Summer 2008

Summer was very different this year. I went out more during the first couple of weeks of this summer holiday than I did in the entire summer holidays last year. Now that it’s the end of summer and I have just enrolled at Esher College, I think it’s time to reflect on some things, and in particular : this summer.

If I mentioned you in this blog entry, then I expect a comment from you!

From the 7th until the 11th of July, I went to Littlehampton with Laura, Julia, Tallulah, Ian, Bev, Luke, Saara and Hal. Phil randomly jumped on a train and arrived the next day. Littlehampton was probably the highlight of the summer for me. It was great to be with some of my friends for five days, free from adults. There wasn’t much to do in Littlehampton, but I got to know some of my friends a bit better. I think I learnt a lot from that trip. I changed my opinion on a few people such as Ian and Bev. Like many, I am too quick to judge and admittedly I was wrong.

“I fall asleep with my friends around me, only place I know I feel safe. I’m gonna call this home.” Jimmy Eat World - The World You Love

I went to Malta from the 7th until the 14th of August. That was pretty boring. A week after I got back home on the 21st of August, I received my GCSE results. I was a bit puzzled by how I did so well considering I put next to no effort in to them. I got 2 As, 6 Bs and 1 C. As the summer grew old, the college type parties began. The cider and vodka educed parties. Some truth came from people. It was new and refreshing.

Over the 87 day holiday, some interesting things happened :
• I spent a grand total of 12 nights away from home, staying up all night three times.
• I went to Pizza Hut twice, had two Chinese buffets from Finesse, 3 Subs from Subways, 1 Toasted Twister from KFC. One pizza from Domino’s and 2 other takeaway Pizzas.
• On the 19th of June, I fell in love with Manchester Orchestra.
• I bought 35 litres of cider (How ever unthankful the group are for this)
• I bought a new digital camera.
• I went on one ‘photo shoot’ with Sam.

It’s weird when I think about how I first became friends with the group and think how different life would have been without them. Without going on some random walk with Will and Matt in Bushy Park in September 2006, Just For Kicks wouldn’t have ever started. I wouldn’t have met Phil, so I wouldn’t have started going around with the rest of the group. It’s odd when I think about it like that.

“Next stop, an imaginary place. Laced in memories, I embrace. Those smiles, they give me faith in the whole damn human race.”

I have changed a lot over the past year, and I think it’s due to my friends. And it’s hard to think that half of them are going to a different colleges. But it’s a fresh start for me, and a fresh start for everyone else.

Richmond
Juliana - Your always there for me. There is always an element of truth to whatever you say. It’s cool.
Laura - It’s hard to know what to write about you. Our friendship is a bit weird at times. But your a great girl, and I wish you the best of luck at Richmond and beyond.
Tallulah - Apologies for being mean to you in Year 7 - I didn’t mean it! I was wrong about you too. I know you’ll do well at college and beyond.
Chelsea - We haven’t always seen eye to eye. And this was probably for the best, because we got A* in our documentary coursework because of it. But there is absolutely no hard feelings. All is good now.
Ian - You’re a good guy. I wish you the best of luck at Richmond.
Bev - As I mentioned earlier, I changed my opinion on you and Ian at Littlehampton. I was wrong about you. You’re a good person.
Luke - I scare you, but you deserve it most of the time.
Mel - Although not part of this so called ‘group’, we talk a lot on MSN - so things won’t really change much as college starts. Like Juliana, you talk truth. Which is good. And sometimes you’ve pointed out things that I should know, and things that I do know but just don’t want to admit. It’s good. I wish you the best of luck at Richmond.

Esher
Samuel - I’ve never had a bad word to say about Mr Baker! He’s great.
Phil - The Russian who can’t handle his drink.
Will - Crazy bastard.
Aran - I haven’t always got along with you very well. But I thank you for your alcohol fueled apology at Julia’s house.

David - Your just David. It’s great! He’s a genuinely nice guy. Good luck at Strodes. I aspire to play piano as well as you one day!

Last but not least - Julia, who isn’t going to Richmond or Esher. It’s different with Julia, because she left Teddington School before I even met her - so things won’t really change with her going to a different college. But either way, she is a close friend. She always has nice things to say, which can be very refreshing when other people can be idiots. We’ll stay in contact.

Also : Jake is very cool!

Summer has taught me that people can gain respect, and people can lose respect. And I respect all of my friends. Hopefully this isn’t goodbye, just a ’see you soon’ type of thing.