St. George's Open Day!

I've been a bit under the weather for the past few days, so cue lots and lots of blogging... 
But apologies for the lack of my presence recently!


I went to St. George's University of London for an open day last month, and I must say, I really liked it!


It seemed like a genuinely nice university, where the students were incredibly enthusiastic.

And I mean incredibly!

The presentation that they gave was informative, even if I already knew just about everything they covered with regards to entry requirements...

But hey, I did my research!

We had a tour with two of the current GEP students, and they were so helpful! 
Their advice was genuinely fantastic, and apparently you could see the relief on my face when they were telling us about their experiences with GAMSAT! It was lovely to meet people who have been in a similar boat to me, who actually got into medical school!


The tour lasted for about 40 minutes, and they even took us into the room where the Medical Students practice putting cannulas into fake arms,
and even fake smear tests on fake foofees... 


We got the chance to stand in a PBL room. 
A room which was covered by white boards.
One of which had:
"We love St. George's... [not]" 
Written on it.

Reassuring.

They'd even got mini fridges and kettles in there for the GEPs. 

Awww.

The library, by the way, is absolutely massive! 

The only thing that they couldn't really reassure me about was the NHS bursary situation.

St. George's is situated in the Tooting area of London.
Quite a diverse area, and I'm reliably informed from the SU presentation that there are 35 curry houses in the area!

So I'm guessing that people round there keep a lot of toilet paper in the fridge...

There are lots of famous alumni to the University: John Hunter, Henry Gray, Edward Jenner and Harry Hill.

I think he was the clincher for me...

I must say, as this is the first open day for Graduate Entry Medicine that I've been to, I didn't know what to expect.


In fact, I kind of thought that people would perhaps look down their noses at me because I'm from more of an artistic background.


But this was absolutely not the case! 
Everybody I met and spoke to seemed friendly and really down to earth! 
They were honest about their experiences with GAMSAT, but didn't scare me into changing my mind!

It's quite a trek for me though, I must say!

It's about an hour and three quarters on the train, and then just over half an hour on the Tube! 
But it was definitely worth it to have a look around.

I can honestly say that I wouldn't mind studying there.

The only problem is the distance.

Being a bit of a Northerner, it's a long way away from home.

And I can't guarantee that I wouldn't get homesick if I had to live in London nearly all the time...

I've also recently been to a GEM open day at the University of Nottingham, so that'll follow soon!

Until next time!

xx

A little bit more about GAMSAT, anyone?

So, seeing as I haven't got a lot else to do, I thought I'd tell you a little bit more about GAMSAT.

I'll do it in a list-y type thing, so it's easier to read:

GAMSAT stands for: Graduate Australian Medical Schools Admissions Test.

Yes, I know I'm from England, and not Australia, but it's also used over here too!

It's used by the following Universities for entry to their four year Graduate Entry courses:

1. St. George's, 
2. University of Nottingham, 
3. Keele,
4. Swansea.

It's an entrance exam used by the above Universities to see if their Graduate Medical applicants are up to scratch.

It's also used by Peninsula for entry to their five year course.

Whereas King's College London, Newcastle and Leicester all require you to take the UKCAT test.

There are three different parts to the five hour test, which are:

1. Humanities and Social Sciences,
2. Written Communication,
3. The Science-y bit.

Basically the information that I've received on the level of science required for the exam is quite conflicting. 

I've been told, by someone who has actually taken the test, that it's best if you revise up to first year undergraduate level Biology and Chemistry, and also A-Level Physics.

I've read, however, that AS Level in all of the sciences are adequate enough to get you through the test, even if you aren't from a science background.

Apparently, there's a lot of organic chemistry featured within the exam.

So get revising that kids!

The science part of the exam is double-weighted, so it's quite important!

The date of the test this year is Friday 16th September.

There are lots of Universities that allow graduates to study Medicine, but as I'm not from a science background (having done no science since GCSE) I thought I'd focus on the courses that are more relevant to people like me ('arty' people). 

Sorry if all of the above is of no use to you! 

And also apologies if I've got certain bits and bobs wrong, I'm no expert on GAMSAT!

Next time I'll be telling you all about my recent trip to St. George's! So...

Until then!

xx

So... That's that then...

So, my second year of uni is over, as of today!

Yey!! I'm free!

Now the problem is what I'm going to spend the rest of my summer doing!

Actually, having said that, I think the answer is quite obvious... GAMSAT revision!

Yes, I'm a glutton for punishment, evidently.

But, I'm being nice to myself, and I'm giving myself the next week off!

Believe me, after the fortnight I've had, I think I've earned it.

My best friend (let's call her Daydreamer for the sake of anonymity) and I are thinking about some volunteering work at our local animal shelter.

I've been going to this animal shelter on their open days, monthly, since the start of the year.

And it's quite upsetting, if truth be told.

