so what did you think of the journey???

This is our last entry, and we've decided to do a team entry reflecting on the journey through the Creativity module in the first semester. As a group, we all enjoyed the module. The first result was that it brought the initial four of us (with Shizuka) together, Shizuka dropped out after week 2, and as the weeks progressed the remaining three of us became good friends.  We realised that one of the benefits of this module was to stop people feeling isolated or alone within the class by forcing them into working as a team. It worked for us anyway.

Maggie here, what I found strange was the people siobhan teamed me up with were the only four people I had met in the first few days - and we were all mature students. At the beginning I complained a lot about this module, thinking it was a complete waste of time and energy, but as the weeks went on, I really started to enjoy it, being creative around the blogs, newsletters and presentation.

Olga here, I have positive feelings about the module. I met lovely people and I'm hoping they're going to be good friends for life and not just for Christmas!! I found the module really intensive, but enjoyable.

Andy here, from a position  of knowing very little about the world of technology, I now know a little more, thanks to my team mates, and I certainly would have been lost without them, as they continue to baffle me with their i.t. knowledge. The newsletter and presentation element I really enjoyed, and the Prezi programme certainly will be used again!

As a group, we found the course stimulating and enjoyable in the main BUT......... We felt there was a lot of work, using technology that we were unfamiliar with, and spent a lot of frustrating and stressful times trying to figure it out. However, it was fun, and looking back we had many laughs together as a team. So thank you Siobhan, for forcing us together and whipping us into shape. All the best

Herbal Innovations

sure aren't we brilliant!

Well the end of the first semester is nigh. Yesterday we had our physics lab assessment, and today we had our anatomy lab assessment - tissue identification. I didn't do great, I tend to panic in exam situations and forgot to take my rescue remedy!!! I only got three right out of 6. Hope I do better in the plant identification in Clonakilty tomorrow! We thought that because of the weather we'd have it in the college instead of traipsing out to Clonakilty - it's a tiring day, we leave the college at 10, arrive Clon at 11, and our class starts and 1.30.  I'm always worn out by the time the class starts, I don't expect to be bouncing with mental energy for the exam tomorrow.

We have our physiology exam monday at 11am, and just found out we have chemistry at 12pm, now that will be a stressful day. Physics on Thursday 9th and then we're done. The night of the 9th is the mature students'  society dinner, and me, Andy and Sarah will be going. Olga has to work so she won't make it, and we think everyone else in the class is just too young - sorry lads and lassies, you'll have to form your own society for the under 25s.

Anyway, wish us luck for the next week and a half!

On the bright side - our group, Herbal Innovations, gave our presentation yesterday on Rescue Remedy, and Siobhan said we were only brilliant. We've been massaging our egos since. It's my birthday this Thursday and was hoping to do dinner for the group, but with 2 exams on Monday morning might be a good idea to have a sober weekend instead! I'll think about it the next couple of days.

Planet (college) terror

The week of terror is starting tomorrow.  Five exams in the same week... Starting with physics practical on Monday, anatomy practical on Tuesday, botany theory and practical on Wednesday and anatomy theory on Thursday... Bring on Friday, I’m begging you!!! Happy I’ve finished all my lab reports last week and I’m finishing up my botany project now. Spent all the weekend trying to study and the only things I remember are that a banana is actually a berry and a strawberry is actually not a fruit!! Do you think that is crazy? Learning the names of 100 plants in Latin is crazier I suppose. My brain can’t hold any more information. The cold temperature in the house doesn’t help with studying. It’s time to take some gingko biloba tablets, and increase the flow of blood to the brain. Going back to study... not a happy bunny L Santa where are you?

The pressure is on now! All our exams are lining up - Physics lab practical next Monday, Anatomy practical Tuesday, Botany theory AND practical Wednesday, and Anatomy theory on Thursday!!! Unfortunately since the last set of exams, there was such a downturn in energy that few of us have opened a book since then. time for some serious study over the weekend. It was the Christmas party yesterday in the Bishopstown Bar, a sign of how seriously our class is taking this course is that we ALL attended lectures yesterday, and gave the bar a miss. At the sight of all those drunken students stumbling home and sick all over the place, was so glad not to be involved in that carry on.  Got a humdinger of a chemistry homework to look at over the weekend. The half life of isotopes - no pressure. We're working in groups to try and get our heads around it. Still unable to download sample questions from physiology, bloody test gen programme! so once again we enter our physiology exam with no point of reference. Ok will stop complaining. Olga and Andy sang to me earlier to cheer me up, but wouldn't let me video tape them! maybe later ..... secretly.

'' Are We There Yet''

   Are we there yet,are we there yet ???,Yes the first semester is almost over,it's hard to believe it but next Monday is the beginning of week 12. As you can imagine this is a busy busy time with projects,practicals and write-ups all to be completed before next Friday,many of the practicals have come to an end which now will allow us to look over our notes before the dreaded exams begin in earnest.
   All in all the first semester really has flown by,the old adage of time flies when you're having fun does not adequately reflect the time and effort that has gone into the first term. Everyone is feeling a little drained to be perfectly honest but of course there'll be plenty of time to recharge the batteries between then and our return to college in early '11.So for the time being it's more head down and rear up !!!

Three happy bunnies

Well the Herbal Innovations Team are very happy bunnies today. We got our chemistry results and we all did very well. Olga and Maggie got 59% and Andrew got a whopping 69%. Now to those of you who have an honours degrees in Chemistry this may not seem like a big deal, but to us it's huge and we're absolutely delighted with ourselves!! After the tears, the trauma, the stress, the sleepless nights, the long hours studying and cramming it all in, the endless blogs moaning about chemistry, we got our just reward. We celebrated afterwards with a cup of tea. Can't get complacent though, we have to prepare now for the next set of exams in three weeks time. Onwards and upwards :)