It is now the end of June, and I must say my previous post was interesting to read and remember the warm weather.
In Dunedin, we're now in the middle of winter. I haven't caught the flu yet (touch wood) and I've been so busy that even if I had remembered this blog, I don't think I would have updated. I've decided to make a list of interesting/exciting things that have happened since January, which could be a lot!
• Started School
• Started designing dress, started photography board
• Coached a netball team
• Formals!
• Finished dress
• Holiday soon!
So since my last post, I've obviously started school again. It was good to get back and this is my second last year of high school which is both exciting a seriously scary! Year 12 is most commonly known as 'The year where you do a lot of work'. I can tell you now this is very true, mainly because all of the previous years I wasn't really driven to complete work to a high standard. However this year has really hit me like a bomb shell, yet hasn't really encouraged me. I've actually enjoyed this year a lot more than last year and these are the three things I think have helped:
• No sciences
• Study
• Accounting
So this year I haven't taken any sciences (don't kill me over it). I always found it a hard subject to completely understand and I don't really plan on delving into any sciencey sort of careers in the future. So I dropped science and picked up a Study. I honestly couldn't have enjoyed this choice more in my life. Last year I would get off topic and watch videos during class, which was terrible both for my concentration and my exams at the end of the year. But with my study this year I can use it to get all of that out and really pay attention when I'm in class. I have four study periods a week, which is also useful if I need to catch up on work, or do homework etc. I would highly recommend if you get distracted by youtube or buzzfeed (guilty) that a study is a good way to get rid of that need to watch or read in every class (or so I've found).
Also I think what has helped me this year is taking subjects that interest me. Last year we chose two subjects, the other three were mandatory (maths, science, english). This year I've taken Accounting, which wasn't available to year 11 students. I've really enjoyed it this year, and it's a subject I'm beginning to really understand. I guess it's not really a subject for everyone, a lot of the girl in my class find it hard to pick up at first, but I enjoy it (I can't really decide why).
Another subject I've picked up this year is photography. Now I feel like I came in with very high expectations for this subject. Maybe each week snap a few photos, add some filters and chuck them onto your board (which you can get up to 13 credits for at the end of the year). Boy was I wrong. Not only is it not the easier subjects, but I really underestimated how much work went into it. Last year I took art and completed a two panel board and I thought THAT was hard!
So to finish the story, never underestimate the arts. Haha I'm kidding but I've gotten through half the year, and I should have a panel finished by now.....I don't. I'm really not enjoying it, and I think it might be because I had such high expectations. I dunno, but it's been stressing me out.
Something a bit more uplifting, well for me anyways, was my favourite subject of all time...TEXTILES!! *queue confetti*
No one would know this, but I quite enjoy myself some sewing and designing. Last year I entered the Hokonui Fashion Design awards and earned myself a High Merit (or something along those lines).
This is the dress and the sketch I created (and no the L is not for loser).
I created this by myself, with the guidance of my mum (who knows slightly more than me about sewing and such). It was quite a stressful time for me because I left it to the last minute and it was the first dress/garment I had ever designed and created by myself. I also only had time after school, and had very little motivation (that seems like the case for me with everything!)
However coming to textiles this year was very exciting! Not only was a fresh starts, but my textiles teacher Mr. H, had decided to change the textile program so we could enter our own garments into this years Hokonui Fashion Awards. To say I was relieved was an understatement. I was planning on entering anyways, but it was very helpful to know that I would have four periods a week to work on deigning a pattern etc. (all of which I didn't do for last years dress.) Mr. H is very much a perfectionist, so this year I probably have a better chance when I enter. I can't put any photographs of the process up yet, but it was surprisingly interesting to manipulate a pattern to created the shape and fit I wanted for my dress. Again I scribbled out a messy idea of what I wanted to make (no where near as tidy as the one above). I'm not sure if I can post it yet, but when I can I will.
Another exciting occurrence, is the netball team I'm coaching this year. I have never in my life coached (which may sound a bit worrying) however my good friend Alice is a coach, and has been for a couple of years. Together we coach the year 7 and 8 B netball team. So far I've really enjoyed it. All of the girls are really nice, they play really well and listen most of the time (but what could you expect, they're only 12 and 13). It's also taught me some strategies and tips to improve myself when I play netball, and its very very helpful to have Alice because she knows the rules of netball that only a ref would know.
In year 12 and 13, our school has a formal, where you dress up in heels and dresses (I would expect) and you bring a partner with you to the town hall. You dance, have a meal and dance some more. This year I was invited to the Johnnies formal, that was held in the museum. It was so much fun, the food was delicious and some of my friends were there too.
Last week was our school formal, and I wasn't as excited about it as everyone else. Mostly because the same day I had to hand in my textiles dress, completely finished (what a downer to an event am I right?).
However on the night it was so exciting. I went over to my good friend Sophie's house and we got ready together. Then our formal partners and some more of out friends came over and we took photos together and it was even more fun that the johnnies formal. It was held in the town hall and the theme was the 1920's. There was dancing and a meal (I didn't really like it but most people did). There were year 11's taking polaroids of couples to keep as a 'momento'. It was all round a good time.
After the formal there was an after party, which is held in a dark, grungy venue called Sammy's. Most people in Dunedin would have gone here at least once in their life, I however had not. My expectations were low, this was going to literally be drunk teenagers dancing for three hours. I was not wrong. The only thing that I can commend them on was that it was warm. I think on that Friday night it was meant to snow, and it was freezing outside. Inside there were big heaters that kept the place above 0.