All these cats and dogs that people don't want, that they don't love. 

When these poor animals have clearly done nothing to deserve abandonment.

Anyway, enough of this sad talk!

I'd absolutely love to take all of the animals home! 

But I can't. Which I'm gutted about.

There's the fattest cat ever there, he's huge! 

Let's just say, I'd never met a cat with a double chin before I'd met him!

But bless him, he's still lovely!

In fact, I'd go as far as to say a legend!

You might think I'm mad, but if you met him, I'm sure you'd feel the same!

They're looking for volunteers, and Daydreamer's Mum suggested we go for it.

So I'm waiting for Daydreamer to let me know what day's best for her, and hopefully we will go for it!

I've also been trying to get some work experience at my local hospital.

For what seems like forever!

All to no avail, unfortunately.

I'm not going to give up until they let me! 

Even if I have to kidnap and lock some of their current volunteers in a cupboard.

I emailed their voluntary service back in November of last year.

I got an email back a few days later, saying that they didn't want anyone, but wishing me good luck in "my quest for voluntary work".

So, anyway, I rang up their number, by chance (or desperation) in March, and they said that they were holding an open day in April.

They were urging people who were interested to email them a completed application form.

Which I did...

And heard absolutely nothing back.

Until, my Dad spotted the open day advertised in a magazine!

It was last Thursday, but my assignments and tutorials stopped me from going...

They haven't emailed back about my application form, so obviously still don't want me!

But to be fair, when you actually go through the hospital, 

which I do quite a lot because I'm an outpatient there, 

just about all of the volunteers are over retiring age! 

I might be a little too young. Or they might be a little bit ageist.

Or, it might by my 'student-ness' that puts them off. 

I don't know.

All I do know is that the volunteers get to drive certain disabled patients around in these pretty amazing buggies.

And I want a go!

Other than lots of uni work, this past week has been fairly unexciting!

I went to the hospital yesterday, actually, and spent nearly an hour, yes that long, in the dentist's chair!

Well, orthodontist's actually. 

I'm a braceface, you see.

Cue days of not being able to eat properly, and getting mardy because I'm so hungry...

Yey!

And there's barely been a peep from Barry Scott either! 

Which is quite nice, I'll admit.

But I'm not holding my breath.

He'll be back to his old tricks soon.

I bet.

So I'll keep you posted about how "my quest for voluntary work" goes!

And how the GAMSAT revision goes...

Until next time!

xx

Just a Weekly Update, I Guess...

So...
This week is basically the last week of the semester for me, which in turn is the last week of my second year! Eek!

I'm frantically trying to finish all of my essays, so that I can enjoy the weekend and have all my work ready to hand in before their deadlines.

I'd like to say I was actually getting somewhere, but...

I'm finding it hard to find my self-motivation, and when I do seem to find myself ready to work and concentrating, I'm surrounded by distractions from just about everything.

I definitely can't seem to concentrate on anything GAMSAT related, at least not until my essays are out of the way.

Which is pretty soon, as all three of my deadlines are next week. Eeek.




Anyway, let's talk about good old Barry Scott...

He's been 'busy' over the last few days.
When I say busy, I don't actually mean busy.
I mean, I do more than him, and I'm a student!


I was sat there in the garden yesterday, working away, scribbling all my ideas down to peaceful birdsong, and I was actually feeling calm and serene. Until...
I heard my lovely next door neighbour (the wonderful Barry Scott) shouting at his TV.
Which is reasonably acceptable when it comes to some programmes.
Except... He was shouting at -


wait for it - 


Deal or No Deal
Yeah, honestly.


There he was bellowing pointless advice to the contestants of the show...
"Deal!" "No Deal!" "No! Not that box!" etc.
He must be very excitable.


Purely scintillating stuff!


So, calm was disrupted by Mr.Shouty and my concentration was once again ruined.
But I persevered.
I'm quite proud of myself for that.


Other than that, I've had a fairly uneventful week.

Bit of News In Brief for you here.
This morning, at half threeish, a pipe burst, in turn flooding the bathroom.
Which made me panic a bit... It was only flowing out for about a minute, two tops, and yet it managed to flood the entire bathroom, and seep down into the kitchen.
I swear it wasn't my fault! I didn't touch the pipe! Honestly!
All I can say is:
Thank God for Dyno rod!


I told you I don't lead a very interesting life.
In fact, I'm starting to think that I should rename this blog, to something Barry Scott related.
But I'm not going to.


Anyway, until next time...

Sunshine!

Firstly, I've got to apologise for my last post! I realised when I woke up the next morning that it was a bit too 'Daily Mail-esque' - whoops! Purely accidental (and I don't have anything against Daily Mail readers!)

I'm still struggling about things to write! Actually, scrap that, I'm just going to ramble again.


