My Experience With Presentations

So as I have previously mentioned on this blog, I'm not the worlds best person when it comes to presentations, in fact, I'm really quite terrible with them. My problem is that I work myself up so much about them, that it's easier just to not think about it, and pretend that absolutely nothing is happening, pretend that I don't have to get up and stand and talk about things in front of people for a while. 


This is kind of what that goes like:

Not pictured: Studying

Anyway, so I sit around in happy-la-la-land for about a month or so before something snaps and I end up sitting up for most of the night cursing myself and frantically trying to do something worthwhile for my presentation. The presentation for my university course wasn't the first presentation or talk I have ever had to give. 

Here are some of my experiences that go way back... 

I remember doing one in Primary 7, to the whole class, on polar bears. And it was okay, I was really nervous but it was okay, I had a big piece of cardboard paper with pictures for people to look at. And back then seemed to be before my cycle of denial began.

But then in Secondary 1 or 2, I can't remember which, we had to give a talk to the class on something like our favourite holiday or something. I can't remember. And I was terrified, I convinced myself I could wing it, as long as I didn't think about it, I would be okay. 

I forgot though that I was quite terrified of certain social situations, one of them being standing up and having over twenty of your peers (who you don't know that well and probably don't like you anyway) staring at you and waiting for you to say something worthwhile, is at the top of that list. 

And I was awful, she picked me first or second, I was definitely at the very start anyway and I got up and slowly walked my way to the front of the classroom, wanting to die. I stuttered and stammered, went bright red and kept fidgeting with the cords on my cardigan, before finally I could go and sit down and pretend I didn't need any friends - since I definitely wasn't going to have any now. 

I remained terrified but knowing I was going to have to come across talks again in the future and in 3rd and 4th year I did, but the teacher did them in a way that meant we could do them in little groups of 3 or 4 outside of the classroom, and sitting down, so we didn't need to stand up and present it. Which I found much nicer and easier to deal with. 

But as the years passed my aversion to presentations got worse and I did as much as I could to avoid them altogether.

But my degree is very important to me, without my degree I can't do my chosen career and without that then I will never feel any self-worth. I'm a very career orientated person. 

So I was going to have to do this presentation, whether I wanted to or not. So eventually when I was at about 3 days till the presentation it hit me I had a presentation to do and dammit it was important. I decided I no longer needed to sleep and just stayed up all night revising, and reading books called Automotive Ergonomics. 

And then I did it. I did the presentation, I didn't want to but I did, and when my lecturer told me what I got I was practically blown off my feet. 95%! How crazy is that? 

So I had a celebratory day off uni work and spent the day in bed. They are my favourite kind of days.... 

I'm in heaven now.

40 Things

This is a blog meme I found a while ago, I don't have the link to it anymore but if anyone fancies copying it from me go ahead! Although this isn't my own original material (well the answers are but not the questions).

1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?

I started university!

2. Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I didn't really have any resolutions, apart from to do the Moonwalk, which I did!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

My sister did, just two weeks ago!

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Nobody that I was particularly close to as in, spoke to regularly and saw a lot, but a few people I knew, did.

5. What countries did you visit?

France, England.

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?

I would like to have more money.... hey we can dream?

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory?

Feb 22nd - my eighteenth birthday. Feb 23rd - when I got to see Wicked for the first and as of yet, only time. April 16th - Nickys birthday. August 13th - My sisters birthday!  Nov 1st - My nephews birthday :) when he was born.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Getting into uni!

9. What was your biggest failure?

Not going home for the summer.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Nothing serious just a chest infection over the summer.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

MY IPHONE :) 

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

What? I don't know, a lot of peoples! 

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

A couple of people's did, but I shan't get into that here.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Food and bills

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

WICKED! My eighteenth, Paris! And Kians birth.

16. What song/album will always remind you of 2010?

Oh quite a few.... that Americano song! Bad Romance, Telephone, basically any song that was a hit this year.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

happier or sadder? A bit of both?
thinner or fatter? Fatter I think.
richer or poorer? Poorer.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Enjoyed the sun a bit more when it was here!

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Wasted money.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

At home with my mam having a lovely family day.

21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?

It's a toss up between Nicky, my mam and my stepmam.

22. Did you fall in love in 2010?

I already was in love.

