dream country

Originally posted at auromheim.net

Here’s one of my weirder hobbies: I love going over my study plan, adding new subjects and moving others around. At the moment it looks like I might be taking four subjects next semester: two Chemistry ones, one in Physics and one in Maths. The last one is disposable, in case I find it’s a bit too much work (I’m also getting a job next semester). Oh, and the last semester of my bachelors degree might be spent at the Humaniora faculty, taking Gender Studies and French. Just for, eh, fun?

On Friday, my group finished our lab project in Organic Synthesis and Analysis; our last lab of the semester. I have sort of mixed feelings about being done, because that lab proved to be very interesting, but at the same time it was a lot of work (basically writing laboratory logs from I got home till I went to bed on Thursdays, and still not being done). We still have a project report and an exam left in the subject, but despite that, and being behind on every other subject because of said project, I’ve spent most of the weekend sitting in our faboulous pillow-filled sofa, watching Sex and the City.

I love, love, love living in this apartment! The girls are great, the place is great, and best of all: it really feels like a home. I can see myself living here for the rest of my time in Uni.

Originally posted at auromheim.net

I’m about to become an old hag at the age of twenty. Why? Because kids today really piss me off. And by kids, I mean primarily girls, and girls who might actually share my own age.

There’s just something about the superficiality, and the gossiping, and the neverending giggling. Why can’t they just chill?

No one is perfect. I wish everyone would just take that very clichéd sentence to heart, and stop fussing about what to wear tomorrow, or if not straightening your hair before school will be social suicide. It’s not important.

And now I’m getting off my soapbox-of-unoriginality to say: I know association is good if you want to memorise stuff. But, studying for a mid-semester exam in Chemistry, and constantly reading Avogadro as Avocado — well, I’m not sure how that helps.

Originally posted at auromheim.net

I finally managed to wrap my head around stoichiometry, so things are looking up in Chemistry. Yay!

Still, I feel my life is spinning in every direction, and I’m slowly losing control. I’ve missed two lectures this week, due to sleeping in, and I’m emotionally everywhere at the moment. And still I’m having a great time. I love living in Bergen, and I enjoy attending Uni - the only thing I dislike, actually, is the location of the apartment I live in. It’s too far away from the town, so that if I plan on doing anything after I finish studying for the day, I don’t have time to go home and eat dinner. Which again takes its toll on my economy.

The economy, which, incidentally, also is all over the place at the moment. I’m currently considering buying a printer. I still haven’t gotten past the previous half-year’s mindset, where I could use all the money I had, cause I worked and lived at home, mooching off my parents. Sooner or later, though, my limited funds are going to sneak up and hit me (hopefully knocking some sense in while they’re at it).

Till that happens, though, I’ll be eating out and going to movies, or, like today, going to a dance performance.

I’m really looking forward to it. It’s the Norwegian national company for contemporary dance, Carte Blanche, that’s performing. I’ve seen them twice before, and been blown away both times. I just love contemporary dance. The techniques, the emotion expressed, and just the way it’s so removed from the stilted style of ballet (though I like ballet as well). I miss the lessons we had in this style at secondary school, and I’m currently kicking myself for not enrolling in contemporary dance classes here in Bergen.

I think I’ll do so after Christmas, when, hopefully, I will have moved out of the faraway apartment. God, am I looking forward to that!

(New layout, by the way. It’s not mine, it’s a theme. I’ve given up on webdesign for the time being.)

Originally posted at auromheim.net

#1: I have a North American Chemistry textbook. And you know, I thought I had grasped how different that whole area is from Europe. I had no idea they actually used other ways of calculating. It’s utterly confusing. Our lecturer uses the European style, though. I have no idea what he expects us to do on exams.

#2: Why does Norwegian University still cling to the tradition of every first year student taking a course in philosophy? I feel I have to constantly shift my brain in and out of “science mode”, depending on which textbook I’m perusing.