I've been trying to revise a fair bit today, but the weather's been far too lovely for me to actually get anything of any real importance done!
I'm genuinely sad enough to have been trying to swot up on A-Level Biology, mainly DNA, and when it's sunny, it seems like none of it seems to go in! Not that I feel like any of it ever goes in, to be honest...
Although I've just about mastered that DNA stands for 'Deoxyribonucleic Acid' and that it's made of a phosphate, a sugar and a base. Yeah I've got that. I remembered it off the top of my head as well. Go me. It's going to be a long road to GAMSAT.

So then I turn to the work that I should be doing for my degree (I'm right near the end of my second year now, but I've still got 3/4 essays left to finish) and I can't even find the motivation to do that.
I know I should be putting my degree as my main priority, not science-y revision for the GAMSAT exam (which I probably won't be taking until at least September 2012!)
But it's quite hard to focus on my degree at the moment for some reason. 
It's like my attention on the work that goes along with it has been waning all the way through the Spring Semester. 
Ahh dear.
I just hope I can find the dedication and motivation to push myself through my third year!

I've got the summer to re-charge my batteries anyway, so that should help!

It's weird how motivated I was over last summer.
I really wanted to get my teeth stuck into my degree and do immensely well.
But I guess I've become a bit disillusioned with it over the course of my second year, mainly because a few lecturers have kind of given the impression that they're not really that bothered or that interested in teaching us anything! 


I'm not having a dig at my University, or any of my lecturers either, but we've had a few 'guest' lecturers in - Lecturers who aren't actually lecturers. 


They're directly from the media industry, and they're still working in the industry whilst teaching us. At times, it's seemed like they were only in it for the extra money, and also like they didn't have a clue what they were doing!
But they've been lovely, nonetheless. 

And to top it all off...
While I was trying to revise, my next door neighbour (officially the noisiest neighbour in the history of neighbours ever) kept on coming outside and setting up his deckchairs, which he took in about an hour later without even sitting on them (strange man)... 


We call him Barry Scott, mainly because he can't talk at a normal volume.
He has to shout.
He's constantly shouting down the phone to his so-called 'mates'.
If it weren't so sad, it'd probably be slightly amusing. 
So basically, nearly every single day of the year, when he's not passed out on the sofa in a puddle of his own urine, we're lucky enough to listen to his phone conversations, which always go a bit like this:

"Alright mate! Yes, mate! I know, mate! Yes, mate! I don't know which pub I'm going to yet, mate! I know, mate! Alright, mate! See you, mate!"

It's not like we listen by choice.
He 'talks' so loudly that we can hear it over our TV!

So, anyway, he always comes out into his back garden, when I'm out.
He knows I'm trying to work, and he knows that by playing Absolute Radio at full blast, whilst walking constantly between his living room and his garage, that he's definitely going to distract me.

I rose above it. Well done me. 
But it's not like I had any choice in the matter.
I can't exactly punch his lights out, can I?

I don't condone violence, but he needs a good kick in the balls.


He'd probably set his brother's staffy on me, if I did though.
This is the dog that he 'looks after' when his brother goes away, including the weekend just gone.
I swear he only has it to intimidate us. We can't even go in the back garden without it growling at us. 
Mind you, it's not the dog's fault (whose name is Patrick, I believe).
Yes, Patrick... 
The poor dog has a name like that, and then has to put up with the insufferable Barry Scott for days on end.
This is the guy who deliberately goes out, leaving the dog at home to whine and bark at Every. Single. Noise. That it hears. He also lets it wee and poo in his hall, right by the front door, so anyone can see it...

Poor thing.
(The dog that is, not Barry Scott...)

A Day of Working in the Sun, and Being a Bit Too Philosophical...

So... I'm struggling quite a bit about what to write...

I haven't exactly had the most eventful of days, but I feel that if I don't write something now, I'll probably just abandon this whole blogging thing altogether!

I was outside doing some work earlier in the back garden, and I was trying my best to concentrate. I was being disturbed by some children who were playing football on the road next to mine. They were screaming, shouting, running about and even singing a bit of Adele to go with it!

I'll admit it, I was really trying to concentrate on questions from an exam paper that's basically the hardest thing I've ever done (revision for the GAMSAT exam), and I kept on getting distracted. To top it all off, one of my next door neighbours was outside, cutting something, making quite a few clicking noises, which wound me up even more! And then, to doubly top it all off, my other next door neighbour was shouting at his Xbox! (Yes, he really does do that!)

But then, instead of getting really angry and just giving up on my work, I found myself concentrating even harder, which in turn had a calming affect on me. Surprisingly. So, all in all, I had a bit of a chuckle to myself when I heard this little boy, probably about seven or something, singing 'Someone Like You' by Adele when he scored a goal! (Not the most apt choice of celebratory songs to be honest!)

In fact, he even started singing the national anthem for a little while, but didn't know most of the words, so ended up humming most of it! (Bless him!)

