I kid, they've hardly been a strain. In fact, rather laid back. That's been the attitude across the board really, especially for people like myself who know they have a guaranteed place at university regardless of results.
Studying has been minimal and that goes for my first exam which was Photography. It didn't even take place during study leave but it was an exam nonetheless. Fairly easy as well. Just write 100 words about my project and that was it.
Music listening was the first exam to take place over study leave. I've never been brilliant at that side of the course and I didn't think it went that well at the time but some teachers went over most of the answers after and, from memory, I seemed to do about average.
24 or 25 out of 40 I'd say.
It isn't a great mark but combine it with the two practical exams the following week and I'm predicting an A.
Bass went really well. My programme was all Beatles pieces that I already knew and submitted to the exam board for approval way back in August.
I played Lovely Rita all the through with one or two minor mistakes and the rest were sampled: Dear Prudence, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band/With a Little Help From My Friends and A Day in the Life.
So that all went well.
I'm not so great on guitar and I think it showed. As it was my secondary instrument, I only had to play two pieces, again pieces I submitted in August. Knights of Cyondia by Muse and Hysteria also by Muse.
The problem was that he sampled both of them and none of the songs really allow me to do anything special until the latter half which the examiner never got to see. I even brought in my new octave pedal for the solos in each song but we never reached them. I think my mark could have bumped up a little if I had played them in full but alas...
My final exam was Italian and it's the one I definitely had to study for the most, but didn't really.
I don't think anyone in the class did and I think what we already knew from the course got us through. It's hilarious how little we knew, though, at this stage compared to the amount we knew for French and Spanish last year.
Despite that, Paper 1 (Reading) was fairly easy but Paper 2 (listening and short essay) was really challenging. I'd take a B but I still want an A, and after my prelim score I might just scrape it.
Also, the last few days of school were eventful. Last ever music class was emotional. I don't know if I said anywhere but I arranged for the whole class to chip in and get our teacher a good bottle of whiskey.
My dad found a good bottle for £35 that would normally have cost £60 and our teacher was delighted. I can't express my respect for the man. Of the 6 years I've studied music, he's been my teacher for 4 and this was the least I could do for him.
I also got the music staff two big boxes of chocolates. Again, the least I could do for all their generosity and kindness throughout my time at the school. The staff are all so lovely; genuinely amazing people.
Aw, I'm getting all nostalgic typing this.
Unfortunately, we didn't have music on the last day. Our last class was on the penultimate day and we played, as a class for the last ever time :(
We played Walk of Life by Dire Straits and lastly, and most fittingly, With a Little Help From My Friends.
We'd been out of practise for ages so it didn't sound great and my bass was playing up but it was still wonderful. Then we got a lovely class picture which we'll eventually frame. I didn't cry though, surprisingly :P I thought I was going to but I held it in.
We would have had a double period on the final day if it weren't for Leavers Day - a big, nonsense celebration with shirt signings and a mass plonked in the middle - though I have to say I did enjoy the shirt signing. It's good looking at all the names on there.
I'd also like to announce that I've finally accepted my course for Film and Television at university (after waiting to do so for over 2 months) so there's what I'll be up to for the next 4 years provided that the course turns out to be the right choice. I'd certainly hope so or else I'll be a bit stuck.
That's just about all I've really got to say for now. I know it's been over a month since my last post and I'm not even going to begin to insult anyone with excuses, I simply haven't been in the mood for posting...
Still, I hope all is good and I hope the weather's also good because it really has been scorching here for the past few days! Though it's Britain, we're due some sun.
Rowan <3
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School's out... forever.
