2010

This is it. The last post. I will miss you, very a lot. I will miss you perhaps even more than I miss 2010. No, tell a lie. You have been quite annoying some nights, when all I want to do is just sleep. But no, I have to cram in a silly blog post. *Please don't get mad at me*
Nevertheless, what am I going to do without you? You've helped me through all the craziness of 2010. So, this year began with getting an offer from Cambridge. Then came January exams, more interviews, more rejections. I then did my Grade 7 ballet exam. Next, I found out I was one of the lucky few who got the Fulbright Scholarship for Outstanding European Students. After then, a period of quiet, and then Summer exams, which I'm actually quite proud of, as I managed to get full UMS in every single exam I took that season. After exams, I went to Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York, and Washington DC, where I met the most amazing people, ever. Truly outstanding. It was definitely an experience of a lifetime, and I continued talking non-stop about for at least a couple of months afterwards. Next was results day, and I was very much pleasantly surprised. A few days later, I jetted off to China. There, I gave blogging an official vacation as this site is censored in the Mainland. I did however keep a diary of everything I did each day. Shortly after coming back from China, I found myself packing yet again, this time for University. Then, the rollercoaster called Cambridge began. Eight weeks literally flew past. However, in that time, I feel like I have learnt more than I did in the four years of GCSE and A levels combined. I met new people. Wonderful people. After coming back home for the Christmas break, I did work. Not enough, but a reasonable amount.
So, dearest blog, that was my 2010 summarised in a rather long paragraph. Thank you for accompanying me through it. Through thick and thin, you stuck by me, and it has been my pleasure to work with such a loyal partner. Rest assured, Henry and co will not be neglected now that Project 365 is over. Photos will still find their way onto the interwebs; they're clever like that.
Anyway, I shall love you, and leave you, and bid you farewell.
Be good, take care, and sweet dreams.

Jenga

I finally tidied my room today. The storage compartments in my room are about to explode. I simply just have far too much stuff! I do hate throwing things out though; I literally keep everything.
Finally saw Shiran and Katrina today! We were desperately overdue a catch-up. They're both clever, and busy, people with jobs though. All my friends know me much better than I know myself. I don't know how I would survive without them. In terms of friendships, 2010 has literally been amazing. I've become much closer with School friends, I've made amazing Fulbright friends in the States, and Uni has introduced me to so many more amazing people too. It's unfortunate that I haven't seen as much of some friends as I would have liked, but I suppose there's always 2011. Haha I remember considering video-blogging for 2011, as a continuation: diary - photo - video. But alas, no. I have no time, nor computer hard-disk space.

Last sunrise of 2010 soon. I'm very excited!

Blogging

Today could have potentially been very productive in terms of work, but it wasn't. I am very much aware that my recent blog posts haven't been up to standard, but I genuinely just don't do that much during the day to blog about. However, I promise to pull my socks up before the New Year. Oh dear, I have two more posts left. It's really quite sad to leave this blog. I once worked out that it takes me an average of 15 minutes each day; to take the photo, upload the photo, perhaps edit, and then write the blog post. So that means it's taken up roughly 90 hours of my time this year. That's 90 hours that could've been spent working, or eating, or most importantly, sleeping. Nevertheless, it is one of the few things in my life that I am certain about - I cannot be more sure that it was totally worth it, all 90~ hours. I flicked through my 2009 diary. Not something I intend to do for a very long time, as I found out a few secrets of my own from there, but still, it was indeed a very interesting read. This blog means that I can look back at 2010 and remember at least one thing from every single day of the year. Although many posts, especially recently, involved a fair amount of "unproductivity", there is always at least something there: a photo. A picture is worth a thousand words. Nuff said.

Senility

I swear I'm going senile. I can't remember why I wrote that this year's boxing day was better than last year's. I even re-read my diary entry from last year.
Anyway, today was quite awkward turtle, and I have done very little work so far. Family is far too distracting. Even family from China managed to distract me from work today!
Oh, today I failed at meeting up with Caius people in London. I feel bad... I feel bad for a lot of things.
My sister helps me reason things out though.

Lakeside

Today, I caved into commercialism and went with my family to Lakeside to brave the Christmas sales. A scary experience, and I'm very glad I didn't bring Henry along. I was surprised to learn that 1.3 million people went to the West End yesterday, and spent £120million. That comes out to just over £90 per person, which really isn't that much, considering not only how much there is to buy in London, but also how much stuff costs nowadays! (Haha I really am getting old...)
Anyway, I've made semi-plans to hit Oxford Street with Liz for the January sales. It's the Caius London meet-up tomorrow, but I don't think I'll be going any more. Ughh, so fail.
In the sales, so far I have bought... two dresses, a skirt, a jumper, jeans, and underwear. And I say I am a poor student who doesn't like shopping. I also remember saying that I have too many clothes (because of my Americaland trip). Oh dear, even more fail.
Retail therapy. There *must* be some excuse...
After coming back home, I did no work, called a couple of friends, then lolled with my crazy family. My Mother was trying on my sister's dressing gown...

