Politics: My first attempt at a commentary!

Today was a massive fail on the revision front. It's too late at night to try and claw it back now however; I think I'll just write a blog, and go to sleep, with the intention of getting up and revising HARD tomorrow. It didn't help that today I was forced to re-revise things from my first year. I dislike biochemistry, and I dislike forgetting things (even if I did learn them over a year ago...)

So. Tonight was the first ever televised UK Election debate. Gordon Brown (Labour), David Cameron (Conservative) and Nick Clegg (Lib Dem) discussed questions from an audience about issues key to the upcoming election.

I thought Gordon Brown handled himself better than I expected. He seemed confident in his abilities to continue ruling this country. Misplaced confidence if you ask me; I think the British public have had enough of Labour, and despite a fairly decent performance in tonight's debate, he is still bottom of opinion polls.

I don't think David Cameron came across very well however. These debates are key to persuading the nation that he is the man for the job, and as favourite, that should be easy-ish for him. He seemed a bit too fake to me however.

Finally, Nick Clegg. Hello weird crush for April. He seemed the most sincere. I agree that UK politics needs something new, and that maybe it is a new political party taking the helm. Let's see if he retains my interest until the General Election. He seemed to be the winner of tonight's debate anyway.

Speaking of which, I need to make sure I can actually vote! Having researched Nottingham and Basingstoke, it seems that Basingstoke is more of a marginal constituency than Nottingham, therefore my vote could be more useful here. Nottingham is a very safe Labour area. (In case anyone reading this wants to check out their area, look at http://www.voterpower.org.uk/)

That's something that really irritates me about voting in this country. I think that it should just work on a nationwide scale! Or you're not really representing everyone's views. A majority in an area is not fair representation; we need proportional representation. There must be some form of petition I can sign about this...

I'm sleepy, and I'm not sure that what I'm writing makes any sense. So I think I'll sign off here... More interesting blogs to come, honest!

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Why my Easter is going to be boring

I've decided it's time for another attempt at this blog malarky. Mainly because I have an urge to rant about politics, but also because I am revising and feel I need another form of procrastination. At least this one allows me to practice forming sentences (a skill I feel I am losing with all this note making!)

So. It's April 2010. I'm in Basingstoke, on what is probably my last ever Easter holiday, as this time next year I will be on clinicals (fingers crossed!).
My life is currently dominated by revision. I have been doing OK so far, and mostly meeting targets, although I've been struggling a little, and it's a fairly easy subject I'm currently tackling (Clinical Laboratory Sciences) so it could all go Pete Tong yet.

My friendship group in Basingstoke has dwindled to say the least. When I lived here full time, I had a boyfriend, about whom I was very serious. I was pretty much set on marrying him. This meant that my friendship group mostly became a set of 4 couples:

• Me and James. Finished over a year ago. We're still mates. He's currently in Portugal on holiday.
• Kim and Joe: Kim is my Best Friend in the World. Joe is one of James' mates. They met through us, and were together for a long time, but broke up a few months ago. Kim is now in Turkey, working as a beauty therapist (and I miss her loads already!) Joe is returning to Uni on Monday.
• Lissy and Sam: Still together. If they ever break up I will lose my faith in love. They are also returning to Uni on Monday, and have lots of work to do, so I haven't seen them hardly at all yet. Bad times.
• Dave and Adele: Still together (we'll ignore the blip). Dave now lives and works in London. Del's family moved away to somewhere near Gatwick (the place name refuses to stick in my head) so I very rarely see them. This makes me sad.

In addition to these couples, my other best friends were Steph (who is currently lambing for her RVC course), Maller (who is back from Scotland til Wednesday) and some others like Jordy (who I sadly haven't seen in ages).

The point I am trying to illustrate is that in a week, my only best friend left in Basingstoke will be James. I'm wondering how and why this happened.

Still, I'm planning on a trip to Pompey to see Joe, Sam and Lissy. And hopefully it will benefit my revision.

Speaking of which, I need to learn about the molecular control of the cell cycle (joy of joys). My politics rant will have to wait.

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Hellooooo summer!

