Struggles Of Growing Up

Hey guys!
Hope you've all been having an awesome time the past week. I've just been prepping for my last english exam 2nd June and then I'm done and I can finally relax. Although today I wanted to talk about something other than just catching up stuff as you can tell by the title.

I know I'm only 16 years old (nearly 17) and not like a wise adult looking back at their teenage years but I'm currently living through my teenage years so I feel like it's more relevant to talk about it now. Hopefully some of you may be able to relate and it may help you in the future or even now.

I just feel like in today's society we are surrounded by so much negativity and hardly any positivity, I mean I get it as from the age of like 4/5yrs we are forced to go to school every single day of the week except weekends and I can accept that it's hell. However to be able to allow yourself to be a more happy person you have to allow yourself to focus on the positive aspects of your life rather than always the negatives. From personal experience, I feel like you always know someone who rarely seems to be happy and always documents themselves in a pissed off mood on twitter and facebook etc. Now these people tend to hugely exaggerate there problems to the point where I've honestly had to say to one of my friends do you enjoy being miserable and constantly being down because it's like they would never put in the effort to change. Like I know you can get sucked into this obsessive cycle of just accepting your down as you feel like you can never get out but all it takes is for you to say you know what no I can get past this and then step by step things will gradually get better.

Although saying that, I'm all down for people changing like I wont hold any of that against my friends as I've personally been there myself and I know how hard it is to get yourself back up and feeling good. But let me tell you once you do, it's the best thing I ever did. You realise it actually makes the good times in your life 100x better as you weren't in a shitty mood before and there's nothing to distract you from the good moments. Another key thing I'd say is the teenage years is all about finding yourself so it's okay to feel a little lost with yourself and who you are (yes I know that was cringey but shush). One major thing is that this means you have to be willing to just get out there and try new things even if it means stepping outside of your own comfort zone for a bit. Like I've never been the party type I'm more of a socially awkward 16 year old who hardly ever goes to parties than your stereotypical 16 year old who gets pissed all the time and is so popular. So recently I'm pretty sure I told you but I started to go to my sixth form's party that gets organised by the sixth formers for like the summer, winter etc. Now at first I didn't go because my friends didn't but then next time my friends wanted me to go and this extremely made me feel uncomfortable and made me imagine all the worst possible scenarios from happening. However I realised once I got there it wasn't even that bad and I ended up having so much fun and I'm so glad I went and now I go whenever it's on! So if you're someone like me who may be having a similar dilemma then I say just go for it, you don't have long until all of a sudden you have so much responsibility and have to pay your own bills etc. Don't take it for granted, as cliché as it sounds you have to learn how to live in the moment!

The main message that I'm attempting to spread is to just try to be more optimistic people like the next time you say no to something think to yourself why did I say no and just think you can always go to a certain event and if you don't like it you can leave. All I'm saying is to just be more adventurous and be more willing to try new things. Also if you're reading this and you know you are one of those people who may seem constantly upset just think to yourself is whoever or whatever it is worth getting so upset over. You just have to think why should I be stuck inside getting upset over some guy/girl when they will be out chilling with their mates as if nothing has happened. I know it takes time but I also know that it's even harder to get back out there so don't feel bad going to your friends or even family for help, that's what they're here for at the end of the day.

So I hope I've either helped or just shed some light on the teenage years for you people. Go out and have fun, that's what life is all about making memories and friends that will last forever and I want to introduce this new quote I've come across (definitely not saying I invented it though haha). To always remind yourself that you don't have to do what everyone else is doing. I think it's very important and have grown to love this quote as so many times people may feel like they have to do something but at the end of the day we all have free will and it's up to us whether we really want to do something or not.

