Claire's Journal

Time goes so quickly when you're doing bugger all

2007-11-02T17:12:39Z

First and foremost, men suck. That's all. Needed to get that out of the way.

As for life in general, it's pretty good, although I've done fuck-all work....I thought 3rd year was harder than this? Oh well. Just wait till exams and that impending 'Congratulations, you got a Third'.

Went into Dundee on Wednesday to meet with the mother, which was quite enjoyable. I got some cool stuff in the H&M sale. The usual me raving about my very minor problems and mother patiently listening whilst probably thinking 'wow, that child is mine?'. I'm really looking forward to Reading Week in just over a week, but unfortunately because I'm A Third Year I probably should use the week for reading. Rather than jetting off to Somewhere Hot like certain fellow students (how the hell can people afford these constant mini-breaks??? Stupid yahs. Ok rant over).

Returning...?

2007-10-06T21:08:57Z

Hmmm. Today my mother suggested using My Savings (TM) to go somewhere Far Off and Exciting for my Soc Anth Project, and between us we kind of thought up a return to China. Should I? Eek. I never thought I'd go for a long time again but we shall see. It's like 2004 all over again.

'I'm just a soul who's intentions are good...'

2007-05-14T15:32:28Z

Anthropology is done (well for second year anyway). Exam wasn't too bad - probably the worst of my anth exams to date but seeing as I usually get a 2:1, a few points lost would mean a 2:2 and that's still enough for Honours (I hope). After all the kefuffle oer changing my degree, if they didn't let me into Anthropology now I would be screwed, totally and utterly screwed. I refuse point blank to repeat a year. Hmm we shall see.

Still 2 more to go, and it feels like it's over.

10 days till Germania....eeeeeeeeeek.

Nil points?

2007-05-12T22:28:45Z

I am in love with the Ukraine's entry for Eurovision. The main guy was like shiny John.

Revision: 1
Claire and her love of Europop: 0

Endgame (it's finished, it must be finished)

2007-05-07T21:56:11Z

I love student theatre. Especially when it's Beckett and involves your housemate being in a bin. It's weird, I was thinking how apt it was that I spent Friday watching a play about being trapped in a never ending cycle - it really is how I'm feeling right now. I mean, the Essay From Hell was polished off today after a marathon library session and I don't get even a glimpse of my usual post essay relaxation period, it's straight into exam mode. It feels like the end of 2nd year, and yet there is so much to go. Then again, in 17 days time I'm off to Munich. Weird. Very weird.

claire_bear_87 @ 2007-05-05T14:54:00

2007-05-05T13:56:06Z

Usually if I am making notes for something I write 'Notes' at the top.

Five minutes ago I wrote:

Utmost summary-ness of le Essay for le Social Anthropology except less crazy and sleep deprived

ICH LIEBE KAFFE!!!!!

No hope, no love, no glory, no happy ending

2007-04-28T23:14:43Z

Arrrrggh why oh why have I suddenly developed a total work-related lethargy? What with the million essays coming up and my first exam being just over 2 weeks away, I really can't afford to be like this. On a happier note I am (almost) officially doing single Honours Soc Anth which will be lovely and I will study interesting things and spend too much time in the library searching through dusty books and start drinking strong coffee and stuff. In a weird way I cannot wait. Also, less than a month till Munchen (I can't do umlauts on this thing).

Might start up a LJ specifically for Germany and cut out all the emotional crap. It's not healthy really. I sometimes think I'm becoming emo. Arrrggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Due to lack of interest, tomorrow is cancelled

2007-04-16T18:02:57Z

I thought I would post here in order to document my last day(s) as a teenger (*sobs* *reaches for zimmer frame*). It has been rather strange since I came back anyway, the first week was workworkwork and now I have fuck all to do...well I say that, I have stuff due soonish and exams to revise for but the amazing weather just makes me want to lounge about with a good book (NOT a uni related one). The weekend was grand, though...Friday Night boppage followed by lounging in the park reading with ice cream on Saturday. That night we saw the Twelfth Night DVD for the first time and I'm really starting to get excited about the Fringe. Yesterday after rehearsing we decided to have a BBQ which was a lot of fun and involved lots of wine drinkage. Afterwards we ended up watching Snakes on a Plane followed by Snakes on a Train (much better :P) followed by Team America (fuck yeah!). Today has been very lazy too..I got my lab report back (arrgghh) as well as my Latin America feminism essay which I did rather well in :-).Have I missed my calling? Should I have been a Modern Historian this whole time? Possibly, but it's too late to go back.
Tomorrow (aka My Big Day) looks to be fun/alcohol filled.