23. How many one night stands in this last year?

Big fat zerroooo

24. What was your favourite TV program?

LOST

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

Hate is a strong word, I dislike people now that I didn't dislike this time last year.

26. What was the best book(s) you read?

I read quite a few books. Difficult to choose.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Lady Gaga ;)

28. What did you want and get?

To go to university.

29. What did you want and not get?

Money..... oh if only I could be so luckyyyy.

30. What were your favourite films of this year?

Made in Dagenham was fantastic. Can't remember other films I saw! Terrible.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 18, and I spent the morning at my dads house and then went into town to get my iPhone, and then spent the afternoon with my best friends and then my mam and sister surprised me! My boyfriend was there the whole day it was fantastic, then the next day my mam and sister and I went to London. :) 

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Moving into a nice flat, feeling closer to friends and family and getting to university. Having a future. 

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?

It changes a lot.

34. What kept you sane?

My friends and family

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Zac Efron.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

The election.

37. Who did you miss?

Some people I am not so close to anymore.

38. Who was the best new person you met?

Oh god a few! All my friends I made at university, friends I met at work.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.

I can't think of one this very second...

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year?

"You make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream" :) 

Dec and Sarah's Fun Story

So my friend Dec and I were bored one lonely night on the internet.... and we decided to write a story... we have yet to title it as it has yet to come up with a point. But here it is:

Once upon a time there was a woman named Belinda, Belinda didn't like her name, so she changed it to Carolyn. She thought this name went with her personality so much better so once she had decided on her name she thought she had better get up and get on with her day. First off she put on her trousers, and then remembered she hadn't put on any underwear, oh well who needs underwear? Just another layer to remove and then thought to herself, less really is more. "Look how free I look!" When she walked out her house in nothing but her trousers and shoes she saw that people were giving her funny looks. But Carolyn really didn't care; she sauntered off to the bus stop to wait for the bus, what was public indecency? She was young and attractive; she was really doing everyone a favour.

She felt it was really quite chilly out. While out at the shops she'd buy herself a nice hat and scarf set to match. She heard a noise from nearby, and then saw a black mass slowly crawl down the alley by the chip shop. Carolyn went to go and investigate this black mass... and then decided she was hungry so went and got herself some chips, well she got herself four portions of chips and three fish suppers, just the regular lunch really. Then she went out to go see what this black mass was all about.

"This is no ordinary black mass" she thought. (and Carolyn had quite an impressive knowledge of black masses) she walked cautiously towards the alley with her hands waving frantically over her head, you know, casual and as inconspicuous as ever. As she got closer to the black mass it appeared to get bigger, she thought that was rather strange and she waved her arms faster and faster hoping it might make the mass smaller again but it wasn't working! She stepped on the black mass and was surprised to find....

"Martin!" she exclaimed “What are you doing here?!” Martin sheepishly explained how he'd seen a penny coin roll down the alley and decided to chase after it (every little helps).

Martin stood up and looked directly across at Carolyns chest (he was rather small) and was surprised to see that she was wearing hardly any clothes, "My god you must be cold!" he said and gave her his scarf to warm up with.

"Oh no thanks." she said, feeling quite offended at Martin's disgusted look. As she was talking about herself to Martin, she noticed a package in the alley. "Hey look Martin, there's a package! Let's open it!"

"Yeeeeey presents" shouted Martin gleefully. And inside the package was costumes!

There was one costume for Cher and one costume for Lady Gaga! It ended up that Carolyn put on the Cher costume and Martin put on the Lady Gaga costume, "We look fantastic!" Carolyn said as she walked out of the alley feeling like a new person. "Let's go get some more chips, I'm starving!" said Carolyn.

"Ok" said Martin, who didn't want to disagree with her, just before they got to the chip shop, Martin saw another penny on the ground and bent down to pick it up, but unfortunately lost his balance and fell onto the busy main road. "Oops" said Martin.

Just as Martin stood up a car quickly knocked him down. And then another and another. Carolyn didn't notice any of this as she had gone back into the chippy and got some more of those yummy chips. It was only as she was coming out she dropped all her chips to the ground when she saw Martins remains on the road. "Oh no! Martin!" She said and knelt beside the road. Then she got awfully bored and returned to the discarded chips. "Thank god I'm wearing this amazing Cher costume, I look so swag" 

After she had eaten the chips from the pavement Carolyn got up and walked down the pavement, swaggering because she looked swag and she felt it fit. She got to the bus stop and decided to catch the bus into town to show off her new clothes. As the bus pulled away, it ran over the remains of Martin. "This is one bumpy bus!" she blurted out. Boredom set back in so she decided to lick some windows to get a good view of the outside world. Unsatisfied, she turned to her fellow passengers and decided to be friendly, maybe a bit too friendly...

