How was your weekend?
It’s been a pretty relaxing one for me. 4 films (Coach Carter, Due Date, Johnny English and Cool Runnings), one very exciting FA Cup fixture (Wooooo Liverpool!), a 4 hour nap yesterday!
No exercise….oops. I sort of got caught up in the school bubble, but I needed to catch up with my life – send emails, call my Mum, get some sleep.
Ready and raring to go with the new week now. Only 2 weeks until half term – bring it on!
❤
Sophie
Tonight saw the much anticipated arrival of our school’s ‘talent show’….’Variety show’ would be more appropriate, but the title isn’t really important!
I had the pleasure of hosting the show, with one of my favourite students. There were 9 acts – a variety of real talent (musical and magic!) and some designed purely to make the audience laugh! The winning performance was a group of boys pretending to be synchrinised swimmers – absolutely hilarious!
After a tough week, it was nice to have my faith restored that the students are lovely and such good fun, and they are what makes me enjoy my job so much.
How was your day loverrrrs?
❤
Sophie
I haven’t really talked much about my life on TTF lately, so here’s a little peak at what is getting me through the days at the moment…
Reading: One Day, by David Nicholas.
Listening to: Well, right this minute I’m listening to Greg James on the radio (LOVE him) but most of the time I am listening to Rebecca Ferguson’s (yes, her off the x factor) album. She has such an amazing voice!
Watching: The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Stella.
Wanting: An iPad!
Loving: The kids at school. I didn’t sleep very well lasy night and as a result was in a foul mood this morning, but my hockey lesson cheered me right up. They’re so lovely, and such good fun 🙂 🙂
Avoiding: Sorting some practical stuff out. Banks and money are boring subjects!
How about you?
❤
Sophie.
1. I haven’t eaten a wispa gold in 4 days now. That is quite the achievement as of late.
2. I don’t realy write about lessons on the blog very much, but I love my girls’ tag rugby class on Mondays. So much fun.
3. I miss Maisie. It’s only been 2 days but I miss waking up to her cute face!
4. I REALLY need to get to the gym tomorrow. Seriously, I’m feeling fat! Been slacking too much this week.
5. I played ‘skittles’ in the pub last night – that is a terribly underrated game!
6. Today is a looooooong day for me. I work in the marketing office all afternoon, then take a basketball session, then dinner and prep duty (bore!), then look after the darling students over night. They better be quiet tonight – I am tired!
7. I’m so over it being winter. Seriously, there is nothing worse than waking up and going to breakfast in the dark, and having to cut sports lessons short before 5pm because it’s dark again. Roll on the summer!
8. I’ve been trying to get out and walk more. Sounds simple – I’ve found a 20ish minute route close to school, and am trying to walk it 4-5 times a week…and I am feeling SO much better for it!
9. I am trying to organise a trip to go and see my support group in Cardiff one night next week – exciting!
10. I am totally pumped for thr 6 nations to start next weekend. Time to go and put a cheeky bet on I think…
How’s your Tuesday going?
Have a great day lovelies!
❤
Sophie.
Hi lovelies 🙂
How’s your weekend going? It’s my weekend off so I’m back chilling at The Villa with Mum & Maisie. I spent yesterday afternoon chilling out and trying to avoid my work, listening to some classic 80’s tunes on youtube! Hello Friday afternoon procrastination!
Finally made it home – I hate travelling late on Friday’s – the traffic is horrendous!
I’ve been out for lunch and a chat with my friend Erica today – nom nom brie and bacon baguette 🙂
The rest of the weeked is set aside for myself – reading, catching up on my backed up sky+ programmes, letter writing, some more sleep….
What are you up to?
❤
Sophie.
I just ran a 37minute 5k.
Yeah boi.
Dear 16 year old Sophie,
Things are a little tough at the moment, huh? Let’s talk it through, one step at a time.
It’s so good to see that you are enjoying school – I know the day-to-day business gets a little mundane, but you are so lucky not to loathe it. Work hard, be kind, and think seriously about some of the choices you are making before next year. They’re important – talk to people, do some research and listen to the advice everyone is so willing to give.
But remember, school is important but it is not the end of the world. Don’t stress yourself out too much (because we both know you do – it would help if you learnt to manage your stress a little earlier on!)
