on my knees I beg you. Tell her that I love her
I don't want to live alone anymore. Tell me how long

[CHORUS x2]