Other results...

While I'm thinking about results, not elections this time, but module results. Remember those essays I wrote and handed in a few days before the deadline? Well I got 74% on them!!!! Much better than my other modules it has to be said. I know it isn't representative of the overall mark I'll get this year, but it shows me I can do it if I try hard enough :D

It's the Easter holiday break now, doesn't feel that long since Christmas, but there we go. I've returned home for a just week, even though I've got almost a month off- I just can't seem to stay away from Birmingham too long! It shows much my friends and I love Aston really, none of us want to be apart form each other, and all the fun things we can get up to in Brum :D It's great that Aston accommodation allows you to stay during vacation time, I know some of my friends have to physically hand over their keys or move out all together!!!! My mum isn't best pleased by my short visits though, it's difficult to find the right balance with going home enough, but she understands I'm sure.

Right I'm off to catch up with old college mates- there are some positives to being home! :P

Guild Elections

Despite being ill last week I still had an election campaign to run. I had to write speeches for hustings and be prepared to answer questions on my position, as well as running around pinning up posters (most of which were ripped down 5 minutes later by someone who has little or no respect for democracy and the student voice- I could rant for hours on that) and then for the 3 days that voting was taking place I had to stand outside the main building in gale force winds handing out of leaflets trying to encourage people to vote for me. I wasn't the only one there though, most candidates, whether running for full time roles like the President or VPs or the part timers like my role, did their bit to earn their votes



I was pretty concerned about being so far behind my opposition, she had been doing tower raids whilst I was in bed ill, and she had a much bigger campaign team running around for her. I know a lot of people, it helps working in the local pub, but she really got her name out there. To cut a fairly long and stressful story short I lost the election :( Personally I think I was the best person for the job and had the best points to put across (of course I would say that!), but in terms of campaigning Gemma deserved to win, I was just so tired that I was really struggling to compete with her. I'm glad I did it all though, I felt like at least I was trying to make a contribution to my community, and did something very few students do. Even if people didn't vote for me to win I gained some support. A part of me is also a little glad I didn't win- I won't have to do all at that extra work next year :P I still need a "project" to keep my scatty brain focused though- so I think I will be running for Aston RAG committee, still need to think about it thought, don't think I can handle to rejections! I'll get back to you on that one.

Apologies/Illness

Apologies for my absence from the web the past few weeks, I've been pretty distracted and all will be revealed if you stay tuned.

The last time I blogged I was happy because I had just got my visa for Camp America, but I didn't get to stay on my high for long. On Saturday (the one before the last one :P) I ate something which gave me food poisoning- I have my suspicions as to which food it was but can't really say for sure. It started with bad indigestion on Sunday morning, and then it got worse to the point when I couldn't sleep all night I was so uncomfortable with stomach cramps :( I didn't really know it was food poisoning at the time- it felt like I was dying on the inside!

Luckily Aston has it's own dedicated NHS medical centre so I knew I would be able to go get help. I went to see a nurse Monday morning, I didn't even have to make an appointment which saved me hassle. Unfortunately with food poisoning, as I discovered, there was nothing to be done other than just wait it out. I went back to my bed and slept all day, with painkillers to make me more comfortable. I needed the rest after having no sleep the night before. I was really annoyed that I was bed bound for the day, I wanted to be out there campaigning for the elections, I knew it was going to put me behind when I had very little time. I didn't feel 100% until about Thursday, and I was glad to be able to eat without it feeling like there were shards of glass in my stomach :D

I was pretty lucky to have gone so long without getting ill like I did, but I was really worried when I did, thank god for the nurse being so easy to get to. I didn't suffer with vomiting or diarrhea from my food poisoning, unlike most, so I was even luckier on that front!

Legitimate reason to miss lectures.

Today I went down to London to attend a visa interview for my Camp America trip this summer. 4 hours of travelling and £100 (plus food :P) of my hard earned cash led to a 15 minute walk from one side of the US embassy to the other talking to a few people at different counters along the way to be told I would be allowed my visa. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy I've got it, the process was unavoidable. However, because I was warned that I could be waiting several hours I hadn't planned for this sudden influx of free time. It was only my second time in big city, and so I decided that the most appropriate thing to do was sight see/shop. I did Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Houses of Parliament, Leicester Square, China Town, SoHo, Covent Garden- all the essentials. I also dropped into Hamleys- I was like a kid in a toy store! I picked up my little brother a miniature London red bus- it's not an Easter Egg, but he will like it :D On the visa side of things the Uni were really helpful, they happily gave me a letter confirming my student status etc. which I needed. I know that Aston also has one of the best visa advice services in the Student Advice Centre of all the universities, and is always happy to help out international students with their applications and paper work.

I had my first husting yesterday for my election campaign, a combination of my nerves and the fact my opponent (yes that's right I have had to endure a last minute opponent!) had bought a banner with them meant I pretty much died on my feet. I'm going to go home in a bit an plan my speech for tomorrow a little better, try and make a better impression.

I'm beginning to feel the pressure a bit with only a week left until the end of term and not many lectures left- I can't believe how behind I am on things. Thank heavens for all the free time I have after Easter to revise before my exams! Just found out the coursework I handed in January (remember my rushed 2000 word essays?) is marked and ready for collection tomorrow- should be interesting :P

Right after that 4 hour trek across London, I need to go home and have a shower and write my speech for tomorrow, whilst trying to remain relaxed :D

What a difference....a weekend makes.

I feel like I've had the worst few days ever! Being home wasn't as much fun as I'd hoped, won't bore you with that though :P I get back today and some first term module results are out :( I failed Quantitative Techniques- the easiest open book maths exam since they invented the abacus, I feel like a fool. The resit week in August falls the same time I'm in America, and it's going to be difficult to arrange my exam in the US. I'm going to find out if there is a person I can grovel and cry (seriously it makes me want to actually cry) to about it- it has worked in the past for me. Don't let anyone tell you a degree is easier than A-levels- as I have just experienced it isn't always the case :(

As well as that, I handed in my article late and unfinished, but the current editor seemed happy with it- didn't ask me to do anything else despite the fact the print run is on Wednesday and the paper isn't finished yet, I'm not sure if that is a good sign :P probably me being pessimistic. I still handed in my nomination forms and things though, have a candidates meeting tomorrow if I can remember to go! Will be shadowing the current editor for two days as we get ready to send this months issue off to the printers on Wednesday. Don't worry I will go lectures in between :(

I have to go work tonight, not closing, same as last week until 12. Won't be hanging around afterwards though- I just really want to sleep :P Took someone else's shift for the weekend as well as my own on Saturday, need the money more than a night out. I'm not an alcoholic by the way, its really easy to go out and not drink whilst still having fun, like tour to Brighton the other weekend! Remember boys and girls don't give into peer pressure :D Even fruit juice or red bull costs money though :(