...come back another day!
As a youngster I used to sing this a lot but it seems relevant now with all the bad weather we have been getting for the past few weeks.
Weather. If, like me, you're from the UK you'll most likely hate it. If we're lucky we will get a few weeks of, mostly, unbroken sunshine but this will be followed by thunderstorms. Usually, for me anyway, the sunny spells happen during the exam period meaning I have to sit an exam in what can only be described as a makeshift sauna and when the exams finish and the holidays begin... rain and lots of it. Actually last summer was quite decent for weather. The sun lasted until halfway through a week that I was away. Everyone was wearing t-shirts, sat outside for at least two hours watching an open air Shakespeare play and the heavens opened. In true British style they carried on, with a few references to the weather much to everyones' amusement.
It is true though. British people will talk about the weather a lot. It is an ice breaker when you are in a lift with a stranger and accidentally make eye contact. When these conversations do happen we all think we are experts in the jet stream and turn into weathermen/women, predicting that it will snow next week. As with the actors in the Shakespeare play, we deal very well with rain, after complaining multiple times on various social networks, but as soon as there is even the slightest flake of snow, mayhem breaks out. Gridlock, flights cancelling and local councils saying they had enough grit for the winter but it all got used up earlier in the season and they will have more next year.
It all gets blamed on "The wrong kind of snow". The wrong kind of snow! Apparently our snow it too wet and other countries, who manage just fine with a foot of snow, get the right, drier, kind of snow.
A few years back whenever I woke up to a few centimetres of snow I would switch over to the local radio station praying that school would be closed. If it wasn't I would have to endure the slow, cold walk to school, dodging snowballs that seemed to get flung from nowhere. However, the most satisfying thing was to see a sheet of snow that nobody had walked on yet. It would look so perfect and pure until I at first walked slowly onto it, looking back at my footprints as a walk, then ran and made a path with no logical direction whatsoever.
It does seem as though we, in the UK, deal well with average temperatures and the odd shower but stop functioning in anything slightly extreme. If it's not snow it's a heatwave. Hosepipe bans make the news and all we can talk about is how hot it is. We once had a period of heavy rain during a hot spell. There were hosepipe bans dotted around the country and it got described as "The wettest drought". It does show that we do keep spirits high and maintain a sense of humour towards the weather. Also, as it is fairly rare for us to get hot weather, as soon as we have had three days of sun and temperatures above 12°C we rush to the shops to get burgers, sausages and chicken and rummage around our sheds looking for that long lost barbecue.
We will always complain about the weather, start conversation with absolute strangers about how cold it is and get caught out in a shower wishing we wore a coat. Plans will continue to be ruined and when told to "pack for the weather" for a weekend break we will still have to pack shorts, coats and a snow shovel. We will have to deal with it, and the tweets and Facebook statuses along the lines of "OMG IT'S SNOWING!!1!!one!!"
Although I have been pointing out that we don't deal very well with "extreme" weather it can be truly extreme. That is proven with the weather we are experiencing at the moment. It has at times got pretty bad in the North of England but it cannot be compared to what they are getting in the South of the country. The floods are terrible and are destroying people's homes and other possessions. Sinkholes have even opened meaning homes have had to be evacuated. These are thought to have been caused by the floods. Weather can be dangerous and we do have to spare a thought for all those that have been affected by the absolutely horrific weather we have been seeing in the past few weeks.
Monday 17 February 2014
Monday 10 February 2014
"Can I see your tickets and passes please!"
Public transport. We've all had to use it at some point (If you haven't then lucky you!). For some it's their way of getting to and from work, for others it's an occasional experience for when fuel and parking charges would result in you taking out a payday loan. *shudders*
I'm a frequent bus user and while it provides a convenient way of getting from A to B, it does cause frustration, anger and grumpiness among other things. I use them at a time when they are at their busiest with people standing right at the front and the driver having to shout at them to move back. You feel like you've won the lottery if you get a seat. It seems that no matter how busy it gets the driver still lets more passengers on, that's unless you are the one waiting for the bus, in that case it will just drive past.
I'm one of those people that will move my bag to let someone sit next to me when the bus is busy. They have every right to sit next to me and I have no problem with it. That is not an invitation, however, for them to sit on their seat and half of mine. I prefer to be able to sit normally without having to sit with my back pressed against the window. If that is not enough, when I ask politely to be able to get off the bus I'd like more of a response than a tut and a mutter under the breath.
