Relief.

That's another thing checked off my list! I've just got back from Bournemouth University, for my activity day. There was 28 of us, and we were split into groups and led around to different sessions with different teachers: Print, theory, TV and radio. They were each 20-30 minutes long, and we had to answer all these little questions and just have a bit more of a taster. I showed the print teacher what I had done in the Daily Echo and he asked why I was taking a gap year. I was the only one out of my group to actually speak in the theory bit, which was good because at least I stood out and made it look like I knew what I was talking about. In the TV, we just had to read off an auto-cue and have a look around the studio. It was more like a taster on an open day to be honest. The radio one was a bit more scary, because the woman split the group of 7 into 4 and 3 and we had to answer these questions. They were more like questions that you would be marked out of 10 for, and it was annoying because by the time the two to the right of me answered, there was no really good answers left. I tried to slip in all the stuff i'd done on the radio at college but she didn't seem as enthusiastic as i'd hoped. She seemed really enthusiastic in our answers, but it looked like she wasn't writing any comments down by my name, but writing loads on everyone else's (Because my name was at the bottom of the page, due to my last name beginning with T), but I can't really know for certain because it was across a table, and I got so distracted by trying to read the comments that I almost missed the question she asked us. Then we got taken into the recording studio and took turns reading different passages. I was a bit nervous because i'd told them that I was a presenter, so I think he expected me to be really good, so I tried my best and he said that I was brilliant and I did it really well and at a good pace. The others said that I nailed it, and when it was played back the guy next to me said it again. But still, not really much enthusiasm. I don't really know what I was expected to be honest.

I just think that the interview process was a bit too vague to base a reason for acceptance on? But they did say that it was more of an activity day, and not an interview. In a way I wish it was based on an interview, because at least they concentrated on me more as an individual?

There were only 28 on the activity day, and apparently there are three on seperate dates, meaning it would be about 90. Thats how many were accepted onto the course out of the 800 ish that applied last year? I can't know for certain but perhaps i'm closer to being accepted than I thought? I don't really want to get my hopes up though..

Occording to the TV teacher we find out whether or not we got through to the next stage within a week? Does that mean I definately get a place, or that i've just got an interview? I don't know .. need to calm down now and get ready for my next interview. Westminsterrrr. Woop!

Adams coming over soon, and we're going to have a nice relaxing night in -- can't wait!

Nervous.

I've got my Bournemouth activity day tomorrow .. and i'm starting to get quite scared. But i've got all the preperation I could get (Which doesn't include my radio recordings because I couldn't find anyone to help me get them off the stupid radio PC that has disabled EVERYTHING), and i've researched and picked out my outfit and everything. Annoying thing is, is that I have to get up at 6am tomorrow to get ready, and get a bus at 6.40am, then a train at 7.18am, then a bus (Which reminds me .. I need to actually find out which bus it is, it should be on my letter that I still need to put in my bag!) that goes to the university. I've got a little idea of what they're going to ask me, as I went and had a little interview prep session with a past graduate of the course, but it may have changed since she went for her interview a few years back. Managed to get the day off college which is great, but i'm scared incase I get lost .. and I haven't actually figured out how i'm going to pay for my bus once I get into Bournemouth, seeing as I only have a £5 note in my purse and £6 on my debit card. Fun times.

Devastated by the news of the earthquake in Hairi. Obviously, earthquakes are common there as they live on the line between two plates and I heard them say on the news at college today that they get earthquakes of that size every couple of hundred years due to the shifting. But it doesn't beat the fact that it's horrible to see people in such devastation, as they are a poor country anyway, and do not have sturdy buildings or proper healthcare or anything. It makes me stop and evaluate things. I like to do all I can to help others, and I thoroughly believe that if I dedicate myself to helping others and being less selfish, it could benefit everyone. My certificate came today, confirming that my tree that I had bought for me for christmas has been planted where it is needed - I think this will be the most frequent present, and frankly .. it has got to be my best one this year! I saw in the shop window in Oxfam that they're looking for donations, but I already donated lots of things to Help The Aged, and I don't know if I have anything else to give. I really want to, but as I mentioned earlier I have no money! I'm sure I can find some somewhere, thats if they are taking money? But i've been told that when you buy things from Oxfam, they take a large share of the profits? It makes me feel as though they're promoting themselves as a charity but in fact they aren't? I'm on the website now, and am quite happy that i've found a solar bike light :) It has a donation section on the website for the people affected, and I don't like the fact that I have nothing to donate. I get my EMA on sunday, and I definitely donate something then. Lets just hope everyone can pick themselves up with the help of others, and rebuild. This gives us a chance to stop being so selfish and help those in need.

