Sun Sun Sun

3.15pm- Hello everyone!  In order to write this I have had to leave the beautiful sunshine and move inside to the library. The weather has been incredible for the past couple of days as it has been so warm! I can't believe that it is almost October and we are all walking around in short sleeves and flip-flops. I have been on a couple of lovely walks around campus and really appreciate this incredible place! I'll upload a couple of photos at the end of this post.
   Since returning from Camp the Second Years have all been busy working while the First Years had a Diploma Period Conference. There has been a lovely atmosphere on campus and I have really enjoyed this week. I had an EE tutorial this morning, which was great. I now just have to put the finishing touches to it and I'll be ready to hand it in by the deadline on Friday next week. I am going to try to finish it today...!
   I have also submitted my UCAS application for University and have received a confirmation of my application. It all seems so real and exciting now!!  I can't believe that I have actually applied to University!
   If I am to finish my EE I should work on it now! Before I go, here are a couple of photos showing the campus at it's sunny autumnal best:

The trees are turning golden on Main Drive.

 The roses in the Beast Garden were simply gorgeous in the early morning sunshine.

One of the friendly beasts in the Beast Garden....!

Challenge Camp!

5pm- I survived Challenge Camp in one piece! The Second Year was split into two groups and I was on Camp 1. We went on Friday and came back yesterday. We were taken to the Wye Valley and camped in a beautiful campsite in a wooded valley. We all stayed in tents of about 10. There were bathrooms, but they were heated by solar and so there was only cold water. We were split into groups and had to cook for ourselves with the food provided. Each group had a food box and there was more than enough food. The activities we did were mountain biking, canoeing, survival skills training, rock climbing, orienteering and caving. I never thought I would like caving but I actually enjoyed it. I wouldn't do it again however! Camp was an AC Diploma Period and it continues for the First Years all week. The Second Years have time to work and finish their E.E.s. I have been reading outside in the beautiful sunshine this afternoon with a couple of friends. The campus looks amazing in this weather! Am going to go back to PK before supper. Love to all.

AC in one word- Busy!

11.50am- Hello everyone! Yes, life at AC is still very busy. I went to Exeter University Open Day on Saturday and really liked it. Saturday night we celebrated my dormies Birthday - lots of fun and dancing! I worked quite a lot yesterday. I finished my World Lit.s for English (two formal essays for the IB) and gave them in today. That took quite a lot  of time. I started preparing for a French presentation which I have tomorrow and also for a History test which I just had. It was a factual 20 minute test and so the only problem was time! I now have early lunch and then TOK. I have a flute lesson at 2pm this afternoon. After that I am going to go to the gym with one of my dormie's and then work for the rest of the day. I have a Maths test, E. Systems test and French presentation tomorrow. I then have service tomorrow afternoon. It will be my second Computer Club session and I am very excited. It was great last week.  I am going home tomorrow night as I am going to Bristol University open day on Wednesday. That will be my final Uni visit so I am looking forward to it. Am going to read an article by Harold Evans on Rupert Murdoch in today's Guardian now..... Love to all.

There should be more hours in a day....!

4.15pm- Hello! I realise that I've not written for about a week- I've been very busy. I have been working a lot. Yesterday was the final deadline for my History IA and so I've spent a lot of time on that. I think the stories I heard of busy Second Years having SO much to do now make sense! I will quickly run through my To-Do List (academic) : Economics IA (for IB), English World Lit.essays Final drafts (for IB), Prep. for History test and essay, Prep. for French oral (one of 3 for the IB), Maths test, and E Systems Presentation and Test. Yesterday I also had my first flute lesson of the year (which I enjoyed), baked Welsh cakes and then gave a presentation on Welsh culture (with the Welsh cakes!) in the evening. The Board of Governors are visiting and I also popped in to a  "Meet the Governors" event last night. We had an unusually high tide yesterday (due to the hurricane) and so a lot of us went down to the seafront to watch the incredible waves crash into the coastline. It was amazing! We were safely behind the sea wall but it was fascinating to see the force of the water. There was foam flying around and you could feel the spray in the air. The waves came up over the lower sea wall and we watched as spray from some waves reached the top of the cliffs further along the coastline!! I went back later when it was dark and a lot of people were still there in the moonlight- very beautiful. I have just had my first service session of the year and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was Computer Club and I am helping a lovely lady practise how to use a computer. It was a lot of fun as she has a wonderful sense of humour. I am looking forward to helping her for the rest of the year.  I am going to go back to PK now before supper. I will read a little for History and after supper I have my Felt making activity. I really enjoyed it last week and so I am excited for tonight. I will then work for the rest of the night. Love to all from a blustery castle.