Day of Boxes

Happy Sunday! Happy Boxing Day!
Apologies for the slightly late blog - only just got back home. We drove down to South (I think?) London to one of our family friend's house for dinner. Better than last year, for so many reasons.

Hohoho!

Happy Christmas! Santa came to our house last night, down our non-existent chimney! Yay! This time last year, instead of blogging, I was doing a C3 maths paper. Standards have clearly slipped since starting at Cambridge... My poor liver!

Eve

I let stress and despair get the better of me. I didn't do any work. I made brownies, and played cards with my crazy sister.

I really need to learn to say no. I think I've left it took late now though. Hm...
More work today.
Drunk JTFYM phone calls seems to be becoming my daily reminder to blog now. I don't do anything significant enough to blog about though, which is probably why I won't be continuing blogging next year. It's been nice to blog, but just lately, all blog posts have just converged into one huge complain about Work. I have a feeling it will be like that for the next 6 years of my course. Maybe I'll resume blogging after those 6 years.
I used to blog about baking. I haven't baked since before going to America. Oh, apart from the scones in America. Maybe I'll bake something this weekend. What if I've forgotten how to bake?! Ah, I do miss those special physics brownies.
Crazy Hannah:

Festiny

Fate and destiny and basically, I am a very very lucky girl. I can't wait for January, post-mocks. I've literally been on a high all day, apart from when my sister coerced me to play monopoly. I am so excited! It must be Festiny!
Otherwise, my day has been quite extraordinarily uneventful. The snow is finally starting to melt. It looks rubbish now!

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Drunk-win

I am an expert at HOM when drunk, and a failure when sober it seems. My college dad thus suggests a bottle of wine for breakfast before the mocks. Considering actually...
Also, my HOM notes have been digitized!

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Harvester

Heute, je suis allée à l'Harvester avec mes amis. C'était très amusant! Mais, je dois faire plus de devoirs.

Workpad

Predictive text slows me down, I swear. Today, I failed to anatomised. Maybe I should sort out my workspace first...

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Snow

I lolled when the whole country went into panic mode after three whole inches of snow fell.
I had another mims day. Lots of fail, to be honest. I should probably reactivate my facebook soon and catch up. But so much work still left to do! I can't believe it's been two weeks already... My blog posts have been uber boring recently. It's just work. I've like done nothing else but work. Oh, and eat. Haha just realised, hence "cogito ergo edo" - thinking and eating, basically. Ahh, after all my experiences this year, I guess I still haven't changed much at all!
Ooh, I bumped into James yesterday. He's change A LOT since going to uni. It was like I was talking to a completely different person. It does make me wonder how much I've changed myself though. Anyway, it's quite reassuring to know that I still (attempt to) think, and eat (too much).

Sleep

I couldn't sleep last night, at all. I ended up falling asleep at like 5am, and got up at 9. Oh dear...
More Christmas shopping with my Mum today. I wonder how much revision will actually suffer because of this "joyous occasion".
Also, JTFYM has impeccable timing! I was doing Mims at my desk, and managed to fall asleep sitting upright. This was about half seven. I desperately needed to catch up on Mims after a week of Hom and anatomising, and was so incredibly lucky to have been woken up 15 minutes later by JTFYM. It honestly could've ended up a two hour nap, which would've resulted in even more nocturnal-ness tonight!
Anyway, I was so captivated by the incredible stories and adventures of ubiquinone and cytochrome c, I almost forgot to blog. Blame these textbooks:

Nap

I napped today at like 9pm. After 2 coffees earlier on today actually. Oh dear... I'm definitely turning nocturnal. Meeting up with school friends is so fail. Why must everyone be so far? And so busy too!
More Hom and anatomising today. Finished reading Gray's, and hopefully will finish Huang's lecture notes tonight. I'm actually scared of taking on the cardio bulk. Only 9 lectures, but 84 pages!
My plan is to pad out my notes from the lecture notes with stuff from textbooks and supervisions, but it's only just dawned on me how much time that will take. I'm hoping it'll leave enough time for revision. Ughh I've definitely left it too late - only 4 weeks left already! Christmas is approaching far too soon...