I could honestly compare the after party to the formal with the only difference being that people were drinking. There was pizza and there were non alcoholic drinks and there was a dj. Everybody was dancing and it was quite fun, but at 12am I honestly just wanted to go to bed and sleep. I decided I was only going to stay an hour. In that time I saw a lot of my classmates VERY drunk however most of my friends weren't drinking.
All round I really enjoyed myself and can't wait till next years formal (hopefully I wont be sewing last minute on a dress beforehand). I am also considering making my formal dress for next year, year 13's tend to wear long dress' which I am excited about (as both of my Hokonui dress' have been long).
I actually 'bagged and tagged' my dress yesterday so it is ready to be sent. I can't say much about it yet, but I've spent over two weeks of hand sewing the organza onto the dress. It was a loooonnggg time, but I'm so pleased with how the dress has turned out.
The last bit of exciting news is this term finishes is a week and a half, so I will have holidays for two weeks and then a month later I'll be going to....Rarotonga!! I am VERY excited about this holiday. The furtherest I've travelled overseas is to the good ol' Gold Coast in Australia. I will bring my camera and snap some shots to put on here, but it almost doesn't seem real that I'll be on a tropical island in 6 weeks! We'll be staying for 8 days (I think) and we are planning on hiring scooters. By the sounds of it, Ryan isn't going to be old enough to get a licence so he's going to have to ride on the back with mum or dad!! (This is hilarious because he is very capable of riding a motorbike, whereas my mum is not). That will definitely be a highlight of my year as well as finishing year 12.
That's really it for now, I'm sitting in Accounting finishing this because yolo (I just cringed).
Au revoir, goodbye, I can't really remember how I finished the other blog post but this surely is more than enough to read.
However coming to textiles this year was very exciting! Not only was a fresh starts, but my textiles teacher Mr. H, had decided to change the textile program so we could enter our own garments into this years Hokonui Fashion Awards. To say I was relieved was an understatement. I was planning on entering anyways, but it was very helpful to know that I would have four periods a week to work on deigning a pattern etc. (all of which I didn't do for last years dress.) Mr. H is very much a perfectionist, so this year I probably have a better chance when I enter. I can't put any photographs of the process up yet, but it was surprisingly interesting to manipulate a pattern to created the shape and fit I wanted for my dress. Again I scribbled out a messy idea of what I wanted to make (no where near as tidy as the one above). I'm not sure if I can post it yet, but when I can I will.
Another exciting occurrence, is the netball team I'm coaching this year. I have never in my life coached (which may sound a bit worrying) however my good friend Alice is a coach, and has been for a couple of years. Together we coach the year 7 and 8 B netball team. So far I've really enjoyed it. All of the girls are really nice, they play really well and listen most of the time (but what could you expect, they're only 12 and 13). It's also taught me some strategies and tips to improve myself when I play netball, and its very very helpful to have Alice because she knows the rules of netball that only a ref would know.
In year 12 and 13, our school has a formal, where you dress up in heels and dresses (I would expect) and you bring a partner with you to the town hall. You dance, have a meal and dance some more. This year I was invited to the Johnnies formal, that was held in the museum. It was so much fun, the food was delicious and some of my friends were there too.
Last week was our school formal, and I wasn't as excited about it as everyone else. Mostly because the same day I had to hand in my textiles dress, completely finished (what a downer to an event am I right?).
However on the night it was so exciting. I went over to my good friend Sophie's house and we got ready together. Then our formal partners and some more of out friends came over and we took photos together and it was even more fun that the johnnies formal. It was held in the town hall and the theme was the 1920's. There was dancing and a meal (I didn't really like it but most people did). There were year 11's taking polaroids of couples to keep as a 'momento'. It was all round a good time.
After the formal there was an after party, which is held in a dark, grungy venue called Sammy's. Most people in Dunedin would have gone here at least once in their life, I however had not. My expectations were low, this was going to literally be drunk teenagers dancing for three hours. I was not wrong. The only thing that I can commend them on was that it was warm. I think on that Friday night it was meant to snow, and it was freezing outside. Inside there were big heaters that kept the place above 0.
I could honestly compare the after party to the formal with the only difference being that people were drinking. There was pizza and there were non alcoholic drinks and there was a dj. Everybody was dancing and it was quite fun, but at 12am I honestly just wanted to go to bed and sleep. I decided I was only going to stay an hour. In that time I saw a lot of my classmates VERY drunk however most of my friends weren't drinking.
All round I really enjoyed myself and can't wait till next years formal (hopefully I wont be sewing last minute on a dress beforehand). I am also considering making my formal dress for next year, year 13's tend to wear long dress' which I am excited about (as both of my Hokonui dress' have been long).
I actually 'bagged and tagged' my dress yesterday so it is ready to be sent. I can't say much about it yet, but I've spent over two weeks of hand sewing the organza onto the dress. It was a loooonnggg time, but I'm so pleased with how the dress has turned out.
The last bit of exciting news is this term finishes is a week and a half, so I will have holidays for two weeks and then a month later I'll be going to....Rarotonga!! I am VERY excited about this holiday. The furtherest I've travelled overseas is to the good ol' Gold Coast in Australia. I will bring my camera and snap some shots to put on here, but it almost doesn't seem real that I'll be on a tropical island in 6 weeks! We'll be staying for 8 days (I think) and we are planning on hiring scooters. By the sounds of it, Ryan isn't going to be old enough to get a licence so he's going to have to ride on the back with mum or dad!! (This is hilarious because he is very capable of riding a motorbike, whereas my mum is not). That will definitely be a highlight of my year as well as finishing year 12.
That's really it for now, I'm sitting in Accounting finishing this because yolo (I just cringed).
Au revoir, goodbye, I can't really remember how I finished the other blog post but this surely is more than enough to read.