If you have been lucky enough to get a seat you feel as though your fortunes have changed when it's time to get off at your stop. If you have a large bag you face two options: a) Wear your bag but end up accidentally hitting people on the head as you stagger past receiving yet more tuts and mutters or b) hold your bag in one hand leaving only one hand free to grab the rails to stop you falling into the armpits of a fellow passenger. The choice is yours but either way when you finally manage to get off and take a breath of fresh air you ask yourself whether walking would be a better option next time.
You may be thinking "Well why don't you just wait until the bus stops to get out of your seat and go to the front of the bus? There are signs recommending you to do so." Yes, there are signs telling you to wait until the bus is stopped. That doesn't stop the bus driver setting off again if you are not jumping out of the doors in under two seconds. If you complain they will just laugh it off, unlike when you try to pay with any form of paper money.
There are some forms of public transport that are actually quite good. Personally, I like to travel by train and, with it's seemingly complex but actually very simple map and utterly unique station design, the London Underground fascinates me. It gives a feeling of luxury travelling on a long distance train compared to the tin cans on rails that we get on the local line. You are lucky to get a train with more than two carriages and even more lucky to get one with slightly moderate suspension. They are quicker than the busses but if you miss it you have to wait a whole hour before another one arrives. You also don't get the leg room, shop or trolley service that the long distance trains offer and you'll have no luck finding any first class carriages.
When you get to your station you have to wait for the conductor to unlock the doors. This can sometimes take some time if they are busy selling a ticket. They will open their door first, check that the platform and then unlock the rest of the doors. It is only then that you can press the button to open the doors. Some people don't grasp that concept and give you some quite rude words if you don't press the button as soon as the train stops. What do you expect me to do? Get my sonic screwdriver out? The last time I checked I wasn't The Doctor! They sometimes act as though they commute on the trains all the time and know how these things work. If they did they'd know that the conductor has to unlock the doors first. I somehow manage to keep my anger in while I go to the ticket office to buy the ticket for my journey because the conductor hasn't had time to get to where I was sat, or in some cases hasn't even managed to make it out of the conductor's cab. I'm surprised at how few people go to the ticket office to get a ticket. Now, they could already have a ticket but I'm sure some people don't.
Overall, even though sometimes I wish I didn't have to use public transport, I think I will miss it when I inevitably take the plunge and buy a car. For the time being, however, I will still be showing my pass or fumbling around trying to get my train ticket into the slot to open the station entrance gate. It will be me, my friends and that one guy who decides to eat pickled onion Monster Munch for the entire journey.
I'm a frequent bus user and while it provides a convenient way of getting from A to B, it does cause frustration, anger and grumpiness among other things. I use them at a time when they are at their busiest with people standing right at the front and the driver having to shout at them to move back. You feel like you've won the lottery if you get a seat. It seems that no matter how busy it gets the driver still lets more passengers on, that's unless you are the one waiting for the bus, in that case it will just drive past.
I'm one of those people that will move my bag to let someone sit next to me when the bus is busy. They have every right to sit next to me and I have no problem with it. That is not an invitation, however, for them to sit on their seat and half of mine. I prefer to be able to sit normally without having to sit with my back pressed against the window. If that is not enough, when I ask politely to be able to get off the bus I'd like more of a response than a tut and a mutter under the breath.
If you have been lucky enough to get a seat you feel as though your fortunes have changed when it's time to get off at your stop. If you have a large bag you face two options: a) Wear your bag but end up accidentally hitting people on the head as you stagger past receiving yet more tuts and mutters or b) hold your bag in one hand leaving only one hand free to grab the rails to stop you falling into the armpits of a fellow passenger. The choice is yours but either way when you finally manage to get off and take a breath of fresh air you ask yourself whether walking would be a better option next time.
You may be thinking "Well why don't you just wait until the bus stops to get out of your seat and go to the front of the bus? There are signs recommending you to do so." Yes, there are signs telling you to wait until the bus is stopped. That doesn't stop the bus driver setting off again if you are not jumping out of the doors in under two seconds. If you complain they will just laugh it off, unlike when you try to pay with any form of paper money.
There are some forms of public transport that are actually quite good. Personally, I like to travel by train and, with it's seemingly complex but actually very simple map and utterly unique station design, the London Underground fascinates me. It gives a feeling of luxury travelling on a long distance train compared to the tin cans on rails that we get on the local line. You are lucky to get a train with more than two carriages and even more lucky to get one with slightly moderate suspension. They are quicker than the busses but if you miss it you have to wait a whole hour before another one arrives. You also don't get the leg room, shop or trolley service that the long distance trains offer and you'll have no luck finding any first class carriages.