I've also decided officially that boys (especially one in particular) really are not worth it. Chantal and I are going to become an item.

claire_bear_87 @ 2007-04-10T18:03:00

2007-04-10T17:04:24Z

I am eating chocolate and drinking an erotic drink. Oh yeah.

Ich liebe dich

2007-03-29T14:54:08Z

Well, after 3 weeks of stress, emails, phone calls, Wikipedia-ing random places in the middle of nowhere and generally wondering if I should just give up, I finally have a host family. Ladies and gentlemen (if they exist)....I'm going to Germany! A town called Wolfratshausen in Bavaria (near Munich). Yup, I've never been to Germany in my life, speak none of the language (my language skills amount to terrible French and even worse Chinese), and yet I've signed up for 3 months of looking after two young boys (age 5 and 8). The father called last night and he seems really nice, I'm very excited etc etc but there's always that little part of you after a decision like this that's screaming "WHY????!!! Seriously you retard you can't keep running off to random countires for the hell of it!!!!"

I started catching up on Skins (anything to avoid actually working), the Russia one was pretty awesome :o).

Oh and the exam timetable has been unveiled, I'm really chuffed actually; my exams are all nicely spaced out. However, instead of having Psychology first as per usual (hence getting it out of the way) I have it last. Eeep.

Auf Wiedersehen!!

Week Seven and all is...

2007-03-21T17:00:21Z

In St Andrews, the first half of semester 1 (before Reading Week) lasts 6 weeks. In semester 2 (before Easter) it's 7 weeks. And you can definately sense the difference. What's worse is that there is NOTHING to do. Every future assignment isn't due till after the break. Everyone is just...blah. Most people have just gone a bit quiet, some are in bad moods, and about half are randomly starting essays that aren't due for weeks simply because of boredom.
I know once I'm back in Dumbarton I'll just want to be back here again but god I really need a change of scenery. I'm even looking forward to starting my essay on feminism in early 20th century South America (yes I know, it does sound interesting doesn't it? I'm not joking I'm actually sitting with the books on my desk all ready even though I won't be reading them till the break). Oh, and my Anthopology Fieldwork what I'm supposed to do...umm...

'And here we have the ned in his natural habitat. Notice the angle at which he wears his cap. This is a status symbol, meant to signify....'

Er...yeah

Anyone speak German?

2007-03-19T14:35:46Z

I might be going to Austria this summer to work as an au pair. Woo hoo!

Also...essay is done! Now I can lounge around till the holidays.

All in all, rather cheery today :o).

claire_bear_87 @ 2007-03-08T14:27:00

2007-03-08T14:33:41Z

6 more weeks of term to go. That's so terrifying. I'm nearly finished 2nd year. What makes it worse is that I'm not sure I should even be doing this degree. Am seriously considering changing from joint Psych/Soc Anth to straight Soc Anth. Hmmm maybe it's just because Psych is doing my nut in at the moment. I shall see.
Am remarkably calm after last week. Had a horrible moment on Tuesday though (day before Lab report was due) when we were sitting in the Union and I suddenly couldn't breathe and my heart was racing. I thought I was having a panic attack at the time but it went away fairly quickly. Now I'm more complacent and just muddling my way through things. The mood in our house has lifted dramatically and everyone is laughing and joking again (mainly making fun of me but it's progress).
Things with the boy are ok. I should just tell him really but I'm always so awkward, which is silly because boys are simply lower life forms and nothing to be afraid of :o).

Aaaarrrgghhhhh

2007-03-05T15:10:44Z

STUPID STUPID MEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also, I never thought I'd use the phrase 'I got my imaginary boyfriend pregnant'.

claire_bear_87 @ 2007-03-03T12:02:00

2007-03-03T12:05:44Z

It's past midday. I'm in bed. No intention of getting up soon. I reeeaaally should be doing statisics stuff right now. Bleurgh.

On a lighter note, last night of PMJB and after party tonight, with the ball tomorrow. Yay.

