#ecuss

The Eton summer school was amazing. It was very academically oriented as it is meant to be for students who are looking to apply to the top universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. There are three lessons each day on the subject you are studying, I was doing maths and chemistry so I’d have one lesson of one and two of the other each day and it’d alternate so overall I had the same number of lessons. The work is very intense and I wouldn’t take it lightly as I didn’t know anyone who didn’t struggle at least at the start. Also the only day without lessons is the Sunday so be prepared for Saturday lessons. In the evenings the average homework load was about 2-3 hours every night so there is little time to procrastinate. 

On the other hand there is a lot of opportunity to do extra curricular things too, there is a scheduled 1 hour and 45 minutes each afternoon for ‘recreation’ which was compulsory and there were choices for sports such as water polo, running or dodgeball and non-sporty activities such as board games and photography. There were also times when everyone learnt scottish country dancing (which is better than it sounds) and some people chose to try the infamous Eton Wall Game. On the Sunday, it was activities for the whole day- I tried water polo (which was super fun) and dodgeball.

There is also a barbeque and disco at the Eton Rowing Lake which was good fun and a posh meal on the last day.

I think it helped me decide on what I want to do as it made me realise that a pure maths degree probably isn’t for me and that chemistry is what I want to do. However I know that some people were intimidated by the hard work and have maybe found themselves in a dilemma now. I still have no idea what I want to do as a career...

I'm very sorry I've been absent for so long, but I suppose I'm not sorry if you missed me, because if you had, I would be ecstatic.

I attended the Eton College Universities Summer School (AKA ECUSS, which is a great acronym, imo), which for any of you who don't know (I'm expecting many) is a summer school, though admittedly it was during term time, for people that do well in their subjects, to get a taste of university life and to study their subjects more in depth than you can at school. It was amazing, in my opinion, because I did learn a ridiculous amount, to the point where I now feel like there is no point being at school. At all. It's not like we do any work. I was at the summer school for 10 days, and within 7 of those, I wrote 3 essays and took a practice ELAT, so not only am I sitting here marveling at the efficiency Eton brought out in me (I've been procrastinating for the last 4 hours), but I'm quite proud of myself. We did a mock-interview, which was ridiculously nerve-wracking as well, because I am just a nervous person in general, and the teachers, though great, were slightly intimidating - they actually know what they are talking, which is not something you come across often in a teacher. They also helped us write personal statements and gave us lots of info and universities and what-not.

So, that's where I was for about two weeks.

Yes, technically I did get back Friday night, and so have neglected tumblr for the last 4 days, but, I have had so much to do, ish.

Yesterday was Curriculum Day at school (don't ask) which, without going into very many boring details, meant we were off-timetable, being non-productive, so my friend who also went to Eton and I managed to get out of it to do catch up work and so went everywhere to find information for this essay that we were supposed to be writing. Needless to say, we were unsuccessful, and I was extremely frustrated (I still am. It's due Friday. Like that's actually going to happen.) Also, there is another Curriculum Day tomorrow, which I can't get out of, so FUN!

Not much more of the week left, tbh, and then it's SUMMER. Wonderful, lovely summer holidays, in which I have so much to do. I have to actually work out what I'm supposed to be writing for my EPQ and writing it, which is unlikely to happen. I currently hate my topic. I have to read loads of stuff, so I actually have things to put on my personal statement, and write my personal statement. There aren't enough weeks in the holiday!

I am going away with my friends for 5 days starting this Friday evening though, which I am really looking forward too. Some of my friends have been particularly annoying of late, but I'll try to forget about that.