#3: I’m actually doing this voluntarily. It’s not something I have to do. And that somehow makes it all the more stressful.

Originally posted at auromheim.net

I sort of started Uni today. Sort of, as in, I had my first lecture in the very cool Science building, but the term isn’t actually starting before next week. One-week Maths course, yay!

It was, well, strange. A whole new school-situation (my dad would jump in here with “it’s not school, it’s university!”), and the social aspect of it all is rather stressful. There’s been no group-work or anything yet, and I am not good at just walking up to people and saying hi. Not good, as in, I can’t for the life of me do it ever. Bah. Seemed a lot of the other students felt that way, though, so it’s not so bad. Yet.

The eternal pessimist. *raises hand*

I like living in Bergen, though. My room is really nice (I have a stunning view, will post pictures), and the flat is great.

I’m halfway through Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows for the second time, and will attempt to write a coherent review when I’m done. For now I’ll say: too much death. But I liked it.

OK, a few days later I am reconciled with the fact that the exam went bad, and I'm starting to not feel so stupid after all. Partly thanks to seenyuuko for reminding me that an exam really is just proof of what you are able to dig out of your mind under pressure. Just because I have a mind that doesn't work under pressure, doesn't mean I suck at Maths. Because I feel I do understand most of the curriculum for the 2MX course. (2MX is the term for second-year, advanced Maths. I might be taking 3MX next year.) And I like it. And I won't let the exam ruin that for me.

Although I am anticipating a going-utterly-bugfuck reaction to getting the exam results in January. I'm betting I got a 3.

Oh, and annoyance of all annoyances, I just learnt that I had guessed the answer to one of the difficult questions correctly. Only I didn't deliver in that answer, because I was guessing. Argh. That's some points straight out the window.

gotohelltriognometricequations

Helped my self-esteem, though, because how to solve those type of equations is one of the things the writers of my text book forgot to mention.

Well, this is, what, the third in a row of Maths-entries. Perhaps I should write about something else.

Today, the whole student body of my Folk High School were in Bergen to collect money for charity. We all had our own little bucket, and were supposed to ask people for donations. Problem is, I have a block of sorts against that sort of thing. I'm not afraid to talk to people, usually, but when I'm actually asking them for their time and their money, I become very uncomfortable. And so it took me one and a half hours to dig up courage to start.

That, combined with shyness and bad luck, resulted in a mere 100 NOK ($14/£8) in my bucket. Most people gathered 600+. I feel really bad about it, because I did want to help. I'm just weird.

Hopefully that weirdness will excuse all the home-made Christmas presents I'll be giving out this year. (Don't worry, Linda, you're not one of the unfortunate ones!) One of the classes at my Folk High School is an Art and Design one. Their classroom is always open, and as far as I know, the rest of us are allowed to use the materials that aren't locked in (or in the students' cupboards). So, with some Decoupage and some fabric scraps, I've made a small bag, and a couple of sew-on decorative patches. In addition, I've knitted two scarves.

I like being creative, but I'm not so sure the people receiving the gifts will be quite as pleased. XD

It's funny, I've had this story in my head for over a year, and all the while, I've known that when I finally sat down to write it, it would go easily. Now I've started writing it, and it is going sort of easily, although I have to go back and rewrite bits, because the writing gets sloppy when I'm tired.

Perfect timing, though, because next week is writing week, where we just write every day. (Normally, we have elective studies on Wednesday, and Discussion and Culture Lessons on Thursday.) Looking forward to it. :)

Oh! And I've finished my Maths book! Now I just have to repeat the curriculum up till the 6th of December. Exam! Angst!

I <3 my new computer.

This week, most of the school's been to Budapest (Hungary). I could not afford it, so instead I've spent the week at school, along with the other people who didn't go. You'd think it would've been a rather dull week, but actually I haven't found myself envying the people in Budapest at all.