Gray's

I don't like anatomising.

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1964

Happy birthday, Dad. I hope I didn't ruin your day too much for you.

In other news, today I slept, ate, worked, slept more, ate more, then worked more.

I don't know what this is, but it was in my Dad's lab:

Brighton

Arose from slumber miraculously early this morning, but for a good cause indeed though. First, I managed to take the train from Falmer to Brighton, even though I was initially directed to take the bus. I'm not usually so good with the thinking skills early in the morning, so my punctuality this morning surprised even myself. I met up with lovely Liz, and she gave me a wonderful tour of Brighton. I also had my first Shakeaway - something I've been recommended too many times before now, but had yet to go and try. Haha, we also found a +£8000 pen, which we both found rather confuzzling. So yeh, it was really great to see actual people for once, instead of textbooks and lecture notes. I definitely need to do some more visiting.
In the afternoon, I literally raped Sussex University's library of a whole collection of their medical textbooks.
Then later, I went to this medical-science-research seminar thing with my Dad. I snoozed by roughly 20mins in. Standard. Why are lecture theatres so well designed for sleep? Haha this one must've been the BSMS anatomy lecture theatre actually - there was a skeleton up at the front. It's about 10% the size of Le Babbage though.

Eco-Drive

Me: Don't be silly Han, of course Santa's going to come for me!
Hannah: No he's not, you're old!!
Me: I'm only 18!
Hannah: I'm only 10!
Me: Well, you're almost 12!!

*Facepalm*

Doing Hom revision, I've decided, instead of trudge through Barnes' 84 pages of dribble on cardiovascular, I might as read Boron's 170 pages instead. I figured that in this way, at last I look somewhat intelligent with a huge (unread) book on my lap!

Also, new watch, yay! Yes, I feel spoilt, but I've needed one for years. I think it's environmentally friendly too - Citizen Eco-Drive. Slowly but surely repenting for my 4 long haul flights this year I guess.

pH

My sister was doing the whole red cabbage pH experiment thing today. I miss proper science, and proper science experiments!
Today must've been my least productive day of the week. I know what I most need to do, in terms of revision, is practice writing essays. But honestly, I really cba.
Ah, I went to my local library today actually, to pick up a book I reserved. They were really quite surprisingly helpful! One of the textbooks I'd reserved hadn't been found, so instead, he gave me a list of links where I could find more information on that particular topic. I know I did work experience there, and volunteer work too, but I don't think that that particular guy actually remembers/recognises me. Anyway, it's nice to know that they actually care.
Scary to think work experience was almost 4 years now...

Lakeside

This morning afternoon, I woke up at 1pm. No way can that be justified. Just shameful.
What's worse, is that at about 2pm, I fell asleep doing MIMS revision.
At about 4pm, the most atrocious atrocity happened. I snoozed. Again.
In the evening, I went Christmas shopping à Lakeside avec ma famille. There was so much to dislike! Haha I really ought to stop complaining some day. Might do me some good...

Revision

I know I had a long Summer this year, but it definitely wasn't long enough. I can't believe I'm back doing revision already! I've pretty much spent the whole of today writing revision cards for anatomy. Not long to go now... Hopefully...
The politician people voted in favour of a gigantic increase in tuition fees today. Lots of heated debate etc, and unfortunately, violence too. Should I feel guilty that as a student I am still completely "meh" about this whole thing?
I have other things to worry about, such as those darn dural venus sinuses.
Oh yeah, ventured out into the cold today - I put my faith in the Royal Mail... Oops.

Cold.

I haven't left the house in far too long. Oh dear... My poor Vitamin D supplies! It's horribly cold outside though. And slippy too.
I think I was generally in a bad mood today. It was unproductive, and really, nothing much positive happened at all. Maybe tomorrow will be better. I don't see much of a reason why it should be, but perhaps it will.
My sister has already put her Christmas tree up. It doesn't seem like Christmas any more. Which is weird, as back in the SHB, we'd all started eating mince pies almost two months ago!

Flute

My sister's taken up flute. She now plays piano, violin, bell lyre and flute. I'd like to see her try to do all four simultaneously.

Blog

Today, I caught up on my blog.
Sorry.

Won't happen again.

I haven't been outdoors in far too long, but it looks horrible outside:

Sunday

I literally didn't do anything but sleep and eat today. Nice...

Home

After many goodbyes, I left the SHB for home, at last. Slept pretty much as soon as I got back, had dinner, and then slept more. My family must be very annoyed with me, but I literally am exhausted. Yet to unpack...

