Life Updates and Exciting Events

Hey there.

This is novel.  Writing an entry for this blog seems like the strangest thing as I haven't done it since March.  And now it's almost July. Where has this year gone?  Well, I'll tell you, as my year so far, from March until now, has been hectic, stressful and jam-packed.

We had prelim exams in February, although I only had 2 subjects which required these, as Advanced Art doesn't have a prelim or final exam, just lots of other work. I did well in my prelims, despite little work. An A in Graphic Communication (second highest in the class, no biggie...) and a B in Philosophy.  Anyway, after my last post, my final exam's seemed to be fast approaching and art was getting more stressful by the day.  However, before we launched into exam leave, we all had to prepare ourselves for our final month; final week; final day; final hour.  Our year had our muck up day (consisting of water guns, water balloons, flour, etc.) on the last Thursday of our timetables and on Friday, the teachers prepared a day of bacon rolls and beach games (though most just came along for the free bacon rolls). And despite being told time and time again that "S5/6 exam leave starts on Tuesday and pupils are expected to attend school as normal on Monday", a VAST number of my class mates appeared to be 'ill' on that Monday.  Many treated Thursday as our last day, as I did since I knew attendance on Monday would be minimal, so many photos were taken and our Leavers hoodies were distributed.  I was in on Monday but classes seemed to have ceased, and I ended up spending most of the day in our art AV room.

Again, for the final exams, I only had the 2: one at the beginning of May and one the beginning of June.  The time in between would be spent in art.  As many of my peers celebrated their freedom from school and frolicked in the sun, our Advanced class slaved away indoors.  The work seemed relentless.  It consisted of hours of writing a dissertation, arranging sheets, sewing fabrics and modelling final outfits. By the end of it, I had really had enough and was tempted to throw in the towel, but I powered through and ended up completing everything on the 3rd of June (2 days before my final Philosophy exams, possibly the hardest subject I'd done. Ever.) with a dissertation of over 3,000 words, 2 outfits and 14, A3 sheets. I was exhausted, to say the least.  Of art, of school, of any type of work, but, of course, it wasn't over until the final page of Philosophy was read over for the final time.  I walked out of that exam, roughly 20 minutes before the end (since I was finished anyway), with a disconcerting look on my face as I realised that would be the final exam I ever sit in that hall.  I almost ran back to my desk and would refuse to leave, until my conscience convinced me otherwise.

Even after exams and school were over, I still had things to look forward to, and prepare for.  Although some may think it foolish of me, I went to the One Direction concert on June 3rd. Partly to celebrate my freedom from art, and partly to help me forget the looming darkness of the Philosophy exam that was less than 48 hours away from me.  It worked for both.  My friend (Eliza) and I, despite not camping out since 3 in the morning, were fairly close to the front since we were in a standing section between the stage and the central walkway.  The support act was 5 Seconds of Summer, who I had, a number of times, embarrassingly fangirled over in front of my friends.  They were perfect in every sense of the word.  As were One Direction.  Despite us telling people we were only going because we had to accompany Eliza's younger sister, if our friends had seen as there they would have seen through our lie.

And, as if all that wasn't enough, I have more.  I passed my driving test on the 12th of June.  I'm not ashamed to say it was my second attempt, but hey, the best drivers pass second time, right?  This allowed me more freedom to get around without needing to wait for my parents to take me places.  I could get myself to the hairdressers, and things of that nature.  Oh yeah, if you didn't know, I have brilliantly red and blonde ombr hair now, which is interesting.  The recently-departed sixth year were invited back to the school on the 13th (Yes, that was a Friday) for out Leavers lunch were the food was average but the company was exquisite.  For many, there were people they hadn't seen since our final day/exam.  It was also, sadly, put in to perspective by our now ex-Head Girl, that this would be the very last time our whole year would be together, since, despite the Leavers dance growing ever closer, not everyone would be attending.  It was somewhat heartbreaking, that some of these people that I'd spent either 6 or 13 or more years with, I may never see again.  So, we made the most of it.  We sat at our lunch table for the final time, eating food from the canteen for the last time, making memories in our school for the last time (cheesey, isn't it?).  We received our yearbooks and floated around tables having people write messages in them, laughing at some of the photos that had been chosen.  After many had drifted away, a convoy of us drove out to Lucas in Musselburgh for milkshakes and nachos.