Right, currently I'm in half term right now but I go back to school to start the A2 course from 8th June which is pretty pointless as so many people still have exams and all of us have to carry on the subjects we want to drop! But yeah, will talk more next week, seeya guys & remember to always keep smiling!
Sophie
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Exams Nearly Over & My Cat Smudge

Hey I'm back from the real world haha, 3 exams down only 1 to go now! So yes I'll be blogging more frequently from now on. Hope you're all well and doing okay!

So update on how my exams went well psychology unit 1 which I did last Monday 11th was an afternoon exam which now I've been doing mostly afternoon exams I've realised how much I prefer it as you just have time to go over some stuff in the morning to refresh your mind. I was honestly so happy with the paper, I mean the 12 mark question could have been better because it was one of those 'describe and evaluate a theory of forgetting other than the cue dependent theory' which was a bit annoying as this means you have to write loads about one of the smaller theories but the rest of the paper wasn't too bad. My next psychology was unit 2 yesterday the 18th which I was dreading as there's so much more content they could cover because there's another approach added. However I first did the multiple choice questions then I could feel the pit of dread in my stomach as I flicked to the back to find the 12 marker but it was on Freud's psychosexual stages and then evaluate. If you don't know psychology then you'll be confused but that was like the best question you could get and there was hardly any stuff on the biological approach as well which made me happy..(and to think I was going to do biology a level what a mistake that would've been) Just hoping I've done enough to get a B overall.

Just as a little break from talking about school as I'm dying to mention about the automated instagram cropping tool when you add a profile picture or just upload a picture to instagram. I may be going a bit too deep but why in a world where we have free will should we have to comply to the rules that every single picture we take must be cropped? You know when you take 1 decent selfie so you change all your profile picture to that one because you know it'll be a long time before that happens again..well I did that and even used whitagram to try to avoid the cropping but because of the angle I took it only half my face is in it and just 1 visible eyebrow and every time I go on instagram I see it and it annoys the hell out of me.

Something I saw at school one morning literally just made my day, I was walking to school from the bus and was just about to go through the school gate when on the floor I saw graffitied in bright red 'FUCK YOU TORIS' and I was just like yes I'm silently saluting you because I'm on my own and otherwise that would've been pretty awkward. It just pretty much sums up my school really, gotta love it.

Took some pictures of my cat yesterday snuggled up in a blanket, thought you might wanna see (don't even know if you knew I had a cat but well I do haha and she's called smudge). All pictures were taken on my usual DSLR camera and it's a Canon EOS 1200D if you're interested. Aside from the cute pictures, I had to include that one of her yawning it's a bit freaky but proud I managed to capture that moment.

Also photography related, I found out what marks I got in my coursework booklet and my exam for my photography a level. Photography and Art are probably the only a levels where you find out before results day what you get although the grade still could change. On my coursework booklet which starts from the basics of photography through to making people into smoke on Photoshop, I got 75/80. For all my exam work which as you know is themed around weather, I would show you the panorama shot I took of my work as it's all presented on a wall in school but it didn't really work so it just makes my work look shit but I got 78/80 which is so crazy I can't even begin to explain how happy I am with my marks! Sir said that means I'm probably on an A but it just depends on what the examiners decide the grade boundaries are so I'm hoping I got an A overall.

So I wish you all good luck with your exams and hope the ones you've already done went okay and if not don't focus on that! Straight away move onto the next exam, no point worrying about the past there always is some tough exam papers but as long as you tried your best there's nothing more you could've done! Talk to you all later.
Sophie
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The Beginning Of Exams Aka Hell

Hey everyone!
So I know I've been better at posting more recently but since exams are coming up so soon now for example my first exam is psychology unit 1 on monday so it's fair to say I'm pretty nervous. Then the week after is my unit 2 psychology so I'll try to keep you updated but may not get a chance to upload another blog post next week but after my psychology don't worry I'll be back (for a bit oops). As I have my english exam 2nd June it means I have a bit of a break and longer to revise which I'm so happy about as I'm alright with the content however I do tend to struggle with the timing and getting all the relevant information down. Although compared to all my other friends (apart from some) I have a lot less exams than them partly because I've already done my photography exam in March/April time but I can't even remember as it's just been a blur the weeks go so fast when you don't want them to. I'm sure lots of you can relate to the exam hell/stress/all the negative words I can think of..