It was a bit like an epiphany, really. A small one, admittedly. But I just thought, "What's the point in getting angry?" Seriously, what is the point in shouting the odds at someone? Those kids, and my neighbours, were obviously enjoying themselves, so what would be the point of me screaming at them to shut up? (which I did feel like doing at first!) If I did do that, it would ruin their day for them. Why ruin their day, when I can just keep my mouth shut? Grin and bear it, and just persevere?

Another thing that I saw today had a profound impact on me. I was shopping in town, and I saw two parents arguing in the street, it was a petty argument about the fact that they were staying at home tonight. The dad didn't want to have a night in front of the TV, whereas the mum was clearly content with that idea. But instead of thrashing out their petty differences in private, away from their child, they decided to argue in the middle of town, right over their toddler's pram.

As clichéd as it sounds, it was the child I felt sorry for.

It's not even like it was a massive, life-changing thing that they were arguing about! Yet the father saw fit to use a range of expletives right over the child's head. I was only walking past them, and I heard so many 'F' words, I was shocked, and it takes quite a lot to do that!

It's just, I can't help but think that when that child grows up, it's going to think that that behaviour is perfectly acceptable in society.

It's not though.

Call me a snob, call me whatever you like, but I don't think it's acceptable to go around with such a lack of pride.

I do care about what people think about me.

They clearly don't. Isn't that the problem with society nowadays, though?

People just don't care.

They just don't care about anything.


They've given up on themselves.

It's a sad fact of life, something we all just have to get used to, I guess. Unfortunately.

It's like society is being segregated into those who do care, and can be bothered to better themselves and work hard and...
The growing minority, who don't care at all, who can't be bothered to get out of bed before midday, and who've never cared about working hard. (I'm not talking about students here by the way!)

I don't want to lecture, and I don't want to take the moral high ground.

I'm not better than anybody else in this world.

It's just worrying that people go around in life acting like they're better than everyone else, and then you get the others, who've never been given a chance, who notice this, and believe that people are better than them too.
They believe that they can't better themselves, so question why they should bother.

It's one of two extremes with people nowadays. Those who think they're better than everyone, and those who think that they're nowhere near good enough for anything. Although maybe I'm just generalising and exaggerating. Who knows?

It's hard not to mention The Jeremy Kyle Show here, because so many people who haven't cared about their actions and the consequences, end up in such a mess. A mess so big, that they think one man and his 'after care team' are the last resort for sorting things out for them.
How is airing your dirty laundry in public helping?
Surely it doesn't. Surely it just makes things worse? It's got to, hasn't it?

Why can't people keep things to themselves? Can't they just see that other people don't want to be embroiled in their disagreements? Don't people think about what's best for their children any more?

Anyway, for saying I was struggling, I've managed to ramble on for what feels like forever! So enough of that and of me trying to put the world to rights!

Until next time! (Which will hopefully be less of a rant!)

So I guess I should introduce myself?

Erm... Hi?


I'm Kate. But it's actually Katie. I don't mind what you choose... Whatever suits you best really.
I don't really know why I decided to set up a blog, but then again, I'm a thinker, not a talker, so I guess pouring my thoughts out into a keyboard seems like the most logical thing for me.
There aren't a great deal of interesting things about me to be honest, yes, I'm a student, but I don't live the life that most students live. I'm certain that I could never be called a 'wild child'. I'm a bit more tame than that, I'm afraid... So maybe it's time to give you some really inane facts about myself:

• I am too observant for my own good.
• I listen to other people's conversations on public transport, because I'm far too nosy like that!
• I like watching The Jeremy Kyle Show, because it makes me feel a bit better about things in my life... but I use the fact that it's 'inspiration' for play characters as my excuse. ;)
• I eat salad cream with just about everything.
• I'm mad enough to consider another degree after the one that I'm currently studying for... 
• I love countryside walks (and random drives to nowhere in particular) to clear my head when things get too much.
• I used to want to be a journalist, then got to uni, and tried it out, and then suddenly realised I definitely wasn't ruthless enough, so I've had to change my career path completely recently.
• I love anyone who can make me laugh (Not that it's a hard task, I laugh at anything!)
• I'm really pedantic about apostrophes, but I'm no expert, so I probably get them wrong sometimes myself...
• I'm currently two thirds of the way through a degree which I'm struggling to stick with, but I have to!
• I got one minor in my (second) driving test (one of my best achievements to date, worryingly) but...
• I sometimes get a bit road-ragey about people who tailgate me/don't indicate/drive too fast/get in my way/park badly/drive badly in general...
• I like photography too, but I'm not sure I'm that brilliant at it!
• I can write a mean play when I put my mind to it... (It might well be the only thing that I get proper praise for!)

Anyway, that's enough about me, far too much, actually!

Until next time... :)