Revision purposes

[raven]

The day never ends. Never, never, never. It's nearly nine now, and the sun is still out and bright, and the world as seen from my window is lush green, sunlit and still as awe-inspiringly beautiful as ever. I particularly like the way the deciduous, shorter trees are in shadow while the tops of the pines are catching the light and swaying as the squirrels leap off them. Well, I say I like it; I actually hate it for being there and being pretty when everything else is horrible and tainted by revision.

Yes, I have reached the stage of complete irrationality, why do you ask?

It is, incidentally, brought to you mostly by the realisation that I don't know anything. No, nothing at all. Not a damn thing. I've done and dusted my Biology A-level, incidentally. Did it yesterday. I went in to school in the morning toting all six module books. I don't think I'd ever put them all in the same place for fear they'd go the same way as the manual for Brockian Ultra-Cricket and undergo gravitational collapse. I sort of read them, sort of re-re-revised photosynthesis and then went to lunch in the safe knowledge that I'd done something.

And the exam wasn't as dreadful as all that. Section A had six questions, about imprinting and fertilisation and thyroxine and myocardial infarction, and I finished it on the dot an hour after I'd started, which made me feel better about proceedings. (Afterwards, I was talking to Helena about the myocardial infarction question, and after I'd been talking for five minutes, realised she was looking increasingly blank. According to her, she must have turned over a page and missed it out, and she's now so worried I feel guilty for even bringing it up.)

And the data questions were okay-ish - there was one that asked the minimum number of bases that code for a protein with nine hundred amino acid sub-units, and I wrote three hundred and only realised once I'd left the room - but it was the essay that really proved my undoing. I didn't have enough time, nor enough material, I rambled for pages about negative feedback without actually saying anything, and I've just tried not to think about it since.

I have other things to think about. I was told yesterday what the procedure for Tuesday will be. I'll have to turn up at half eight, usual time, and go in just before nine to take my Chemistry with everyone else. Module five is two hours, module six is one, and they're consecutive, obviously, so that brings us to twelve o'clock. At which point I will no longer be an autonomous* human being, as I will then be followed by one or possibly two invigilators or otherwise-responsible-adults, and I won't be allowed to eat lunch with anyone, go to the loo alone or speak to anybody at all. The thought makes my skin crawl, but hopefully by then I will be too dazed to really notice.

I get half an hour of solitary whatever-you-call-it, I think, or maybe up until quarter to one. Then re-registration and three hours of Politics modules four and five. Which bring us full circle, as they are the reason I don't know anything. I can't do Politics any more. I spent the whole of today reading through module four. Reading through, not learning; and tomorrow I need to do module five, which is a whole fucking lot more, as it's synoptic comparative and contains huge chunks of last year's, and the last time I even looked at it was pre-Biology and Chemistry revision, three weeks ago. There's just no way I can get through it all tomorrow, and Monday will have to feature transition metal ions, entropy and not a lot else.

Ah, yes, I see a whole bunch of people defriending me because of how fucking boring I have become. I don't blame you, honestly. Go forth and multiply. Um. If you want to. You know.

Oh, meh. Meh, meh, meh. I suck. I meant to get up early today for revision purposes, but I ended up watching the second half of Doctor Who instead. Without having any idea what was going on at all, I really liked the twenty minutes I saw. Peter Davison is so unutterably adorable as the Doctor; he has this lovely wide-eyed and earnest thing going on that makes me want to pet him on the head and straighten his celery.

---

*Human beings have an autonomic nervous system. The USA has autonomous state governmeents. I learnt this the hard way.

Comments

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

nope, not boring. and your description of the light and the trees in the first paragraph of this post is lovely.

i hope the test went well, and sending you good thoughts. i hope also that you'll be happily surprised by the knowledge that you have taken in.

ps. i love peter davidson as the doctor. ;)

[hathy-col.livejournal.com]

I watched the first half. Can we go over with each other what happens? I liked the first half. I was all "OH NOES! MY HISTORY PERIOD!"