Hope you're all coping well, at anytime if you're struggling then just look back at my revision tips blog post which will hopefully help. So glad the week started with a bank holiday, I revised all last weekend mostly so I went out to the Bilton Gala in Harrogate with my friend. I'd never been before but it was really cool like I love stuff like that with unique stalls, little rides, animals to look at and different events going on. 

So if you've been to events like this before you'll know how much they hype all the performers up, I find it hilarious. The 'presenter' was commentating on the mountain bike stunts they were doing and saying how amazing they were like 'this guy is the godfather' of it all and then they were meant to jump over this bar and instead they took it with them and it was just a bit awkward. Like honestly if I was them, I'd be like alright I'm not that good haha. 

Omg I have to tell you all something, so basically my iPad broke again, I don't think I actually told you but it was an accident so it was covered by insurance. However this time the screen just went really dark and grey and I was a bit like right it's either my crappy eyesight or my iPad's actually gone again. In the apple shop they said it wasn't anything just to do with the battery, so had to be replaced so I'm thinking greeaatt(that's how I picture my sarcastic voice to be spelt like okay;) I don't have a 'million' pounds to spend...well my parents but shush I'd still feel guilty. Turns out all they're only charging me £75 for a brand new iPad mini which will be a newer model than the one I have as it isn't the most recent one. That was a moment where if I was religious I would have shouted praise the lord to everybody hahah (yes I'm an atheist but good for you if you have faith in any god I don't criticise just am a strong non-believer-that may sounds hypocritical but I mean I would never confront someone about it, I'd just rant with non-believers). I partly blame philosophy & ethics gcse for that, it brought out me and my friends strong atheist views.    

So this is a bit of a failed blog post as I started writing it monday and then I honestly can't even say what happened, just shows how bad my memory is that I forgot or no maybe it was just I wasn't in the same environment of where I was writing the blog so therefore as I haven't returned to the same context until today, that's why I could only now recall the information that I had to finish my blog post...that's for any psychology nerds out there (cue dependent theory 'yay' I say in my most sarcastic tone but realisticly I do this all the time to my friends & family relating life to how psychology would explain it, I'm not even sorry haha I mean it's revision right..you'll get used to it soon enough;)

I didn't know if I wanted to mention about the election vote results because everyone is entitled to their own opinion and blah blah blah but I'm going to say my opinion who cares nobody should have to feel restricted and not able to talk about their own views. So this is it briefly, I honestly don't understand why anyone in their right mind would vote for the conservatives who seem to only care about the rich no matter how badly the poor are suffering. This is a tweet I wrote earlier..do I wanna say this hmm yeah why not "for anyone who voted the conservatives, this is on you, you literally just fucked up our government, we had a chance to change as well". I had a bit of a rant as you may tell, that wasn't my only tweet but you guys should be proud I have an opportunity to plug my twitter but I thought no I don't wanna be that 'guy' haha. Please no hate though I do understand everyone is entitled to their own opinion but I know this topic can be seen as very controversial to talk about with anyone actually as there are so many different views people have regarding which party they support so tend to lash out at anyone who has a different opinion to them thinking that means it's automatically wrong..I mean good logic right (again more sarcasm I'm not even sorry)

Anyway enough of me going on at you, I wish you all good luck with your exams! No matter what any teachers or even your parents if you aren't on good terms with them say; I believe in you all & just do your own personal best and that sounds pretty good to me! Don't remember to have lots of breaks & go out in between revising (I have to remind myself all the time that it's okay to take a break amongst all the work, may sound weird to some but oh well some other people may relate).
Talk to you in about a couple of weeks (or less depending), byeee!

Sophie 
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