When you get to your station you have to wait for the conductor to unlock the doors. This can sometimes take some time if they are busy selling a ticket. They will open their door first, check that the platform and then unlock the rest of the doors. It is only then that you can press the button to open the doors. Some people don't grasp that concept and give you some quite rude words if you don't press the button as soon as the train stops. What do you expect me to do? Get my sonic screwdriver out? The last time I checked I wasn't The Doctor! They sometimes act as though they commute on the trains all the time and know how these things work. If they did they'd know that the conductor has to unlock the doors first. I somehow manage to keep my anger in while I go to the ticket office to buy the ticket for my journey because the conductor hasn't had time to get to where I was sat, or in some cases hasn't even managed to make it out of the conductor's cab. I'm surprised at how few people go to the ticket office to get a ticket. Now, they could already have a ticket but I'm sure some people don't.
Overall, even though sometimes I wish I didn't have to use public transport, I think I will miss it when I inevitably take the plunge and buy a car. For the time being, however, I will still be showing my pass or fumbling around trying to get my train ticket into the slot to open the station entrance gate. It will be me, my friends and that one guy who decides to eat pickled onion Monster Munch for the entire journey.
Friday 7 February 2014
"Does printing out past papers count as revision?"
Unfortunately I have found myself saying this. In my defence it was ironically and I did use the past papers to revise from.
I get lots of people asking me questions about revision. When? What? How? I thought it would be quite fitting to talk about it, what, with all the formal assessments, mocks and coursework making an appearance. Not to forget the actual exams that will be starting in May. Yes, May!
"How should I revise?"
This is a question that I cannot answer fully. I can give ideas but each individual person will learn and get the most out of revision in different ways. Personally I like to use "Crib Sheets", otherwise known as a cheat sheet, to revise from. I condense my notes into one or two sides of paper per topic with key points and things to remember. In maths for example I will write methods for different questions and things I tend to forget. You could also write down key points for a specific question, definitions or stock answers for common questions.
I always use colour, mainly because it is easier on the eye than a page of black text, and hand write the crib sheets. I find these allow me to remember things more. Copying and pasting can be done in a second without you actually understanding what you copied.
Past papers are a brilliant revision material, so long as you actually use them. You not only get to put your learning into practise but you get used to the style of the questions, what the mark schemes are looking for and if there are any patterns in what questions get asked. Of course you won't be able to predict exactly what questions will come up in the real exam.
Some people prefer to create flashcards with their notes on. These are great to carry around and revise on the go. Another method I've heard of is to learn part of your notes, cover them up and write out what you remember. Create posters to put around your room or sticky notes with key points, equations, definitions. The more you see them the more you read them and therefore the more you take the information in. When it comes to the exam you'll think "Ah! That was on the sticky note next to my mirror."
"How much revision do you do?"
As much as I need. You need to do enough so that you fully understand what you will be examined on but you don't want to burn yourself out. You should be confident when you walk into the examination room, not tired.
"OMG TOM! DO YOU LIKE REVISE EVERYDAY OR SOMETHING?"
No! You need to rest. Again, you don't want to be tired when it comes to the actual exams. In your revision plan you should include rest days. If I have just started a new unit I won't need to revise as much because the exam is not likely to be happening after a month of starting the unit. It does, however, pay off to go over your notes so that you fully understand them. If there is something you don't understand, ask your teacher, they won't think you are stupid!
Really, you need to find out what works best for you. Mocks allow you to do this. I can't stress enough how important revision is. It is your future that is in your hands. Don't be put off by people who say they don't revise much at all but still do well. Chances are they actually do revise quite a bit or don't realise that that their revision method works for them. You need to get the right balance of quantity and quality.
A final note. The few months you spend revising will pay off big time in the future.
I get lots of people asking me questions about revision. When? What? How? I thought it would be quite fitting to talk about it, what, with all the formal assessments, mocks and coursework making an appearance. Not to forget the actual exams that will be starting in May. Yes, May!
"How should I revise?"
This is a question that I cannot answer fully. I can give ideas but each individual person will learn and get the most out of revision in different ways. Personally I like to use "Crib Sheets", otherwise known as a cheat sheet, to revise from. I condense my notes into one or two sides of paper per topic with key points and things to remember. In maths for example I will write methods for different questions and things I tend to forget. You could also write down key points for a specific question, definitions or stock answers for common questions.
I always use colour, mainly because it is easier on the eye than a page of black text, and hand write the crib sheets. I find these allow me to remember things more. Copying and pasting can be done in a second without you actually understanding what you copied.