Awesome awesome awesome day

2007-02-18T18:24:03Z

It is 18.23 and I am ratted.

claire_bear_87 @ 2007-02-16T17:20:00

2007-02-16T17:25:05Z

I finished things with Eustace. There are many reasons for this.

a) He lives in Benin, could be hard over the summer.
b) I'm sure he's still in love with Alan.
c) He appears to have multiple personalities.
d) No real motivations in life - kite flying for beginners isn't going to get you very far.
e) I care for someone else
f) He doesn't actually exist.

PS - Isabel, if you fancy making any alterations to his profile his email is shire@st-and.ac.uk and his password is hedwig1. I like to think of him as a group effort.

PPS - I think I need to have a psychiatric exam.

I have created man

2007-02-15T12:32:16Z

Mwahahahahahahaha

Singles Awareness Day (also known in some circles as 'Valentine's Day') does odd things to a girl.

claire_bear_87 @ 2007-02-12T16:53:00

2007-02-12T16:54:39Z

I was walking back from Psych today and it was all cold and wet and horrible and out of nowhere a man from some promotional thing handed me a chocolate chip cookie.
Swings and roundabouts.

Post Mortem

2007-02-11T16:16:17Z

Well, in my opinion Alex's Peter Pan themed 21st was a success. It was very stressy getting the house ready but Chantal was amazing and organised everything. The party itself was great, although I spent most of it having a heart to heart with a friend of mine. It was nice being able to get some stuff out in the open anyway. I didn't drink a huge amount, which makes a change from our usual house parties.
It's pissing it down outside so I'm warmish and snuggly in the house with my big jumper on.

Week One, Day One

2007-02-05T15:36:40Z

So we started back today...it feels kind of good/terrifying. Psychology wasn't too bad, it's Abnormal Psych now which is interesting. A lot of people are worried about the essay questions in the exam but I'd rather those than MCQs. Professor Fitch came in specifically to tell us that those who had got 10-10.9 in the exam (an astonishing 20% of us) still had a chance of getting into honours 'if we show a marked improvement'. Doesn't seem fair that those who have done slightly better and got an 11 basically have to maintain their standard. Never mind.
Anthropology was dissapointing manly because we didn't get a nice fluffy introductory lecture - we just went straught into it! Lots of 19th Century sociologists (Durkheim, Marx etc) on the agenda - shouldn't be too bad.
Then I had my first ever 'Introduction to Modern Latin America' lecture which was great mainly because the lecturer is a legend and a little bit hot...the fact that the subject is basically a cross between IR, History and Spanish does scare me somewhat as I have no leanings towards any of those subjects. But we get to pick our own essay topic and deadline, so it's all good.
Also, I've managed to organise my time table so that I only ever have one class in the afternoon (god awful Psych Labs). More time for naps! Er, I mean, studying....
I will work. I will. But maybe I'll give it a couple of weeks...

So this is what it feels like

2007-02-02T17:35:15Z

So a couple of days, a million tissues, about 20 distraught phone calls/emails/facebook messages, and one good think later and I'm finally ready to deal with the fact that I didn't get my 11 in Psych (I got 10.4...I mean COME ON!!!). First reaction was obviously to burst into tears (not sure why I'm usually not too fussed about results) and I called my dad which I think scared him because he came home straight away to give me a hug. Slowly, surely, word got round that Claire 'always stresses about results but always does really well' Hannah had actually fucked up. Majorly. To go from a 16.7 (just off a First) to a 10.4 (not even a 2:2) after one exam...well I messed up, I really did. I guess my entire life I've done a reasonable amount of work and done fine. What amazes me even more is that I did about 3 times the amount of work for Psych as I did for the other two classes and I did a lot better in them.
Ok so I'm left with 2 options. 1) Try and beg my way into Honours (which will of course require an outstanding result this semester...shit) or 2) Change my degree to Single Honours Social Anthropology (which in all fairness I would love to do but I always have that little 'yeah but what would you do with that degree??' voice in the back of my head. The same voice that will make me work my ass off in Psychology now).
Life goes on. It's not the end of the world. But my god, when certain people get much higher marks with about 2% of the amount of revision, it makes me wonder if the stress is even worth it.

General Degree anyone?

2007-01-31T22:44:57Z

In roughly 2 hours and 20 minutes time my exam results will be posted. If I get less than an 11 for psych (inevitable seeing as that Multiple Choice exam consisted of making pretty patterns) then I don't get into Honours. Psych people are nasty about that sort of thing.
I need another muffin.

