bookworm1984's journey to infinity and beyond!

[bookworm1984]

Hey AtarNotes!

I first joined AN when I was 'studying' for the selective school exam, and after reading almost all of the VCE journals on here, I decided to make my own. Now, yes, I am only going into Year 9 this year. But, I'm also starting at Mac.Rob, so now is a better time than ever.

Sure, I love learning, but I don't think VCE is that much of a big deal. I mean, sure it defines what uni you get into, but it sure doesn't define you. I know, i sound like a really 'motivational' teacher, but I think the journey will be more than four numbers. Although, I can practically guarantee I won't be saying stuff like that when I'm in Year 12.

Now a bit about me...

I love reading. And writing. A lot. My favourite book is 1984 by George Orwell. I read 210 books in 2019, and hopefully in 2020, I can do the same. Even with increased homework, extracurriculars and travel. My favourite subjects are Humanities and Science. They fluctuate yearly based on the teacher... hopefully I get good teachers next year. Um... My favourite movie is Matilda, for obvious reasons. Closely followed by the Matrix. My favourite colour is green and my favourite food is my Nonna's polenta. I'm a cat person, but I still love dogs. And I'm just another one of those teenagers who hates ScoMo, and demands climate action.

Outside of school next year I will do swimming, Aquagards (life saving training), piano, tennis, Distance Education Italian, and my personal favourite volunteer tutoring!! As well as that, I'm also doing flute inside school.. and hopefully debating...

Now, that might seem like a lot, especially combined with 2 hours of travel per day, but I think i have it under control. Yeah, the work is going to be much harder than normal school, but it is only Year 9! I'd rather do everything I want to do now, while I still can.

In terms of future aspirations, I want to be a teacher. Kinda weird for a kid going to a selective school, but I don't care. Over the past 9 years of school, my teachers have helped me so so so much, and shaped the person that I try to be today. And I love it too. I started volunteering a year ago, and I haven't looked back.

The subjects I'm doing next year are...

English
Maths
Geography
History
Science
Singing 😠
Astrobiology
Writing for Writers
Textiles
Music Performance

               - One semester only


Anyway, other than Orientation Day, I don't really now what to expect at Mac.Rob. So, if anyone has any tips... I know, I need to make new friends, but I still love my old ones so much. And I will see them all on a weekly basis which at least means I'm not starting completely fresh.

Since I'm only in Year 9, I might not post all that regularly, because nothing really happens.... but yeah we shall see.

For now, I shall enjoy the last little bit of freedom I have left, before school and everything starts.

Hopefully our brave firefighters get some reprieve. And our politicians wake from their slumber.

Happy Holidays!!!


Word of the Post (yes this is a thing now)- Piquant- having a sharp or appetising flavour.

[Chocolatemilkshake]

Hi Bookworm,
Can totally relate to reading multiple books in a day! Also the Matrix is definitely up there as one of my all time favourite movies too!

Excited to follow all the best for year nine (enjoy it while you can!) 

[Snow Leopard]

Hey
So nice to see another LOTE student on AN!
What's it like learning a language at distance ed?
And what your favourite and most challanging parts of Italian?

[caffinatedloz]

Really looking forward to following more of your journey bookworm! Do you enjoy volunteer tutoring? What kind of age group do you work with?

[Geoo]

Haha, another book reader. In year ten, I ended up reading 450+ books that year, and last year (year 11), I only read about 60. So be prepared to not read as much as you get a higher work load in the higher year levels.
Do you have any favourite genres your normally like to pick from?

(Yay, another cat person!)

[bookworm1984]

Do you have any favourite genres your normally like to pick from?

I like basically everything, except for romance. Well, romance is okay as a sub plot I guess....

Do you enjoy volunteer tutoring? What kind of age group do you work with?

I love it. SO MUCH. The girl I tutored last year, was in Grade 3. We'll see about this year.

What's it like learning a language at distance ed?
And what your favourite and most challanging parts of Italian?

Well, I haven't exactly started yet. I've done Italian for two years at my old school, and I love the language. Also hearing it a lot growing up, and knowing some phrases certainly helps. I love the verbs and the grammar. Italian is so much easy than English when it comes to grammar. I think the most challenging think is the confidence to talk to people, although travelling Italy certainly helped.