On Monday we went to see a movie, about Ole Bull, a somewhat famous Norwegian violin player from the 19th century. Then we went on to the aquarium where we saw some cute seals and penguins, and some rather un-cute spiders. At the end of the tour, we had the opportunity to hold a tarantula. I swear I stood there for almost ten minutes, willing my arm to lay my hand on the table so I too could hold it, but it refused to listen. It appears I can't handle spiders in any other way than with a rolled-up magazine.

( Some photos from the Aquarium )

On Tuesday we went swimming in this pool that had an awesome water-slide where you picked up loads of speed, and then came out in this round bowl with a hole in the middle. The slide ended with a fall through that hole, about a meter down into a small pool. I lost count of how many times I went on that slide.

After swimming, we had an all-you-can-eat pizza lunch, and then bowled till we had to go back to the school.

Before this week, our teacher gave us an assignment, where we were to write one text, one of the days we were either in Budapest or here at school. I wrote mine during the overnight stay we had, Wednesday to today, at the school's mountain cabin. The text goes as follows:

Mountain trip: tales of an A-type person
The night's success
is proportional
to the number of emptied coffee cups.

I'm not particularly inventive. And I've found I'm fond of short texts. They're less work than long ones. :) Anyway, the story behind this text is my growing annoyance at my sleeping pattern. Fine, fine, I know that being a morning person is useful in most work and school situations, but it really is no fun when you're invited to sit up all night, or when you're going to a party. You just end up being the boring person in the corner. Unless there is coffee around. Then it can be a whole different story. But it's not exactly like I want to bring a thermos to the next party, or to a sleepover.

Oh, woe is me.

...still in love with my new computer. XD

Well, it's been a strange two weeks. I can't say I've made up my mind about the whole Folk High School thing yet. Some days I wake up in a good mood and feel like hanging out with all the new people, and some days I wake up and feel like shit. On those days I walk around thinking I'm awkward in my hair and my clothes and with my dialect.

But today's been a good day. And yesterday ended up being a good day after a rather shitty start. Here's to hoping there will be more good days and less bad.

I'm getting lax about updating this journal. It's been, what? Two and a half weeks since my last post? For all you know I could've gone off and committed suicide due to criticism from fellow co-workers.

Haha.

I didn't, though. And I didn't confront that woman either. What I did do, however, was work a late shift with her last week. Two, actually. And both times we were out of the store by, or even before, our end-of-shift time. Hopefully that proved to her that I'm not completely incompetent.

Now I have only four days of work left, and then it's off to folk high school. Can't wait. And on Sunday, two friends and I are having a goodbye-get-together in a nearby town. Marie and I are going to folk high schools, six hours driving apart, and Solhild's going to Australia again. Gah, am I jealous.

I've made arrangements to take an exam in December, with the same curriculum as the second-year course in Maths, in secondary school. I don't have this, and it is necessary, along with the third-year course (which I'll be taking next semester), to get into Chemistry at Uni.

I'm trying not to focus on just how stressing taking two years' worth of Maths, alone, in one year will be...

6

Unless I completely misunderstood the examiner. In which case, I'll be extremely embarrassed. But I don't think I did.

Showed her, didn't I? :D

(And now I've finished Upper Secondary School. Completely.)

Well, I have NO idea how that went. I haven't got the grade yet, and I have lost all faith in my own judgement.

The examiner was very nice, and so now I'm suffering from bad conscience.

We'll see if that'll hold when I get the grade.

...or not.

Anyway, we got the topic for the speech we're supposed to give, and it's on Merce Cunningham. I'm incredibly fascinated by his work, so the researching and stuff's gone well. I'm just so nervous that I'll freak out or something, seeing that woman again. Gah. Can't believe the school did that to us.

Today, I've eaten two pieces of chocolate cake for breakfast, walked uphill for 2km in an attempt to get my brain working again, had too much coffee, and finished my script for the speech. Now I just have to figure out every litte thing that my teacher might ask me after the speech, so I can read up on it. I've already read 400 years worth of Dance History, even though there's no way in the world that the Renaissance relates to Merce Cunningham.