I think my family are beginning to grow tired of me always switching appliances off. My sister came downstairs from her bedroom and said: "Why is it always so dark in here?" and then I heard: "It's Sophie switching all the lights off, you know what she's like.. just switch them back on again." It angers me when people get annoyed about it because it is sheer laziness! What is the point in having the dining room, kitchen, hall and bathroom lights on if people are in their bedrooms? JUST INCASE people want to come outside and have the extremely difficult task of finding a light switch?! It annoys me. We hardly ever use the desk lamp next to the computer, so I turned it off from the mains (which are easily accessible under the computer desk) so people can just turn in on when they use it. My mum then came in a couple of days later and asked me if I turned the light off. I said that I did and she started going mental saying that she thought the light had broken and went and brought another light bulb?! I couldn't help but laugh! It doesn't take much to turn a switch on? I know i'm being annoying, but I don't care anymore. Being the way I am is nothing to be embarrassed about and it's catching on slowly. Adams trying his best, and I respect and love him for it. I never leave the house without a carrier bag and everything that can be recycled is recycled (I have a mountain of recycled stuff that needs to be collected, but it's not being collected until next week and I don't know where my nearest recycling centre is?) and everything can be brought recycled, is. Even my mousemat is made from 80% recycled materials. And it has smarties on it, and looks exactly the same. I now need to somehow convince my family that you don't need to fly to your holiday destinations, and that there are better alternatives? But that may take a while. I'm off to New York in February, and to be honest I feel incredibly guilty. But, my dad bought the tickets to take us on a holiday .. so it will be like my farewell to plane journeys, seeing as I don't intend to take a plane anywhere unless I have to? Go me :) I want to sign up to petitions and everything, but I don't like to hear about it 24/7. I like normality, obviously.

Right, i've had a rant about this .. and I see that it is the topic of most of my entries? But at this point in time I feel like I can't really talk to anyone about it properly (apart from Adam of course, but even he gets tired of it!), so i'll just write it down on here where no one will really read it. Perhaps i'll just give up university and join Greenpeace? Theres a thought ... ahh tomorrow!

14th.

Just did my good deed for the day :)

Emailed my favourite hair product company and suggested that they do eco-refills for their hair products, like Kenco do. The bottles are big enough and the lids are easily openable.. it saves Kenco 97% packaging, so I thought i'd suggest. I'm going to suggest it to other companies aswell, but i'll see how it goes down with Aussie first.

Just had a shower, and before that went and got a folder for my journalistic portfolio. Kind of annoyed that I couldn't go into work and get one made out of recycled board, but I didn't have time (seeing as Iain kept me waiting for an hour and a half, thinking he was going to come into town with me, and then said he couldn't because he had work to do!) so I had to settle for a Wilkinsons one .. but to be honest i'll re-use it anyway! I've got to stick all of my clippings and stuff onto card and put them in the folder. It's not going to be a big portfolio but hopefully it'll be impressive that I have began one. I have also bought an address book, where I will begin to store my contacts, meaning that it will take up less space on my phone :) I also need to sort out my memory stick (It's saying that the 'disk is write-protected' and refusing to let me put anything on or take anything off it) so I can put some radio recordings of me on there and show them. I also need some copies of radio scripts. I'll do this all tomorrow seeing as I don't have enough money to go to Sam's birthday tomorrow. It's annoying, but i'll get over it! I can't justify spending any money on alcohol when i've had to borrow money off my mum to pay for the train ticket to Bournemouth for my interview on thursday! I also have an interview in Harrow at the end of the month, but hopefully i'll receive some EMA before then so that I can actually pay for it. I'm just about to pack up my stuff to go to Adams, then i'll go have my dinner and make my way over there! Really want to start riding my bike, but I need to go get a light to put on it (Hopefully an environmentally friendly one!) so that I don't get knocked down and forced to wear a luminous orange jacket! It's also very icy so i'm quite hesitant, seeing as i've never rode on the roads amoungst traffic before. That should be fun.. i'll probably start crying or have a panic attack or something!

New 0% emission cars are being introduced next year by Renault. Can't wait to start seeing them on the road, and hopefully set the ball rolling :) I'll be buying one (as soon as i'm not skint and have to pay back a student loan!) Funtimes. Right, i'm off .. hopefully i'll write in soon. I haven't really used the computer much recently, partly because i'm not on my own a lot. But when I do, it's nice to babble on into a blog and know that it is unlikely that anyone will be reading (except from Adam, who as soon as he knows i'm blogging checks it out on his phone!! :P) Perhaps I should make a blog about something specific .. that people can subscribe to? That could be good practise. Or I could just follow in Perez Hiltons footsteps and blog about celebrities and gossip. That'll be a good start :D I'll sleep on it though .. maybe it won't seem as good in my head tomorrow morning!