Then I remembered that I never had to do Oliver Cromwell again and there was dancing in the living room wearing nothing but my work t-shirt. Fortunately, it is a blokes medium t-shirt and falls to my knees.

... okay then.

Politics wise - look, you never learn it. You go into the exam and go "Oh, I know this." There is no learning. There never will be any learning, despite seeming hours of revision. Trust me. I went into Gov 4 having finished the appropriate modules at 3.55pm the previous day. *pets*

It's all over soon, I promise.

[zeta-of-s.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes, I see a whole bunch of people defriending me because of how fucking boring I have become. I don't blame you, honestly. Go forth and multiply. Um. If you want to. You know.

While I imagine most people would generally find such an instruction quite tempting, I get the impression that everyone quite enjoys these revision-related entries. Either because they're not worried about their own exams, and they derive sadistic pleasure from seeing that someone else is, or because they are worried, and they derive . . . hopefully not sadistic pleasure, but something, anyway, from seeing that someone else is equally so. (On the rare occasions when the person reading such an entry is (or at least believes his or her self to be) more stressed than the person writing it, it seems to be customary for them to post a rant about how they are in a position so much worse than that of anyone else.)

Which reminds me: I think I'm due (or possibly overdue, if that word can be used in this context) to write such an entry any day now.

Oh, and I realise that it's more than a little pointless to say this, but I believe it's traditional: good luck with the exams!

[gamesiplay.livejournal.com]

Good luck. I sympathize wholeheartedly, and here's the thing: it does end.

...On this side of the pond it does, at least. *grins*

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much for your kind words and good thoughts. :)

Oh, he's lovely. *hearts him*

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

*g* I might ring you tomorrow at some point. I missed that, tonight!

So... um. First thing I saw, the Doctor is on a cart. He arrives at a village green, throws off a straw doll, and gets held captive by some scary people in historical costume of some sort. In the meantime, Turlough and another guy have broken through a door. They go to a church where the TARDIS is hidden...

...and then we're back to the Doctor, who somehow gets rescued by a man who speaks very funny English, and he takes the Doctor back to the church, with Tegan. Tegan (who was apparently going to be burnt at the stake? something like that) and Five and lots of villagers somehow end up in the TARDIS.

Outside, Turlough and his friend stop two other people from getting into the TARDIS by hitting them on the head with rocks. A thing in the wall with green eyes starts spewing smoke, and then the Doctor comes out of the TARDIS with Colonel Wollsley (sp?) and they attempt to reason with a man possessed by the alien thing with green eyes. They get nowhere and then man who speaks funny English kills him and saves the day.

The Doctor wants to leave. He is, as he is succinctly informed, outvoted seven to one. Tegan wants to visit her grandfather and Turlough wants to spend a lot of time drinking "brown liquid."

"Ale?" says man-who-saved-day (who is apparently here from an earlier century by accident).

"No," says Turlough. "Tea."

According to the Doctor, tea is "noxious, made of boiled leaves" and full of poisons. And he quite likes it.

Cue the music.

That was a lot of things happening in twenty minutes. No mention of Cromwell, sadly.

You got full marks in Gov 4, didn't you? *sighs* Perhaps this is doable, or maybe I'll think so on Tuesday.

Note emo icon.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

You know, you can really tell this comment was made by a mathematician. :)

There is of course the possibility there are people out there who are not doing exams (I know, I know) and it is to them I address my instruction to go forth and multiply.