Just two minutes ago, I realized that I've finished most of my subjects now. I've only got Dance History left. And because I got drawn for an exam on Monday, I have the whole week off. Yay! Loads of time to pack and wash the apartment. Will be weird leaving it, since it's been my home for the last three years.

On Wednesday, we party. I'm sort of worried that I'll end up a crying drunk, because everyone's leaving on Thursday. The class probably won't be gathered again, ever.

And I'm scared of starting work on the 26th.

But I have a new phone so that's good. Problem is that it has so many functions, I'm much more tempted to check them out, than studying for the exam. I'm like a child with a new toy.

Did I understand correctly?

We got drawn for an exam in Dance History?

With the same examiner?

x_x

The preparation for the dance exam has gone really well, and if I'm to judge by the dress rehearsal, we'll do a good performance tomorrow. I just hope I don't freak out when we get an audience, cause I have a part where I alone am in focus. But I tend to be more concentrated and energetic with an audience, so I think it'll go OK.

*knocks on wood*

I really should go home and get some sleep, but I'm just too awake. That cup of strong coffee I drank before the dress rehearsal was a good help to get the right level of energy, but now I can't seem to calm down.

But I'd better try. Wish me luck! :)

Well, I think the Norwegian exams went well. My arm did not act up! Yay. However, I was really tired during both exams due to the first being on a Monday, and the second being on Wednesday after we had Tuesday off. Did I think to not sleep in and mess up my day-rhythm? Naaah.

But I think the exams went well, despite that. I'll just have to wait till the end of June to get the results.

Tomorrow starts the incredibly stressful dance exam. We get the assignment at 9am, and then we (a group of five) have two and a half days to make a dance performance of about five to six minutes. I'm thinking we'll hardly have time to eat and sleep. I just hope I end up on a group of people I work well with.

Being russ is just as much fun as I thought it would be. :D Last week we had the Russ Baptism, and strangely enough it wasn't a bit scary to go up in front of 100+ fellow russ to get baptised. It was nice, because everyone was cheering, and also because the baptism didn't involve anything disgusting (like eating raw eggs). All we had to do was stick as much of our head as we wanted into a bucket of coloured water.

My russ name? "Bloody Mari". Because when I started secondary school, loads of people were prejudiced against my home town, because it's an industrial town and the social environment is a bit tough. I got so tired of all the "oh, you're from that place" type comments, that I started poking fun of them by telling over-the-top stories. Among other things that we all drank blood on Halloween. Also, I think scaring people is great fun.

After the Russ Baptism we had a parade, with a small marching band made up of russ from the Music department. It was the first time in quite some time that I've had fun drinking.

Last weekend I joined a girl from my class and a bunch of other people driving around in a russ car, "watering" younger students with water guns and buckets. This probably sounds horrible, but it's part of tradition, and mostly we only target people who we know are ok with it. I thought the russ terror was amusing when I was in first and second grade.

This week we haven't had time to do much russ-stuff, because of the whole-day-test in Dance. This is the most stressing whole-day-test I've ever had, and probably the reason why I've developed a cold. Again. A bit annoying, since there's a huge russ get-together tomorrow. I'm going, but will probably be coughing and snuffling through the whole thing. Oh, well.

Meme: Comment on this entry and I will give you a letter. Write ten words beginning with that letter in your journal, including an explanation what the word means to you and why, and then pass out letters to those who want to play along.

shorelle gave me "S" so here goes:

Sjokolade (chocolate) My absolute favourite type of candy.

Series I'm addicted to too many unfinished ones.

Sandane Where I go to school.

Soda I'm trying to stop drinking it.

Sunshine Makes me happy, and I wish we had more of it.

Skriveverksted (writer's workshop) The course I'm taking at Folk High School next year.

Summer Is approaching quickly.

Storbritannia Norwegian name for my favourite country: Great Britain.

