A Journey

18th Birthday Celebrations

Last night was my school presentation evening which in English terms is our take on an American High School graduation ceremony; we were lucky enough to have a Winter Olympic Games Medallist, Lizzie Arnold make a speech. During her speech, I couldn't help but think of my life as journey that I am part way through, which gave me the idea of writing this post. So I do apologise readers, if this becomes like a Kelly Brook or Katie Price autobiography but bear with.

Mummy and Evs!

Like anyone's life, we all have our fair share of ups and downs which make us, us. I have had mine like you have had yours. I'd say being born was an up because in 1996 a new sassy person was born into the world but like anyone, when we are born into this world we almost sign up for a life full of happiness, sadness and even regret, it’s a contract that ultimately is signed for us before we are born. My first encounter in life was battling pneumonia at the age of 3, I battled this twice in my life, I know I should've been immune to it the second time but perhaps the disease had to come back to fight against some toddler sass. This time I can’t remember much about because I was 3 but I do know from my family that it was distressing, it wasn't a near death experience but it was an experience which can be added to the list. Next stop on this roller-coaster was my speech, most people who know me can honestly say that Miss Chatterbox the children’s novel should've been based on my life, but when most children were developing their vocals I sadly wasn't and had a speech stammer. Stammers were brought to more attention, in the BAFTA winning show Educating Yorkshire and the Oscar winning film, The Kings Speech, sadly these media forms didn't star me neither were they based on my life. My Mum said this was a hard time for me as she could see that I desperately wanted to speak and get my words out, now however I feel that she regrets the sympathy as she can’t shut me up most times. As you're reading this, you are probably thinking what a sad beginning this girl had, it wasn't but as I said we sign our life contracts and this means that we deal with struggle but we are fighters and must fight to succeed. It’s like the Hunger Games but in the real world, the difference is, we’re not all Jennifer Lawrence and can finish filming and go back to collecting awards and tripping up red carpets. Nevertheless she has the same ups and downs as normal people.
So we now leave my early childhood, and depart the Primary era of my life and enter into Middle School, which some people are not familiar with, where I live, we had an odd system where you would complete Primary school but then from year 4 go to a different school to do years 5-8 and then leave for Secondary school afterwards. Strange I know but that's where I live. I have now in 2014, confessed that my time at Middle School wasn't all rainbows, smiles and laughs. In my first year at this school, I faced bullies which now I believe made me the sassy person I know as me, because the flaws they picked out on me, I can make fun of and actually entertain people with now, flaws such as my glasses and height. So for the girls that called me Ugly Betty, have you seen yourselves now? The groups that called me midget and dwarf look who’s now an oaf. The final frontier at Middle School was in year 8, which I loathed so much, I spent so much time at home or in a hospital bed being tested for God knows what, when actually it was just anxiety and stress, in that year I cried so much that my tears could've saved the African droughts that year. A time where I thought the world was against me.

One thing that has lived with me for in donkeys years (Nana term) is when in this year I was told that I would struggle in later education and have trouble getting more than D's and E's in my GCSES and ALEVELS well as we'll find out later, I have proved them wrong. Year 8 was hard but thankfully I had a group of teachers and family who supported me every step of those challenging years. When I left Middle School, I was determined that I would leave that behind that person, I would trade in my Ugly betty style glasses, my naïve attitude and negative attitude and in the 6 weeks summer transform into what I am now; a sassy individual! I got contact lenses, a new mind-set and even tried wearing make-up which was a new step, but this make-up step never went to the extreme that I looked like a clown. When I moved to Secondary school, I knew or was bullied, soO I applied for Head Girl, and after a year and a half as Deputy Head girl I moved up to Head Girl, being responsible for organising the prefects into jobs at parents evenings, talking to senior governors and heads. I loved this role, which made me see myself wanting to do PR which I still aim to do now. I was also determined that I wasn't going to leave Secondary School with the grades that Middle School had predicted me with as a result of  CAT tests which if you ask me are a waste of time as they do not test know the individuals true capabilities, so I worked my booty off and walked away from a school in special measures with 4A*, 6As, 1B and 2Cs, which now I can say that I worked hard for.

Next step was A-level which readers will know as being my pet hate for the past 2 years, but they went well despite not getting my first choice University, but at the end of the day I can prove all my doubters at Middle School wrong, I can say that I have a place at a good University studying English + American Literature.

I started this post, by saying that I was inspired by Lizzie Arnold to think about the journey and the achievements or negatives which have made me a stronger and sassy person which to be honest. I know I am only 18, but in those years I have overcome many obstacles and hope to overcome many more as I embark on a new chapter and hopefully still proving the bullies and also the doubters that Evs is bigger than what you predicted her!

Before ending, I would like to say thank you to my English teacher Miss Mulligan for giving me a book for beginning University in 2 weeks time! Thank you!



Toddler Evs!