Tag: test prep

Blog Frenzy – Day 24

Meg Dowell1 Comment

Well, it’s Saturday. And we all know what that means. That’s right: rain, five chapters of biology, and finally getting to these last scholarship essays. The way this one works is, you fill out the application online, paste your essays into the boxes, and submit it. Then they send you via e-mail all the things you’re supposed to send via snail mail, postmarked by the thirtieth. I can do this, right? I really hope so.

The next three weeks are going to be extremely busy, because I now have to start ultra-cramming for my first AP test on the 6th. That should be fun, right? I’m really going to have to push myself to get all this other stuff done, like writing my last speech, getting an A on my last math test, and studying for finals. And then comes all the fun stuff, like all the solos I’m going to have to sing, the Red & White concert (super fun, except I’m not even in it), and of course, graduation. But that’s not really fun. That’s just necessary.

But all this means that summer is almost here. I’m seriously in denial. I haven’t decided if I’m going to write two novels or read 25 books before I move into my (gasp) dorm. I could do both, but that would kind of be an overload. Sometimes I like reading more than I like writing. Sometimes I like writing more than I like reading. It all depends on how much I’m willing to make my brain work.

I’m still working on that list of books I want to read before I die. I should make it another list of 100, just to make you happy. There are so many good books I haven’t read, like all that old-fashioned literature that most people wouldn’t even think about reading for fun. I’m just that kind of nerd, I guess. But hey. If it wasn’t for my AP lit class, I never would have realized how funny Pride and Prejudice actually is. Especially the chapter when Mr. Collins proposes to Elizabeth. I had to write an analysis about that one, and it was probably the worst paper ever. But that’s all behind us now, isn’t it?

I should really start on those essays, before I get distracted by YouTube again. Seriously, I think that web site just needs to die. I hate it.

Love&hugs, Meg♥

Blog Frenzy – Day 20

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The funny thing about going back to your high school after you’ve “graduated” is how much more attention you get when you’re walking down the hallways than you did when you were actually going to school there. I got stopped by a security guard, two old choirmates, two teachers, and my guidance counselor—who just wanted to say “hey.” Well, thanks for the attention, but I’m on a mission. Let’s go back and time and do this when my mom isn’t waiting in the parking lot. How about three years ago? That would work just fine.

I did, however, get my giant scholarship packet turned in, as well as the letter of recommendation I need for this next scholarship due April 30th. I didn’t get as much done on them as I wanted to yesterday, so I’m either going to have to finish them today (during the time I blocked out for them in my wonderful schedule of schedule-ness) or wait until after my biology test is over. Because I shouldn’t even be doing this right now. I should be studying for my biology test. Yikes, I’m behind!

This is the main reason why I shouldn’t have focused so much of my attention on my novel the past five weeks. Don’t get me wrong: I’m glad I wrote it. It’s a decent story, one I would have driven myself crazy with if I didn’t get everything written down so fast. But I’m so behind on my schoolwork now that I’m going to be spending the next three days with my phone off, and most likely my computer too—after I’m done sharing my depressing life story with you—just so I can get the A I need on this test. I didn’t do as well on my comm quiz yesterday as I would have liked (7 out of 9 converrted to 25 points? Good luck with that). So I really need to buckle down these next four weeks.

In addition to my AP tests, which I’m going to fail if I don’t go by the $25 prep book I need. Even though I would love for my mother to pay for it, since she’s the one who’s making me take them. But no. I’m supposed to use my $20 Border’s card instead, and she’ll chip in the last $5. Wonderful. I guess Pendragon is going to have to wait.

I’m on a slightly-not-as-tight-as-yesterday-but-still-excessively-structured schedule from now until I go to sleep (at 10:30) so I’ll talk to you guys tomorrow, after I’ve completely lost my mind. Unless that’s already happened. Then I’d appreciate it if you would let me know ASAP. Maybe they’ll give me a scholarship for that.

Love&hugs, Meg♥

Blog Frenzy – Day 14

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67,369.

Seriously, guys, this book is almost becoming a problem. So I’m either going to have to finish it really soon or put it on hold, because things are kind of getting crazy, and I’m pretty much just shoving everything else aside just so I have time to write. That is not what you should do, ever. But right now, I really don’t care.

I was so preoccupied with my NHS hours yesterday that I didn’t even remember to mention Glee! I didn’t know the episode was coming on last night until about a few hours before (good thing I’m a Facebook fan, right?). But I was pretty satisfied. I mean, nothing really changed—it was the same old Glee. The same amount of drama, with a few new characters and relationships. I was just mad that it ended so fast. I mean, come on.

Today includes a communications class I didn’t prep for, voice lessons I’ve had two weeks to prep for but haven’t started yet, and yet another visit back to high school (the third day in a row). Hopefully today I’ll be able to finally straighten out this whole issue with my hours. He also asked me if I wanted to do the invitations. Why not? It’s better than writing scholarship essays, and studying for AP tests. Etc, etc.