And good luck to you too! And with Step. :)

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Oh, god, I hope it's a universally observed phenomenon. :)

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

my pleasure. *g*

has davidson been in anything recently? it seems like another lifetime ago when pbs used to show all the dr. whos. i can't wait to see the new one. :)

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

You'll love the new one, it is, um... fantastic. :)

I haven't heard of him being in anything apart from Big Finish. I occasionally find myself watching All Creatures Great And Small when I can't sleep at night, though. *g*

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

oh all creatures was beautifully done. and the books are delightful. and at times so funny i cried laughing. *g*

[ancalemon.livejournal.com]

This whole revisions process seems pretty genuinely craptastic. I'm kind of glad all I had to contend with were a few AP tests and the SAT.

Fight! Fight! *starts waving around little Japanese fans in an encouraging and pom-pom-like way*

[amchau.livejournal.com]

I just nearly called you, as I'm dying of Greek-scented boredom (aka revision), and needed a break; but then I thought you might be mid-revision, or still asleep, and I didn't want to disturb you. But I will be in, alone, and bored, all day, if you want to call me.

(Please do, if you can spare the time. Sooo dull...)

[pinkishmew.livejournal.com]

Everyone becomes slightly dazed, completed exam-focussed, boring human beings incapable of normal human contact with alien concepts of 'fun' and 'outdoors'.

And that was meant to be comforting. [hugs]

[hathy-col.livejournal.com]

Dammit, the last thing I saw was the Doctor pulling a wall down, unearthing a big head of rock with glowly green eyes (classic effects, just classic) and he was clamping his hands to his head in the most delightfully angsty way. I think there must be five minutes in the middle we both missed, which means I am Confused.

The bloke with the funny accent is from 1643 Civil War time.

It's all very confusing, and if there had been a mention of Cromwell I would have thrown something heavy at the TV. I hate Cromwell.

Yup, full marks. I'm around om the AQA website next year as one of th January examples along with another girl from my class, which is a bit lovely. And believe me when I tell you that I came out of that exam shaking and declaring I had failed. Apparently not. Honestly, you'll think it's doable on results day.

*pets* Your icon isn't emo, because it doesn't have a picture of you looking depressed with with lyrics from My Chemical Romance on it, or saying something like CUTE WITH THE E or something pathetic like that.

Think of the jellybabies and be merry. It's over soon.

[biascut.livejournal.com]

I will not be defriending you, because although I do not really enjoy reading about you being stressed and upset, from my position as an Old Person with Hindsight, I know very well that it will in fact all be over much sooner than it feels like to you when you're going through it. Hang in there. :)

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's the only time of my life I seriously consider applying for American citizenship. *g*

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

It's nine now, so I think I'll probably wake you up if I do. Once exams are over, there will be conversation. I'm just totally swamped at the moment. When are yours over?

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

*g* Very true. *huggles back*

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

*clings* I hope you're right, I really do.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

I missed angsty!Five? zomg that is tragic. Five being angsty is so much fun.

I can do Politics. I can. *is resolute* Do we have a day fixed for jellybabies and squee? Would be fun to do it before either of us go away anywhere.

And, and and and, Androzani! Next Sunday! *bounce*

[amchau.livejournal.com]

Yes, you would have woken me. (What's that about Pratchett and Gaiman only being awake at the same time for a few hours in the middle of the day? Somehow, this reminds me of that.)

My exams finish... *dramatic music*... TODAY! 90 minutes after 1pm today, I will be free. Yours don't finish until the 30th, though, do they? I remember you mentioned that when we were dicussing when to open the Super Seekrit Project O'Doom.

[hathy-col.livejournal.com]

I have no fixed date because um I have no video yet because um I'm spending it all on an outrageous holiday.

But I WILL and it will be SOON.

Androzani is next Sunday? I'm only going to have COLIN BAKER to sustain me through the summer? *flails*

[hathy-col.livejournal.com]

*jumps in*

You realise, of course, this is simply further proof that you are, in fact, Neil Gaiman and Birdy is Terry Pratchett?

*adds to The List*

[amchau.livejournal.com]

Should I be happy or worried that I've just been included in a Recognised Lunatic Theory?

[(Anonymous)]

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0205749/

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

thank you. *g*