Carolyn quickly put her hand atop her fellow passengers head, "Why hello fellow bus rider!" She exclaimed and patted the man on the head, the man beside her looked pretty freaked out and quickly scanned the area for any free seats but there were none. "Don't you love my swag?" Carolyn said and started to chew on the man’s hat, she was so hungry. Before long, she had to leave the bus as her stop was approaching, but she felt she had grown close to the man beside her. She thought for a moment then decided to take him with her on her travels; she was quite hoping he'd propose to her. So off they went around town when they noticed an incredibly large post box.

"My, that is one huge post box!" She said and the man muffled because Carolyn had to gag him with his scarf in order for him to come with her. They walked over to the post box and she poked it. Suddenly the post box swallowed the two of them up. The man let out a muffled cry and Carolyn giggled, this was not the first time she had been swallowed by a post box.

"Oh here we go again" she said. "I do hope I get to the shops before they close! I've got to keep up my swag too"

“Mmmmmmphmhmphmpmhpmhmmmmhmmmm" said the man.

"Do you smell cats too man?" asked Carolyn, then a hand poked her face.

Apparently she and the man were not alone in the post box. Carolyn gasped aloud, "I've been in here for hours." wailed the other man, coincidentally his name was also Martin. He was big and wearing a yellow jumper. "Oh Martin! I wasn't expecting to see you here! Are you happy?" Carolyn said.

"Mmhppphhh" groaned the man and Carolyn kicking him in the kneecap. 

To Be Continued

Although the characters are named after people Dec and I know they do not represent the people as a whole, our friend Carolyn is not the kind of person likely to go out wearing next to nothing and eat a million chippys. Well not yet anyway.....

What will happen to Carolyn, the man and Martin? Will we ever see the first Martin again or is he dead for good? Will they ever get out of the post box? Can this story get any more random? Find out.... next time.

Journey to.... THE BEGINNING OF TIME.

Okay so the title may be a little over exaggeration, I actually just went back to the beginning of when I joined facebook. I joined facebook what could be considered a little late, early 2009. In fact I do recall the only reason I joined was to play 'myFarm' which is rather embarrassing to admit. I had another facebook account back in 2007, and I stopped using it because I neither liked nor understood facebook. But then at the beginning of 2009 I decided to give it another go and well, I never looked back.

I am clearly, such an interesting person

So anyway that was how I came to be on Facebook, I then decided to go along and see what kind of story my facebook told me (apparently, nothing I just 'like' a lot of things). It was quite time consuming which was what I was really going for as I was trying to get out of studying, as you do. I'm such a good student. 

It's funny to think though how much has changed. When I joined facebook, it was only a year and a half ago, I was 16, living with my dad, stepmam, papa and brother, and going to college to do a pointless course, university seemed like a million miles away, as did turning eighteen. I had just started going out with a nice boy, but I didn't imagine we'd be together for as long as we have. 

And yet here I am at 18, attending university studying Psychology and not Journalism like I had intended to back then, living with the nice boy I had started seeing back then in a completely different city. It's nice and it's strange how your life turns out completely differently to the way you expected it. Not saying that this is my life 'turning' out, I'm only eighteen, who knows where I'll be in two years!

I could be living on a boat in Venice for all you know. It could happen (don't even think I want it to happen though...).

Before facebook we all used Bebo, at least all my friends did, does anyone remember Bebo? Oh god it lived a sad, sad, life. And Myspace, oh dearie me. All these websites at the bottom of the social networking garbage pile, it's sad really. 

In other news Christmas is coming soon! I quite enjoy Christmas, as an all round holiday I am very family orientated and it means I get to go home to Shetland to see my family, I love that. Although I hate people who totally rape Christmas by putting up tons of Christmas decorations...

Punch me! Please!

There is just no need, I like subtle decorations. Although my flat will not be being decorated until after the 10th December this year as I really need to study for exams, whereas last year EVERYTHING WAS UP ON THE 1ST. And the only reason it was up so early and I was so excited was because it was my first Christmas living away from home (aside from the fact that I went home for the actual Christmas part). 