It's been about 5 minutes but I'm bored

2007-01-28T23:34:09Z

1. Elaborate on your default icon.
It's the Chinese symbol for love (I'm a secret romantic)

2. What's your current relationship status?
Single! And actually fine with it, for the first time in ages.

3. Ever have a near-death experience?
Nope, though I've nearly been run over many many times.

4. Name an obvious quality you have.
I am obvious! I am the queen of the neon sign.

5. What's the name of the song that's stuck in your head right now?
I'm listening to 'Evil and a Heathen' by Franz Ferdinand so that

6. Name a celebrity you would marry.
Derren Brown (it's a weird obsession)

7. Who will cut and paste this first?
No idea

8. Has anyone ever said you look like a celebrity?
My sister once said that I look a bit like Kelly Clarkson. I don't agree, but it's a nice thought!

9. Do you wear a watch?
I couldn't be trusted with watches for ages but my parents got me a cheapy one from Asda, and it's lasted about a month now...wow!

10. Do you have anything pierced?
Ears, just one in each

11. Do you have any tattoos?
Nope

12. Do you like pain?
Not especially! I have a toothache at the moment which is a bit of a pity seeing as I have a dentists appointment tomorrow!

13. Do you like to shop?
Yes! I went to TK Maxx yesterday :o).

14. What was the last thing you paid for with cash?
A longish scarf from a random shop in the Lomond Factory outlets...it's going to be part of my Captain Hook costume for Alex's 21st. Arrrr matey!

15. What was the last thing you paid for with your credit card?
Books fromn Waterstones...I should not be confronted with 3 for 2 offers! It makes my money go away!

16. Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone?
No idea. Probably a parent.

17. What is on your desktop background?
Just hills and sky...default pic

18. What is the background on your cell phone?
Freckle! (my dog)

19. What was the last movie you watched?
I don't really watch movies...probably 'Hook'

20. What was the last book you read?
I'm reading 'Wicked' right now.

Sleeping is underrated

2007-01-28T23:01:35Z

I've been back from Paris for a few days now but haven't updated...been too busy taking advantage of our lovely sofa before it gets evicted in favour of some swanky leather thing. Hitch-hiking was....intruiging! Breakdown:
1) Monday 22nd 9. 45 Dropped at the Forth Road Bridge....end up trapped in Edinburgh for 6 hours after Alex thought it would be a great idea to get a lift to the airport...
2) 3.30 - 7 End up getting taken to Scotch Corner near Newcastle by someone in another team's dad after a pleading phone call home
3) 7 - 11.30 Have Burger King, restore sanity. Hang around for about an hour and a half and get taken to South Mimms (just above London) by a nice geezerish guy in a big silver car. I slept for an hour. Woo.
4) 11.30 - 5am Tuesday 23rd Trapped overnight in SM...Alex slept and I minded the bags. At 3 (when the lorry drivers were supposed to head off for the Dover ferry) we hang around the freezing Petrol Station but to no avail, although another team gets a lift
5) 5 - 7 Get lift from manic Polish lorry driver on the way to somewhere near Dover. He was listening to the Crazy Frog and a wonderful song which consisted entirely of the lyrics 'put your ass in the air'. He drops us literally at the side of the road.
6) 7 ish Find nearby petrol station, nice lady decides we would be better off in Maidstone Services so takes us there.
7) 7.30 ish Soon given lift from nice van driver (people in the south are really nice!)
8) 8 - 9.30 Dropped outside Channel Tunnel, no luck, Eventually get lift from lovely ecologist woman on her way to work at the White Cliffs who dropped her kids off at school and picked up and dropped off a few more people before taking us right to the ferry.
9) 9.30 - 11 Wait for a while, joined by at least 6 other teams.
10) 11.15 - 2ish France time Get ferry, find there are no nice people to take us to Paris. Eat. Manage to blag our way onto a coach going straight to Paris. Then teachers decide we can't get on for the safety of the children (yes because University students raising money for charity are going to rape and murder schoolkids).
11) 2.30 Decide to pay for bus to centre of Calais.
12) 3 ish Get to Calais train station. Idea of hitch-hiking through France unbearable. Pay for train to Paris, with 25% discount.
13) 7ish arrive in hostel, eat entire pizza in 5 minutes, shower, go to bed.

I spent all of Wednesday with my new friends Hollie and Callum doing various touristy stuff whilst Alex went off with Lucie. I think the fact that Alex and I managed to do what we did without killing each other is a credit to us both.

I like Paris a lot. But I'm so glad to be back.