Stress A feeling I've become way too acquainted with this week.

Snow A thing I like as a concept only; not the real thing.

Yesterday, I had my last ever whole-day-test in Norwegian. Woha. I don't think I've quite realised what this means. Probably because the exams in Norwegian are yet to come, but somehow I feel they will be different. Although, actually, it's only the location that changes.

Classroom -> school hall. Hopefully the air-conditioning will be better.

The last whole-day-test ever is coming up right after Easter. It's a dance one, and we haven't been told yet whether it will be ballet or contemporary. This because it's supposed to be as alike to an exam as possible. A sort of mock-exam, if you will. I'm hoping contemporary dance for the actual exam in June, because that genre allows for so much more creativity, but for the whole-day-test it would be nice with ballet. It requires very little work, y'see, as long as we do our best during the test.

The end of my final year at school is approaching, and you can see it in so many ways. The school weeks are becoming fragmented, this week we've only had two normal days. It's so light outside (daylight at 9pm!). And on Wednesday we put the last touches to our Russ overalls.

I will probably be raving on about the Russ celebration this upcoming month, so I figured I'd just explain what it's about. In Norway, the graduates of secondary school spend a month (starting halfway through April and finishing on Norway's national day, the 17th of May) wearing colour-coded overalls and hats, partying excessively and annoying the rest of the population profoundly.

Most children start looking forward to the Russ celebration at the age of seven, and there are so many traditions connected to it that I don't know where to begin. This year's celebration starts the Thursday after Easter, with the Russ baptism. Here we get our Russ names. In previous years the baptism has involved drinking raw eggs, but this year's Russ priest seems like a nice guy, so maybe we won't have to.

One of my favourite Russ-traditions is the, erm, terrorising of younger students. In my two previous years at the school, the Russ have parked outside the doors with water-guns and -balloons, ready for any first- or second-year who might pass by. So that'll be fun. :D

Being attacked by kids on my way to school won't be as much fun. Most kids collect Russ-cards (with our photo, name and motto on) and some of them get violent in the pursuit of cards. My way to school goes right through the Children's School. Scary.

But fun. It will be fun. Can't wait.

Yesterday I had the strangest creative trip, resulting in two short stories. One of them works, the other might possibly do so if you squint. But the point is, I finished them. They didn't end up mouldering in the Unfinished folder. Hurrah. Makes me less worried about taking Creative Writing for a year.

This week, the music dance drama classes have been holding a series of performances under the blanket term "festival". This festival is arranged every year, both to show the rest of the world what we're doing at the school, and to give us experience with performing.

I think this experience is the most important thing I'll be taking with me when I graduate.

Us in Third Year Dance had two performances, one ensemble-number, and then the duets that I've mentioned earlier. Both went well, a great thing when it comes to performing. There's nothing like performing something well.

I'm going to miss performing.

Just finished writing the script for my Psychology speech on eating disorders (a somewhat uncomfortable subject, as two of my best friends have suffered from it). Now I have one and a half week to practice performing it. I'm hoping I'll make sense, and that the listeners will learn something from it.

I'm becoming more and more positive to the thought of being a teacher. As long as I could be one in a subject I love, and for youth the ages 16-19 (seeing as I have no patience for young kids, and the age group 12-15 tend to hate their teachers).

There's going to be a severe lack of teachers in the science subjects (Maths, Chemistry, Physics) in the future, so it'll probably become a rather well-paid job. Not to mention the fact that you can get a job almost anywhere, and you get much more vacation than in other careers. The downside is that being a teacher tends to limit your spare time. There are tests to make and correct, lessons to plan...

Talking in front of people the whole day is a tad scary too.

On Friday is the teacher-arranged party for the graduating classes, which for some absurd reason's been named "The Pig Party", despite being very formal. Most of the girls will be wearing their national costumes, myself included. I'll probably be taking some pictures, and putting them up here, if anyone's interested in what the Nog national costume looks like. XD