Hello from a wet castle

11.45am- Morning everyone! We have had terrible rain and wind here this morning and some of the people from warm countries are wondering how they will survive the winter! I just had a Double History code and the rain was coming in through the window frame. Apparently it would cost £20-30,000 to have it replaced. There are times when I think that living in a castle is just too impractical.....
    I have been quite busy lately dealing with Peer Listener issues. I've had numerous meetings with Administrators and Houseparents about the first years, the house and college life. I love my role as PL but I think the start of the year is the busiest time. I'm feeling tired but have not yet caught the cough that seems to be going around. I have a full day of codes today, with no free codes. This afternoon I am hoping to go to the gym and then I have my first Activity of the year tonight. I have to go to the Art Department for Ethical Felt and Fashion at 7pm and I am very excited. I actually studied the work of the lady running it for my GCSE textiles course last year. I think I'm going to really enjoy being creative and that it will also be relaxing.
    Must go to Econ now. Love to all.

Let the fun end and the work begin.....

4.15pm- It may not be quite as drastic as the above title sounds, but I now feel as though I have really come back to school!  'August Period' is over. The past three weeks consisted of some work but mostly Service, Induction for the First Years and extra-curricular activities. It has been tiring but now the academic work has begun. Today I had English, Maths, French and E Systems. The summer break now feels like a distant memory!
   I am also in the process of applying to University and so have been busy researching for that and making sure that I make the best application possible. It is very exciting to learn of all the opportunities out there, after AC and beyond. I am very excited to be applying to Uni but at the same time it reminds me that this unique experience will be over next year. I know that I can never repeat the AC experience but I know that the things I have learnt here will stay with me forever, regardless of which university I attend, job I ultimately have.....etc.
   I chose my activities earlier this afternoon. I have made Flute lessons one of my offical activities this year. In addition to that I must have a creative activity (for the AC Diploma), which I am very happy about! I chose either Ethical Felting or Printmaking. I am excited to have the opportunity to be creative as I missed that last year. I also found out which service sessions I will have this term, and I am very pleased. On Tuesdays I will be helping out at a computer club for elderly people, run here at college. On Wednesdays I will be going to a school in Llantwit to help. I am not sure which age group I will be working with but I'm sure it will be good. When I wrote my preferences I decided that I still wanted to work with elderly people but that it would also be nice to work with children this year. I attended some of the Schools sessions last year and really enjoyed them. I am only going to do the compulsory 2 sessions this year, instead of the 3 I did last year. I realised that it would be sensible not to overload myself in what is going to be a very busy term/ year preparing for the IB.
    I have just off my History IA to my teacher, which was a great feeling! I actually really enjoyed working on it but I am glad to get it done. My EE tutor told me that my EEis fine for now, and to concentrate on other things. I'm going to submit my 2nd draft when I've done all the other bits and pieces which are more urgent at the moment. I have to write my Personal Statement and also work on my other subjects. I am applying to do History at Oxford so I'm trying to do the History Admissions Test past papers. They are so interesting! History at Oxford is my dream and in order to achieve that I have to make sure I do well in all of my subjects! This year is all about balance work and play. I feel as though I have it right at the moment and am determined to keep it that way.
    I'm in the library so I will go to work a little before supper. Love to everyone from a sunny castle.