How’s that crush on D going anyway? He is a lovely boy, but don’t push your worries about his age to one side. I wish I could tell you how it was all going to work out, but where’s the fun in that?! Don’t be scared to talk to him as much as you like, and ignore all the teasing at work – everyone is just jealous that you two are so close! He is beautiful, after all!
It was so unfair that your Dad was taken away so soon. Life is cruel sometimes, but you will get through this. You’re lucky to have such a supportive group of friends around you who really would do anything to see you smile at the moment. It’s important that you know that everyone’s grieving process is different, and that a) it’s okay not to be okay, and b) it’s never too late to ask for help. Take a deep breath, smile, and go out there and make him proud.
You make friends every where you go – remember that and see it as a reason never to be anything other than yourself. Speak up, be strong and enjoy yourself – that’s what teenage years are for!
With love and promises that everything will be okay in the end,
22 year old Sophie.
I like to think that self confidence is something that you just grow in to. At 22 (nearly 23 – eek!) I am pretty much at the stage where I am happy enough to wear what I like and speak up in front of my friends and family. Work related issues are a little more difficult but I guess that’s natural. I’ve always thought that the best way to give the impression that one has confidence in themselves is to laigh, appear happy, and stand up for what they believe in.
As you can imagine, working in a school, and living in a boarding house with teenagers, I come across a lot of self confidence issues. it’s not something that people will openly admit too – sometimes it’s obvious, sometimes it’s not.
There is one boy who has a very high level of spoken English, very chatty, funny and popular with a solid group of friends. As far as staff and student relationships go, we get on pretty well and he opens up quite a lot. He is copletely in love with one of the prettiest girls in school, and they are close friends. However, he says that she is 10 times better looking than he is, and way out of his league. He gives off this air of being very confident, perhaps a little arrogant, but really it is all just a front and he struggles to do something as simple as speaking up to answer a question in class.
This all got me thinking, and my question to you is – Are you a confident person? When did you develop a sense of self confidence? Is it something you just grow in to or can it be in instilled in somebody?
Have a fabulous day!
❤
Sophie.
Well, it’s the start of another long weekend at school and I am already exhausted. How long is it until half term again?!
I love my job, don’t get me wrong, but getting back in to the routine of 7.15am wake-ups, and at least 11pm bedtimes is difficult. I NEED MY SLEEP!! Otherwise friendly Miss L, soon turns in to moody, unhelpful Miss L!
I got up and went for a walk this morning before work started. The frost was still on the ground, but it was a bright, sunny morning, and perfect for clearing my head a little. Obviously listened to a little Susan Boyle to calm myself, cos I’m cool like that. (Seriously though, I bought my Mum her album for Christmas and she’s actually pretty awesome?!)
Weekends at school tend to be pretty easy work (sitting around watching dvds/football/trashy Music videos), yet somehow they always leave me feeling shattered! I guess it’s the constant flow of questions and socialising with students that keeps my brain busy!
On the bright side, I have the day off for a trip to Ikea with my Mum tomorrow. Does anybody else love that place or is it just me?! We’re looking for some storage furniture for the new house (I call it new, we’ve been there nearly 6 months now but still..) but I will be making a real day trip out of it!
How are you spending your weekend?
❤
Sophie.
No Thought for Friday today….just my thoughts I’m afraid!
I’ve been having a bit of a stress out this week about life, and have been feeling pretty overwhelmed. Remember towards the end of last year when I was stressing about whether to apply for a PGCE place or not and what my other options were for next year? Well, that’s back again!
I had some sensible chats with my mentor at school earlier this week, and upon checking out the ‘number of places to applications’ ratio at this late stage have decided to pull out on the university application front. I’ve left it too late, which I accept is completely my own fault and I’m mad at myself for, but I was feeling less than confident.
So I have a few options now, the most likely beng that I will stay at my current job for another year, which is not necessarily a bad thing, and then apply early doors again for September 2013 entry.
Anyway, the point that I’m trying to make is that I need to get pro-active about sorting a few aspects of my life out, and I guess I’m sort of making some belated New Years Resolutions..again!
I want to…
* Do more lesson observations, and organise going in to other schools.
* Consider doing a TEFL course.
* Get some sports coaching qualifications.
* Consider a position teaching at the Summer School.
* Start to build my confidence in other aspects of school life, and get a better understanding of the curriculum.
So there you have it, hold me accountable will you please guys?!
❤
Sophie.
threetimesf 