[bookworm1984]

SO SCHHOOOOLL HAS STARTTED
This is going to be super short because nothing has actually happened. Today was my second day of school. I think I'm finally learning my way around. Everyone is super nice, and all the teachers that I've met so far have seemed okay. I think I'm going to like life as a Mac.Rob student. But I already got homework. And it's maths too. Sigh.

In terms of outside of school, I tried aquagards for the first time last week, and I had heaps of fun!!!


WORD OF THE POST- cryptozoology- the search for and study of animals whose existence is unproven, such as the Loch Ness monster and the yeti

I'll update more once things actually happen lol.

[Bri MT]

Not much may have happened yet but I'm certainly interested in hearing more of your journey.

I really relate to your views on romance as a genre (seriously wish I could just skip those bits in books without missing out on plot, character or world development) and doings lots of extra curriculars throughout high school. On the other hand, it seems like you're ahead of me in figuring out that the education sector is important to you . Your subjects sound really interesting so I hope we get to hear about them a bit too.

Do you have a word for your most recent post?

[bookworm1984]

Do you have a word for your most recent post?

Added it now!

[w0lfqu33n89]

Hey Bookworm1984!

Welcome to AN! Glad to hear your first few days have been going well! Just read your first post as well and we have a lot in common!
I too am a booklover...read nowhere near your awesome record in 2019, but hey...can year 10 be my excuse? haha.

Since making my journal on here its been a great place to come back and reflect on yourself how far you come and somewhere to have a place and feel you belong. Very excited for more updates... until then, good luck at school!

[ashmi]

Hi Bookworm1984!!

It's so awesome to see another Journey Journal! (It's especially good to see another cat lover)

SO SCHHOOOOLL HAS STARTTED
This is going to be super short because nothing has actually happened. Today was my second day of school. I think I'm finally learning my way around. Everyone is super nice, and all the teachers that I've met so far have seemed okay. I think I'm going to like life as a Mac.Rob student. But I already got homework. And it's maths too. Sigh.

Great way to start the new year is to have plenty of homework.😅 (jk)
How does it feel to move to another school? (Especially with the travel. Totally understand the 1hr commute to school than 1hr to get back home).
Is there anything, in particular, you want to accomplish this year? (Short term or long term even)
I'm looking forward to seeing some new things pop up in your journal soon!

[bookworm1984]

SO

Year 9 is pretty uneventful. School cancelled my camp, which kinda sucks. But also kinda doesn't. Anyway, I'm cool with that. All my classes seem pretty good. Everyone keeps complaining about how much they hate their electives, but I really like mine.I'm doing Astrobiology and Writing for Writers. And both of them seem pretty awesome so far.

MATHS IS KILLING ME. I'm sorry, but even Mainstream Maths is too hard for me. Well, I get it eventually, but it just takes ages.

I also really like my book for English. We are doing 'I know why the caged bird sings'. Now, most people complain about how hard it is, but I honestly think it is one of the most beautiful things I've read. Maybe I won't think that at the end of the unit.

This probably should be longer, but I wanna go watch Doctor Who, so this is going to have to do.

Is there anything, in particular, you want to accomplish this year? (Short term or long term even)
I'm looking forward to seeing some new things pop up in your journal soon!

Honestly I just want to survive. I'm trying to live life and stuff before school gets hard. Is that a goal?

[ArtyDreams]

SO

Year 9 is pretty uneventful. School cancelled my camp, which kinda sucks. But also kinda doesn't. Anyway, I'm cool with that. All my classes seem pretty good. Everyone keeps complaining about how much they hate their electives, but I really like mine.I'm doing Astrobiology and Writing for Writers. And both of them seem pretty awesome so far.

MATHS IS KILLING ME. I'm sorry, but even Mainstream Maths is too hard for me. Well, I get it eventually, but it just takes ages.

I also really like my book for English. We are doing 'I know why the caged bird sings'. Now, most people complain about how hard it is, but I honestly think it is one of the most beautiful things I've read. Maybe I won't think that at the end of the unit.

This probably should be longer, but I wanna go watch Doctor Who, so this is going to have to do.

Honestly I just want to survive. I'm trying to live life and stuff before school gets hard. Is that a goal?

Its great that your classes seem good this year! Just stick with maths, and no matter how much you're struggling, but try to enjoy it! Everything will eventually fall into place, just keep at it! You've got this! Hope you have a nice rest of the week 

[bookworm1984]

Hey guys!!!