And there will be Winter Wonderland to attend to in Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens which is always, always fun. (: 

Drunk

See this is exciting. I don't know why but I felt the need to drink my way through a whole bottle of wine when I have uni and work thenext day. I know what you're thinking: Sarah! You're a GENIUS! Well yes, I am thank you very regonsing this very amazing fact, yeah. 


You know how everyone always has that moment when they realise they are drunk, like when you're out at a party and you realise holy shit I'm wasted. Well for me, that moment is when I go to the toilet, and i look in the bathroom mirror and have to 'focus' to look at myself properly (or if I'm really wasted and can't see myself at all). Thats when things like that happen. 


So I tried to find an image on Google but alas, there happen to be no images of people leaning on mirrors so I will just post a picture of a bumble bee instead. 

ONCE UPON A TIME

THERE WAS AN IMAGE

HERE. BUT I REMOVED

IT. SORRY.

I'm a happy bee!

yeah bumble bee but i knw you#re game (you can tell I'm getting a wee bit drunker here?) I knowe you really wanna get me with that stinger at the back. You wanna know a secret? I trust you blog readers so I'll tell you. I hate bee's. Well I thin they are cute but I've never been stung. AND WASPS oh don't get me started on wasps. HATE THEM. terrified. I will run screaming or stand trying to hide every visible piece of skin as I can. I wish I was a turtle. 

How cool are turtles?! 

Hi I'm a turtle and I happen to be the coolest thing on the planet?!

They really are, they can go into their shell and hide, they can do all sorts that we humans lac the ability to do. they can hide in their little cute shells away from danger. they can 'duck and cover' kudos if you know what I'm talking about.

Okay I know this post has a lot A LOT of spelling errors but really you don't know the haf of it, all the mistakes I have to corect! It would be too much if I left them all in. I sdwear!

See I will type a compleely uncorrercted psentence and you will see all the work I am going to to make sure you have somethin reavable to read. 

You see. Terrible Sarah. Terrible. 

WHY AM I WRITING THIS.

Okay one more glass of wine then bed whasump!

When I Go Shopping....

Okay so when I was little, I used to hate when my mam went shopping. I hated it. She never followed a list, so it would be like wandering around every single aisle for ages and ages, it felt like she had to look at every single item in the shop before deciding what she was getting and not getting, obviously it wasn't that bad but when you're a kid an hour spent in the shops feels like FOREVER. 


As I got older I quite enjoyed going shopping with mam because it meant I could try and get stuff for myself (junk food) or maybe sneak it into the trolley as if she wasn't going to notice it when she got to the checkout (she always did). 


But then. When I was going to be moving out on my own for the very first time, when Nicky, my boyfriend and I decided to move in together I started to realise I am going to be doing my very own shopping. And I don't know why but I was REALLY excited by this. I was so excited and freakin' ecstatic to be doing my own shopping I started paying attention to every single item in the shops, so I knew what I was going to want when I got to the point where it would be me. 

I AM SO FREAKING EXCITED RIGHT NOW!

Anyway, so then when we did move in together naturally after we had unpacked one of the first things we did was head down to the 24 hour supermarket down the road and get some food. It was so exciting. We bought so many things we practically needed two trolleys and it still wasn't enough, I just wanted it all. Am I excited by simple things? HELL YES.

So we did a shopping last night, and now after living together for a year shopping has become a bit of a chore, it loses the excitement when you've done it a million times and can't afford to buy whatever you want without worrying about it. We came out with the most random list of things, ever. 

- 3 bottles of wine 

- box of diet coke

- a Pudsey t-shirt for children in need

- a Pudsey teddy bear

- a birthday cake (not kidding)

- 2 cadbury chocolate trifles

- 2 christmas scented candles

- 3 pizza's

- a bag of frozen sausages

- tresemme shampoo

- 2 hobnob chocolate biscuit packets

- 2 advent calenders

- kitchen roll

There may have been more but I can't remember it right now, I remember the bags being heavy on the way to the bus though. 

Has nobody ever patented a bag that can carry itself?

What's it like when you go shopping? Are you as bad as me? Or are you one of those fantastically sensible people who manages to get only what they need and nothing else?