SO I didn't really use this blog in my first year at medical school. Too busy trying pushing the cliche "Work hard, play hard" to its limits!

Results came through today, and I'm on a first overall, which makes up for the horrendous amounts of stress I tend to get during exam time. Apparently I'm also rather good at the slightly useless subjects, ie, Communication Skills and Public Health. Still, it seems I was also good at the coursework, which I'm hoping gives a positive prediction for dissertation writing! Anatomy was my worst of this round, and HDT my worst overall.

So my summer is now stretching out in front of me, revision free! I currently have very few plans, other than somehow get a job, and go to Reading Festival at the end of August.

My life has changed so much during this year. In the first blog post, I talk about the dreaded long distance relationship. Unfortunately, my (now ex-) boyfriend decided it was too much of a strain. We were together for over 3 years. Of course, finding out he cheated on you puts a different shine on the past, but ... well yes. Let's not go there here :) Seeing him tomorrow.

I also was dreading the blood tests necessary during the first week. I was right too; it took a good hour for me to finally let them stick that needle in my arm. Now, I feel somewhat like a blood test pro, as I've had A LOT of blood tests this past year. There are upsides to suffering from glandular fever and iron-deficient anaemia: my needle phobia is almost completely banished. This means I'm not dreading learning how to take blood in a few years time quite so much.

The friends I have made are amazing, and I'm going to miss them so much over the next few months!!!

I am looking forward to catching up with my Basingstoke friends though. Going to a bar with some of them tonight, good times.

Currently both my Nans are ill, one of them having just suffered a M.I. when on holiday in Switzerland (frustrating as we can't visit her), and the other one just getting to the point where her body is giving up I think. Visited her today, and it was a bit depressing :(

My current obsession is with McDreamy from Grey's Anatomy. I love that program. I also love understanding bits of it; there was a guy with Marfan's, and me and my best friend pretty much predicted his aorta problems, and got a bit too excited about it :P

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EXAMS!

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
rgh
!

Very very uncool!

Saturday morning, 10am and they'll all be over! Until then... well it's one of the worst weeks of my life I think! Stressful to the extreme.

Speaking of which I need to STOP procrastinating and actually learn some Public Health!

Gargh.

xxx

*yawn*

I've been here for a month so far, and it's gone so quickly! I can't even recount all of the random nights out I've had. This probably explains why I am so tired! Currently limping around due to a massive bruise on my knee from where I fell over during Seven-Legged last night. Our team found it a little hard to cooperate, mostly due to the fact that our heights ranged from around 6 ft to 5 ft 2!

We were dressed as the Seven Deadly Sins :) Phil lived up to his Wrath name :P Tom wanted to order pizza so I guess thats gluttony (although he didn't actually eat tea). Rebecca went home fairly early so maybe that shows sloth... Millie was a little bit jealous of the people staying at home for her envy! As far as I'm aware, Chris didn't show any greed though, Chris wasn't that vain, and I didn't feel any Lust. But it was funny. There was plenty of banter material too :P

There's a lot less set work than I expected. Therefore, none of us (me and my friends -- they're great :)) have actually got around to doing some work. I'm considering doing some now actually. I was going to have a snooze but then I won't be able to get to sleep tonight.

GP visit tomorrow!! Exciting stuff.

Right. Possible sleep then MBM. Woo.

I might write another random post somewhen!

xx

Sooo... Moving to Nottingham and turning 19 tomorrow...!!!

This feels seriously weird. Tomorrow I'll be travelling to Nottingham, to move into Cripps Hall, and begin my life as a medical student. Not only that, I turn 19.

I can't sleep, I feel nauseous and I'm really rather emotional.

Technically, I should be feeling excited -- meeting new people isn't a massive issue for me, on the contrary, I rather enjoy it. It's the saying goodbye I'm dreading. Having a long-distance relationship is going to be difficult.

I'm excited about my course. But nervous about the various injections / tests I have to undergo during my first year or even week! Hopefully I'll be OK. I can do blood tests.

Tomorrow is going to be pretty stressful; I'm barely packed at the moment. So I had better try and get some sleep.

I wonder if I'll actually use this blog...

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