Caldew School - Class of 2016

Last Friday, 27th May 2016, marked the end of an era for many of us.

For anyone I go to sixth form they will understand that its no longer going to be the same anymore. The routine of being in the same building, being sat with the same friends and teachers day in and day out. It's strange to think that our journey of  5 years at school and an extra 2 years at sixth form has finally came to an end. I feel with all the exam stress and making sure all university applications and forms have been sent off, we forget that there has to be a day when it all comes to an end.

After making so many memories it feels weird to be saying good bye to it all. I'm not ready to grow up and become an adult just yet! Although I had a 'leavers day' at the end of year 11, this one embarked the official end as all of my friends, including myself, are heading off on new crazy adventures in life.

The opportunities, friends and memories have all been amazing, as much as I say I hate school I think I secretly like it for the laughs and the chance to better myself. It wasn't a really emotional day as I just wanted to spend time with friends and the people I love whilst looking back upon all the memories that have been shared with my year.

This is going to sound so cliche but my time at Caldew School has taught me a few things (which hasn't been for my courses). I've learnt to be myself. It can take a while to find who you are and what / where you want to go in life. If you asked me a few years ago I'd have dismissed the idea of university yet here I am with five offers back from my applications, including two unconditional offers. Plus there is so much expectation about school and sixth form, with you have to get all A*'s when in reality, you don't need A*A*A* to follow your dreams. As trust me I just about scrapped my first year in sixth form but you can pull it round if you be true to yourself and find the pathway you want to take in the future.

I want to take a moment to thank every single person in my year, for the laughs, tears, anger and just your kindness. Caldew School has been the place where we all grew and 'found ourselves'. Looking back to year 7 is a crazy experience; to think once I didn't know the people who I now don't know what I would do without is an odd experience.

I wish you all the best of luck in what ever you do.


*Of course, we had our leavers assembly which meant everyone got glammed up, so me being me got the camera out for HQ photos of my friends and I.

  

  

University Interview | Advice

As a few of you might already know but on Wednesday I had my first and only university interview. I'm hopefully going to study TV and Radio Production at Salford University in September which is scary as it's creeping closer by the day.

With many prospective uni students who will be partaking in admissions interviews in the upcoming months. I just wanted to share my top tips and advice on how to schedule, what to wear, and what to expect! As well as focusing on frequently asked questions that you may get asked during your interview and advice on how to answer those questions too.

PLAN- Before the interview, make sure you know where you’re going, how you’re going to travel and how long your journey will take. To avoid extra stress, give yourself plenty of time on the day. Don’t be late!

READ CAREFULLY- Look carefully through any material that is sent to you before the interview, so you know what to expect when you arrive.

EXPERIENCES + ACHIEVEMENTS- Don’t forget to bring along any documents you might need, certificates or a portfolio – this is really important!

DRESS APPROPRIATELY- Think about what you’re wearing and what it says about you. For professional courses, smart attire is expected.

KNOW YOUR STUFF- Find out about the university and course you’re being interviewed for and think about latest news in the area too.

ENGAGE- Listen carefully to what the interviewer is saying and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Just make sure that they haven’t already been answered in information you’ve been sent by the university.

Finally, just BE YOURSELF! They want to know about YOU, what makes YOU tick, why YOU want to study the subject you’ve applied for and why YOU want to come to that uni. Don't try be someone you're not and pretend to be different as you'll get caught out eventually.

Just watch this clip from Friends it sums it up...

It also help to get someone (who hopefully knows a bit about your subject) to give you a mock interview. Having some interview practice beforehand will help to boost your confidence and expose areas you need to work on.

Obviously there is a lot of universities that aren't going to ask you to attend interviews but they may ask for a "portfolio" of your work or if you're one of the lucky ones you can get offers straight away, but that all depends on which course you're applying for and where it is too.

If you do have to submit a portfolio then don't panic it's not the end of the world. You'll obviously be applying for a creative course and they will give you details of what they want to see from you but just make sure you select your best pieces of work. whether it's a collection of art work, photography, a short film or an article. The key thing to remember is quality over quantity as they want to see your skill and not how much you can produce.

I understand not everyone will be applying for university but this advice is transferable to whether you're wanting to move on to college or move up to sixth form and in fact some of the questions can even be asked in job interviews or finding works experience. I hope you enjoyed this and find the advice was somewhat helpful.

Thank you

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Winter Street Style

I've been getting out and about recently and I got the chance to meet up with the Vamps girls last week, and it was the perfect opportunity when Jess and I were together to have a mini photo shoot and test out her new Sony Alpha 5000 camera.

Please go check out her blog as it's pretty amazing, I must say: Jess' blog!

But for now I just want to share my everyday street style with you and I'll leave links for what I'm wearing at the end.

 

  

  

Coat, Sweater, Jeans, Boots, Necklace*

*which is my own I got as a gift from my friend
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