Past papers are a brilliant revision material, so long as you actually use them. You not only get to put your learning into practise but you get used to the style of the questions, what the mark schemes are looking for and if there are any patterns in what questions get asked. Of course you won't be able to predict exactly what questions will come up in the real exam.
Some people prefer to create flashcards with their notes on. These are great to carry around and revise on the go. Another method I've heard of is to learn part of your notes, cover them up and write out what you remember. Create posters to put around your room or sticky notes with key points, equations, definitions. The more you see them the more you read them and therefore the more you take the information in. When it comes to the exam you'll think "Ah! That was on the sticky note next to my mirror."
"How much revision do you do?"
As much as I need. You need to do enough so that you fully understand what you will be examined on but you don't want to burn yourself out. You should be confident when you walk into the examination room, not tired.
"OMG TOM! DO YOU LIKE REVISE EVERYDAY OR SOMETHING?"
No! You need to rest. Again, you don't want to be tired when it comes to the actual exams. In your revision plan you should include rest days. If I have just started a new unit I won't need to revise as much because the exam is not likely to be happening after a month of starting the unit. It does, however, pay off to go over your notes so that you fully understand them. If there is something you don't understand, ask your teacher, they won't think you are stupid!
Really, you need to find out what works best for you. Mocks allow you to do this. I can't stress enough how important revision is. It is your future that is in your hands. Don't be put off by people who say they don't revise much at all but still do well. Chances are they actually do revise quite a bit or don't realise that that their revision method works for them. You need to get the right balance of quantity and quality.
A final note. The few months you spend revising will pay off big time in the future.
Tuesday 4 February 2014
Start of a blog
So this is it. The start of my blog. A blog of no context other than day to day happenings. Anything could appear. Life events, thoughts, tips... anything.
What goes into a first blog post?
A bit of background information?
I'm an A-Level student currently in my second year studying towards my final exams to allow me to progress to university. My studies take priority so this blog might dry up towards my exams. I'm from the north of England where it's breakfast, dinner and tea. My music tastes range from Imagine Dragons to Disclosure with a dash of The Police thrown in for good measure. I'm not a gamer or a fan of sports or even a "lad". Really I'd consider myself a decent, hopefully outgoing person in my late teens with high hopes for the future.
Reasons for starting this blog?
I originally wanted to set up a YouTube channel so I could vlog. However, I don't have a camera that is decent enough for the videos to be watchable. My little compact pocket digital camera, which is great for stills, does claim to shoot HD video but didn't live up to its claims even with good lighting. Disappointing really. So, my idea is to set up a blog, this blog, to allow me to document and share my thoughts and any other content that I would have wanted to put into a YouTube video. If I do acquire a decent camera I can use the content from this blog to create my first videos.
The origins of my blog title?
"Steamy Panini" does have a backstory. To cut a long story short, in college a couple of friends and I ended up having a conversation about paninis which ended in the phrase "Steamy Panini" being said. I decided that I would use that as my username for various social networks.
An idea of what my content will be like?
I hope it comes across as being lighthearted and in some cases relatable. As I've mentioned already, it will consist of anything including some of my observations, tips and thoughts.
I hope that I continue to update this blog and hope even more that I can use this to start a YouTube channel.
What goes into a first blog post?
A bit of background information?
I'm an A-Level student currently in my second year studying towards my final exams to allow me to progress to university. My studies take priority so this blog might dry up towards my exams. I'm from the north of England where it's breakfast, dinner and tea. My music tastes range from Imagine Dragons to Disclosure with a dash of The Police thrown in for good measure. I'm not a gamer or a fan of sports or even a "lad". Really I'd consider myself a decent, hopefully outgoing person in my late teens with high hopes for the future.
Reasons for starting this blog?
I originally wanted to set up a YouTube channel so I could vlog. However, I don't have a camera that is decent enough for the videos to be watchable. My little compact pocket digital camera, which is great for stills, does claim to shoot HD video but didn't live up to its claims even with good lighting. Disappointing really. So, my idea is to set up a blog, this blog, to allow me to document and share my thoughts and any other content that I would have wanted to put into a YouTube video. If I do acquire a decent camera I can use the content from this blog to create my first videos.
The origins of my blog title?
"Steamy Panini" does have a backstory. To cut a long story short, in college a couple of friends and I ended up having a conversation about paninis which ended in the phrase "Steamy Panini" being said. I decided that I would use that as my username for various social networks.
An idea of what my content will be like?
I hope it comes across as being lighthearted and in some cases relatable. As I've mentioned already, it will consist of anything including some of my observations, tips and thoughts.
I hope that I continue to update this blog and hope even more that I can use this to start a YouTube channel.
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