I also got my polo, which I’m going to wear today just for fun. Woot.

My goal for today is 70,500 words. That’s about how many words were in my last novel, the one I did for National Novel Writing Month. But this book isn’t really even that close to being over. I mean, it’s close, but it’s not going to be over in 3,000 more words. Or eight more pages. Like I mentioned before, I just finished a chapter that I kind of just added in on a whim. It’s supposed to serve a purpose, but I didn’t do a very good job of it. Maybe I’ll make it go full circle later.

I really have to go. Five thousand things to do and only time for about seven.

Love&hugs, Meg♥

P.S. Happy birthday, Meagan & Jess!

Blog Frenzy – Day 7

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I completely failed at accomplishing anything yesterday.

I guess I just got distracted. Not really from studying for math, since I’m petty sure (and hoping) I scored a B on that test. I knew what I was doing, for the most part. Except for some of the stuff on the last page. I knew I should have studied that section a little more. Oh well. I’m close enough to an A, and scored a 24.5/25 on that quiz I was working on about a week or so ago. Almost perfect. Sad day.

It’s raining. That would have been a nice thing to wake up to. Except it wasn’t the rain that woke me up. It was my ten-year-old brother stomping around the house at seven o’clock in the morning, whining about getting in trouble yesterday (holding a grudge, I see). There are rumors that his X-box is going into temporary hibernation. I can neither confirm nor deny that this is true. I’m hoping that it is. Not because I think he deserves it. I just hate that thing.

I think every kid goes through that kind of stage. I remember getting grounded a ton when I was a little older than he was, for all the usual things: talking back, stomping around, slamming doors. Yes, I had an attitude. I know, you’re shocked. I’m sure you would also be very shocked to learn that junior high tried to destroy me, and I tried to tell myself that for some reason trying out for cheerleading meant I was the most awesome person in the entire seventh grade. I was a brat. I was pretty much mean to everybody. Eighth grade was worse, since I found myself caught in a rivalry with about half of my classmates for no apparent reason. I never made cheerleading, by the way. I eventually got tired of rolling my eyes at people I hated. The end.

 Maybe that’s where the desire to write this book came from. Maybe I still had a little mean-ness left in me. It was bound to come out sooner or later, one way or another. I could make Melanie Bowman a whole lot meaner. But I’m not sure if I’m willing to dig that deep. I mean, the definition of mean to you and the definition of mean to a thirteeen-year-old could potentially be two completely different things. By their standards, I was mean. It’s a good thing none of my teachers from high school knew me then. I’d probably have an extremely difficult time finding people to write letters of recommendation for me.

I can’t even tell you how excited I am for summer. I know I tend to babble on about this more than anyone would like to hear, but you have to understand something. Underneath all that mean was a very determined little monster. I haven’t had a free summer since I was going into the sixth grade (a very interesting summer, since…well, maybe we’ll get to that another time). The year after that, it was Panther Choir camp. The year after that, it was Panther Choir camp and ISYM. After that, it was prep classes for freshman year—some math, some English; etc, etc. Between freshman and sophomore year, I took World History. The next year was U.S. History. And, as you may or may not recall, last summer was Economics. That’s what it takes to graduate early, guys. The loss of many summers.

But I’ve convinced my parents that I deserve a summer off before I start at ONU. So I’m planning three months of sunshine, writing, books, beach, and no more terrifying pale thighs. You’re welcome.

Love&hugs, Meg♥

Blog Frenzy – Day 6

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I sort of just woke up. Which is a problem, since I have a math test today, as well as a goal to write five thousand more words before my glorious second day off tomorrow. I also should probably try cleaning my room. That is, if it doesn’t eat me first.

I don’t even have the time or energy to be excited about Will Grayson, Will Grayson. The whole way it’s set up just sounds interesting to me. But I highly doubt that I’ll be going to Border’s today, since my mom is working and my brother is back in school and all that. I guess I should just get used to going to bookstores alone, since I’m probably going to go book hunting virtually every chance I get once I’m away from home.

I really don’t have time to be writing this much.

I didn’t even end up watching Veggie Tales yesterday. I watched really old video tapes of me at birthdays and Easter and Christmas instead. Yeah, I guess I really just didn’t feel like doing anything productive until about eight o’clock, when I finally got to 50,000 words. That’s a huge relief. I don’t want to stop writing anytime soon (not until the novel is done), but at least I can say I won an imaginary Mar/ApNoWriMo. March 9 – April 5. That’s pretty good. I’m probably not going to get all A’s…but pretty good.

Actually, the fact that I’m going to fail at that 4.0 is most likely due to Hulu. So I’m just going to go take a shower and prepare myself for a long stretch of math, and hope I don’t explode in the process (of doing math, not the shower part). Though exploding in the shower would be a lot less messy than exploding at my desk, I really don’t feel like exploding today. Maybe after graduation, so I can at least say I accomplished something meaningful on that List.

I really should go now.