The Lunch Table (or most of it)

Now for the part of our year that we (mostly the girls) had hotly anticipated for a very long time.  The Leavers dance.  It's all about dressing up fancy, getting your hair and nails done, and having your photos taken.  I'd had my eyebrows, toenails and fingernail extensions done on the Tuesday, as I was going on holiday on Saturday.  Leavers was on Thursday.  I had my hair re-dyed on Wednesday.  All my prep was done, and all my accessories had been purchased well in advance.  Wednesday, after my hair appointment, I went to get a cold drink as the weather was warm, to say the least.  Although I was unaware at this point, the weather was preparing us for the next day.  I went to pick up a bag from one of my friends and then drove through to Aberlady, her bag and mine slung on the backseat.  I dropped them off with another of my friends, whose dad would be checking us into our hotel for the next night.  And then it was time.  I'd managed to sleep well, although I felt like a child on Christmas Eve, anticipating the excitement of the next day.  My morning was fairly casual.  Well, as casual as it could be.  I went to get petrol and coffee, stopping off at work to collect tips, as this would be the last time I'd be in for a while, then raced down to the hairdressers to meet with my friends.  The time spent prepping and getting all done up seemed like a bit of a blur.  Two of my friends arrived at mine at around 3.30pm, as our pres were just up the road. We arrived just after 4, but not without me stressing and running up and down my stairs in my huge heels a number of times before I had everything.  At the time, I wasn't in the state of mind to comment but my friends looked angelic.  They scrub up pretty well...

At pres, I was quite literally taken aback (mostly because my heels were so high) by the consistently, and dangerously, high standards the girls and boys had set for dressing.  Everyone looked immaculate and fantastic.  I don't envy next year.  Good luck out doing us (although I'm sure they'll rise to it)!  What made it even better was the weather.  It was perfect, also, if a little too warm.  Before the buses arrived at 5.55 to pick us all up, copious amounts of champagne were consumed and hundreds of photos were taken while parents mingled with other parents, chatting about how lovely everyone looked.  Plus, to make it even more special, it was Eliza's 18th birthday.

Lauren, Sarah and myself at pres

When we made it to the venue, our room looked amazing.  Balloons floated from the middle of the table, while we were all greeted at our seats by bags of retro sweets.  It all seemed to go by so quickly, and I won't bore you with all the details, but the food was good and my table was perfect, sitting between two of my favourite people.  Alcohol seemed to be everywhere, hidden from view mostly, but I didn't have enough for it to ruin my night.  The music and dancing was amazing, but when all that was over, making our way (bare-footed) along the length of George Street to our hotel was invigorating.  We had 2 rooms, 3 girls in each, and all getting ready again.  The plan was to go back out with everyone  to a club, but me and one of my friends (Georgie) ended up back at the hotel (after I had traipsed round Edinburgh with others in the early hours of the morning) with McDonald's and the remaining buzz from Leavers.

Now, I'd say we went to sleep at around 2/2.30 only to be woken again by our other roommate coming in at half 3.  We dozed off again until she woke us with the announcement that she had 3 of our guy friends outside the door and that she was giving them refuge in our bathroom.  Now fully awake, and the boys no longer hiding in the bath, Georgie and I had our morning cup of tea at 10 past 4 in the morning.  We all chatted until 5 when Finlay, Johney and Nathan ran over to McDonalds to get themselves breakfast and us girls orange juice.  They ate as if it was the first meal they'd had in weeks.  Georgie left at around 7.30 to get a train, the boys and Callie were sprawled out asleep all across the room, so I left them to venture to the other room of girls, before subsequently going to get, and missing, a train.  I finally got a train with the hungover girls (sorry guys, but it's true) from our other room at quarter to 10.  Leavers had been quite something.

And now I'm on holiday in Turkey, sporting quite a nice pink burn down the backs of my legs currently.  You're all up to speed with my life, and I know that this post is horrendously long, but it's my list of excuses for not posting.  If you made it this far, I commend you.  If I hadn't of been writing it, I wouldn't have made it past the second paragraph.  Go you!

I will try to get back to posting more beauty related things, like I said I would but it'll have to be after T in the Park.  Yes, I still have other things planned.  For example, in September, I will be starting a 5 month beauty course at Mary Reid International Spa Academy in Edinburgh. I can't wait!

I hope you enjoyed catching up on my life.  Have a good day!

Iona xo