College, or, I Am Weird

I have been attending Sixth Form college for two weeks, now, and I haven't got anything else I want to write about this Tuesday so I'm going to halt production on another names list (I am forever doing names lists) and try not to get distracted by the Tim Minchin DVD (which is really difficult because of certain tendencies towards ADD and a slight sound sensitivity - not to mention that Tim Minchin is Totally Awesome), the cat (my brother's cat!), and

[starts singing along to TM]

[song ends]

What was I on about again?

Okay, I shall do some writing on college, and rate certain aspects - probably comparing it to High School as well.

Social:

HS Rating: 2/10
College Rating: 5/10

My social life seems to have improved. I used to barely speak with anyone except teachers (and I got laughed at for that *sigh*) and those I did speak to in school time outside of lessons either were lots younger than me in the case of later years (year 7/8-ish), a lot older than me and knowing me as "Crotchet's sister" (they'd have been year 10/11 when I was year 7/8). Those my age heard a load of gabble, often about the Chalet School or other things I found interesting (True story: I once spent a whole lunchtime talking about an option in the Maths Challenge - More Information Needed). Well, about, one or two people, really. This was usually early morning to one person, and when another came in, I ended up completely silent while the other two talked for a bit and then went outside for a walk. And then at lunchtimes I'd gabble away until someone challenged me to run around the field once and when I had completed they weren't there and I spent the whole of the rest of lunchtime looking for them and panicking. (Okay, it only happened once, but there's the issue of making it interesting).

Now, I have a better, more balanced way of approaching conversations. Okay, I still would never dare to start a conversation, and don't like to speak in a group (Or even just trying to think myself into talking and Not Doing So - it's worse the larger the number). But, I know different ways to approach conversation (ask questions - this is easier at College level because you can ask what subjects they're doing, and talk about college a bit, and let them talk about things more than you do.

Okay, let's go ahead while Tim Minchin is playing with a wand/conductor's stick thing.

Comfort:

HS: 3/10
College: 7/10

High school: basic chairs, uniform, not very brilliant desk space.

College: more padded chairs, wearing what I like (okay, underwear doesn't tend to be comfortable, but my arms are) and quite good desk space.

Lessons:

HS: 6/10
College: 9/10

High School: At High School people weren't always serious about their subjects, and classes were large. Teachers who had little control over a class meant that classes were so annoyingly rowdy and it was difficult to concentrate and I always had to go back to the old standby of singing, and then people would tell me to stop singing and I'd hum, which would mean they insisted on stopping me from humming, or later me just silent and just wanting to Get Out as soon as I bloody well could. It was especially bad when the lesson was being taken by a cover teacher. I could rant on forever about cover teachers, but this page is pretty long already and I've still got 2 more aspects to talk about (unless I think of any more). However, lessons did tend to be decent, and were bloody awesome if they were being taken by Mr Aitken. But that was just Year 9 Maths, and one in Year 10. I wanted him as Head of Year when I was in Year 11 like he was head of Year 11 when I was in Year 9. He had an office near my form room, but I am going off on a tangent and ought to get on with what I am supposed to be writing about.

College: Classes are smaller and tend to be more serious about what we're studying (we get to choose, see). I also get to sit near the front all of the time where I'm less likely to mishear stuff (although I do do it - 39 for 35, for instance, which is a bit awkward when it's a page in a textbook).

Timetable:

At High School, the timetable was always full. From 8:45 to 3:30, everything you did was timetabled. so you might get, for instance:

Monday:

8:45 - Registration
9:05 - Science
10:05 - Science
11:05 - Break
11:15 - English
12:20 - Lunch
1:15 - Registration
1:30 - Spanish
2:30 - Drama

So all of your time that can be timetabled is.

But at college, it's different because you have time that isn't timetabled. So I have one lesson on a Tuesday, and only one - the other time can be used for study, eye tests, lying in, watching Tim Minchin, blogging, and a lot of other stuff. Socializing would be a big part of that for some people, but probably not me. I'm a bit of an introvert.

Groupwork:

The nightmare of High School, this was. It was a total nightmare. Apart from the fact that I am hopeless in a group unless I have a specific job in it, I am easily distracted by idiots and end up arguing with them because they are too distracting (and so is my currently favorite song with is a Tim Minchin one *roll*). I always find it awkward to talk in a group unless I am making an objection. But in College at the moment there doesn't seem to be that much groupwork, and what's the betting that there is little in distraction? Pretty high, I'd imagine.