Love&hugs, Meg♥

Blog Frenzy – Pre-post

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In honor of Script Frenzy (which I will not be participating in, due to the fact that I barely have time for anything without the addition of writing a screenplay), I have decided to participate in a challenge of my own over the course of April, called Blog Frenzy.

It’s not that exciting, I promise. I’m just giving myself a reason to blog every single day for an entire month. Which is going to be difficult, since I’m currently not getting all A’s like I kinda/sorta need to be. I’m also 35,000 words into a novel, filling out scholarships (Satan’s idea, I swear), and slowly but truly getting ready for my two AP English tests in May. Did I mention I’m also turning in two honor societies’ worth of hours this month, and celebrating Easter and a birthday, and doing five million otherr things I don’t even have time to list?

The fun of challenges like NaNoWriMo, Script Frenzy, and the completely non-existant everywhere but my mind Blog Frenzy is that you have to learn how to balance everything. You have to learn how to balance grades and writing and all the other fun stuff that comes along with living. Which is why I’m doing this. I need some sort of motivation to do SOMETHING. And really, the more I have to do, the more I end up getting done. See how that works?

Today I have to jump through hoops to survive comm and voice lessons (which I still haven’t practiced for—fantastic), finish Chapter 17 (working on it), pick out which outfit I’m going to wear on Sunday, start packing, fill out more scholarships, try to set up a meeting with my NHS sponsor even though he’s on break, clean my room (again) and figure out how to motivate myself. So let’s do this!

See y’all in April. And, I promise: this is no joke.

Love&hugs, Meg♥

Melting

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I’m so tired. I haven’t been sleeping very wel lately. I keep thinking about my novel, and how addicted to it I am. I’ve written almost 26,000 words in a week and a day. I also have a biology test tomorrow, and you know by now how that goes. I have no time to be writing this. I don’t even know what I’m doing. Honestly, I have pictures of bacteria floating around in my head.

I wrote about five thousand words yesterday. That’s way too many, for all the things I have to do. Oh well. It’ll pay off in the long run, at least that’s what I’ve been telling myself since last week.

Spring break. Almost here. Need. Break. Muffins?

Love&hugs, Meg♥

ABC Family & Novelage

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Last night’s Secret Life episode blew my mind. Honestly, I didn’t even see that coming. And it raises a ton of questions. I mean, if it’s not just a pregnancy scare, what the heck is Adrian going to do? And Ben? And what about her parents? I’m not sure how well her dad’s going to take that. But maybe this’ll give she and Amy a chance to actually be actual friends. Maybe she’ll finally get over Ricky. Speaking of which, I’m so glad he got his way. Amy was getting on my nerves about wanting John for herself. Also, if she IS pregnant, that should make Madison and Laurren think twice about their post-wedding plans. We hope.

My speech is finally over, and that’s all I’m really going to say about it. I didn’t go well; I was really shaken up and forgot a few citations. And it might have been slightly under the time limit. That’s what I get for having a temporary obsession with Make It or Break It, since I spent all of Saturday watching season 1 on Hulu. Kind of pathetic, right? Yeah. Completely.

So the only thing left before break, the last hurdle to jump over, is my Unit III biology test. I still have so much to do to prepare for it. I also have some math to catch up on, so I can get away with working on my novel while we go over example problems. Speaking of my novel, it’s really taking off. I’m glad that I was brave enough to hold off on the story that wasn’t working and let this one come out. I really like it.

Melanie was the antagonist in the last book, my 2009 NaNoWriMo novel. She was the mean-spirited, blonde, beauty-queen cheerleader that the main character (Anna) couldn’t stand. Really, it wasn’t because she couldn’t stand her, but because she couldn’t understand her. No one could, really. The book ended with her completely setting out to destroy (and succeeding in destroying) Jenny’s social life. At the start of this new book, one I have yet to title, Melanie is the new leader of the pack.

The story is told from her eyes, seeing the world through her conflicted viewpoints. She wants to follow the rules and continue to oversee her clique, but she also wants very desperately to pull away from it. The problem is, she doesn’t exactly know how to. She’s so stuck in her ways, so set on the rules that were drilled into her head as a freshman, that she can’t. She’s stuck in her place. Isn’t that what she wants?

Everyone has a backstory: even the mean ones. Even Melanie.

17,200 words in less than a week. Fun times.

Love&hugs, Meg♥

Mid-Semester Blues

Meg Dowell1 Comment

After watching this video (courtesy of this lovely lady) I’ve realized that the various ways in which I spend my time are pretty pathetic.

I go to church once a week for ninety minutes. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, but it’s usually the only time I get out of the house all weekend. When I’m not in class, I’m either blogging (you’re welcome), keeping up/getting ahead on schoolwork, studying for upcoming tests, or reading/writing in my journal. I don’t have time to go out with friends anymore. Since I have to keep a good GPA, honestly, I don’t really have a choice.

Hurry up, summer!

Love&hugs, Meg♥