So, this will be my first proper post I guess, even though I'm like only in Year 9, and school is super chill. The main reason I'm doing this, is so that when I'm in Year 12, I can look back and be like 'I did good'.

Here's a rundown of what I'm doing:


Maths- We're doing Pythag and Surds, which I don't really enjoy. But at least I am started to understand it. Plus, I should be glad it isn't probability. We got a homework task, which is like a worksheet, as well as a little bit of maths homework. I may or may not have a bit more than most because I spent the whole class talking to the people next to me, but hey! I'm in Year 9 and I need to make friends anyway

English- This class is actually super cool. My teacher is really nice, and I really like 'I know why the caged bird sings'. And we got to do debating!!! This is definitely one of my favourites, if not my favourite

Science- I think I like it. At first the pace was really hard to get used to. I used to just zone out in class, but now... We're doing the nervous system and memory and stuff, and I mean, it's okay. But not the best.

Geography- This subject seriously makes my head hurt. I don't think it is as boring as everyone says, but coming from a school where we did zero map reading and stuff like that makes it hard. Can't wait for next semester and history though

PE- My PE teacher is also my homeroom teacher, and he is like super chill. Health is like the one class I can zone out in, and PE is better here than it was at my old school. Mostly because you don't share PE with another class, so I get more of a turn.

Electives- Just going to group these together, because my hands are seriously getting sore from all this typing. Astrobiology is sometimes good and sometimes boring. Kinda changes. Right now, my group finished our presentation on galaxies and are just waiting for the other groups to finish theirs. Writing is better though, we're working on our portfolio pieces, and I'm pretty happy with mine.

Outside of school- I do so much stuff, it literally is like a subject. I've started VSL, and I like that I'm able to just work at my own pace. I totally forgot so much from last year though. Aquagards is super fun, and turns out I know the girls in my class, which makes it a whole lot better. I also started flute lessons at school, which is also amazing. My teacher is really cool, and I think I'm slowly getting there. Everything else is as normal, I guess. Oh and my debating trial is next Monday. Wish me luck!! If anyone has any tips, plllleeeassssee tell me


Overall, I think I like it here. Sure, I miss my old school and my friends and normality, but so far there hasn't been anything that has made me seriously regret my decision. Except for the fact, I am definitely reading less.


Word of the Post- obsequious- servilely or to excessively obedient.

[bookworm1984]

Welp, it's been ages. SERIOUSLY NOTHING HAPPENS IN YEAR NINE. It is the most chill thing ever, so I literally have nothing to post, plus I can not be bothered. Ah well, as I get older, I'll update more I guess.

Maths- I had a test last week and I think.. I went okay. I mean, the only question I couldn't do was the challenge question, but that makes sense right? Probably made some really stupid mistakes along the way, but anyway should be okay. We're doing Algebra next which is SOOOO much easier than surds.

English-- Still love this classss. My class elected me Premiers Reading Challenge Captain which is a pretty fitting role for me. My teachers super cool, and I love the memoir writing style.

Science- AHHHHH. I have a test next Wednesday, and I don't think I'm going to do that well. I try so hard to keep up, but the teacher just talks so fast. At least, its good note taking practice. Wish me luck!

Geography- So my test was okay. I mean, I didn't get anywhere near the highest score. At my old school, that would have hurt my confidence a lot. But here, it didn't hurt at all. Seems I got used to everyone being smarter than me. Biomes is not that interesting though.

PE-- Basically the same as always. Fun class though, considering how much I used to hate it.

Electives- Astrobiology is getting better! After the creative task, we are starting to go into chem and I like it! Writing is also good too. We chose our theme and are currently planning our short stories, the main component of the course.

Outside of school- SO, I GOT INTO DEBATING. And we got smashed at our first debate. BUT I'M TEAM CAPTAIN. Which made me feel worse about losing. But seriously, my team seems cool and all. I have my tutoring orientation day on Wednesday, can't wait to go back to it! I'm starting to get into the swing of VSL, even though it is definetely a jump from my old school.

Well, that's it for now. Better go study for that science test.... and read. But study first of course.

WotP- Borborygmus — (n) a rumbling or gurgling noise in the intestines (happened to me when I forgot to eat breakfast in Writing..)