3rd Dec

Addenbrookes visit today. Journey there was epic fail - missed 2 buses and a taxi, and ended up 5mins late. Packed, then chilled in the Annexe with friends, like normal uni people.

2nd Dec

Exhausted. Last supervision was actually ok! Yay that the week seems to be ending on a high. Good night as well - Spriggs and co relocated from bedroom to gyp room!

1st Dec

Nearing the end of term, the workload is still pretty ridiculous. Tonight, I came too close to losing a friend. Never again do I want that to happen. Also, was Christmas dinner tonight. StephieH was in a yellow Christmas hat!

Happy St Andrew's Day

Ughhh more protesting. They could be heard even from our supervision room. Last dissection of 2010! Yay!

29th November

I don't even know why I took a photo of this. Anyway, since going to Cambridge, I've developed really bad tidying OCD. However, one day, that somehow wasn't the case, and this happened... At least I know I have a clean-ish floor...

28th Nov

On our way to purchasing our weekly M&S meal deal, Ruby and I stopped to say hello to the King's cows. Later that night was the Christmas bop at Kambar, I think.

27th November

It snowed! Hurray!! Took some time off work in the morning, pre-lion dancing, and took some snowy Cambridge photos.

26th November

Remember when these leaves were green? They're now yellow. The scaffolding's still there.

25th Movember

Louise's birthday celebrations, after a very very very very very long day

Tory Scum

Demonstrations against education cuts and fee rises today. Pretty poor performance in my opinion. There were random people hoola hooping. ISBM lecture is the most pointless thing, ever. I think I said to myself I'd stop going a few works ago now. I should listen to myself more.

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Laundry

Laundry here takes at least 3 hours. It's ridiculous. Hence late night library visit:

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Neutrophils

In histology, we looked at our own blood. Mine had lots of neutrophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, and other stuff that makes me feel ill. Great, I'm actually really ill.
A somewhat productive day I guess, but so not prepared for prosection tomorrow.
There are lots of friendly people here who leave very friendly notes for me though:

Library

Choir was fail this morning, so I went to the library instead. Unfortunately, I forgot to eat breakfast and lunch, so got very very hungry. My brain probably wasn't doing too well either. I wish I could say that although it was tough, it was worth it. But not. It wasn't really. I've still got lots of work to do, as I always will do. Regardless if I do work or not, there will always be more to do.
A futile cycle, indeed.

Jam

Lion dancing pretty much killed my legs today. It has some funny quotes, but also causes lots and lots of muscle ache. I ate a lot of food today. That's probably the first time I've said that since I've been here. Ooh, had a mini jam session with Phil. Twas very nice to do something other than FAB, HOM and MIMS. Also went to collect my matric photo. So overpriced.

Stop

I've stopped growing. In fact, I think I've started shrinking. My trousers never fail to be too long for me, which doesn't bode well when it's horrible and muddy outside. I'm getting more and more ill, again. Early night, at last.

Essay

We do lots of essays here too as well. I try to do them on the day they're set though.
Last minute photo of the day:

Work.

I do lots of work here. So much more work than I've ever really done before. But my grades don't reflect that at all. Not in the slightest.
I also go to all my lectures. Even ISBM.

Narnia

Went to see the clinical school pantomime at the Mumford Theatre - "The Chronic Ills of Narnia"
So cheesy, but so many lols too.

Week 6

Back to Cambridge. I can't believe it's week 6 already. Very, very easy day today. Hurray! I was supposed to do work after coming back from dinner today. Instead I chatted for 6 hours. Oh dear...

Pink Jeans

I went food shopping today, and clothes shopping too. I bought (or my Mother bought, to be more precise) a pair of pink jeans that I can imagine Brett approves of.

Mayor

I forgot to mention that the guest speaker at prizegiving was Angela Watkinson, Tory MP. Hm.
Saturday was spent mostly in London - my sister was playing the bell lyre in the Lord Mayor's Show. Pretty gruelling day for her. Because of the event though, both taxis and tubes were pretty much redundant, so we ended up walking for lots and lots of miles through London. Eventually, we got to Chinatown dim sum, and it was definitely worth it.

Home

On Friday, I left for the station straight after my lecture which finished at 1pm. Got to London by 2.30, home by 3.30. Prizegiving was good, in the sense that it was really great to see all my school friends again, and teachers too of course. Haha, first sign I was back in Essex: I had orange marks on both my shoulders due to receiving hugs from many people.
After prizegiving was post-prizegiving-pre-lash. One glass of Merlot was enough...
It was very nice to be back in my own bed though: