Things Can Only Get Better

 

The Half Term holiday seemed to go really quickly.  No sooner had it started, the holiday was over.

 

 

Mum and Dad spent the weekend in Bath, England doing some Christmas shopping.  I wasn’t allowed to go because what Santa brings is meant to be a surprise, so I stayed with my grandmother.  But I would have liked to have visited the Jane Austen Centre.  Mum drove past it.  She said it looked really magnificent.

 

 

I started back to school on Monday.  I had not been given much homework to do prior to the week’s holiday, but now it’s slowly piling up.  I’m glad I’m getting more work to do because it keeps me occupied during the free periods in school.  I know I should be grateful for the free time, but I’m just used to having something to do.

 

 

I got my first English Literature essay back yesterday.  I had to read “The Other Side” by Seamus Heaney, then write about the impression he gives of his hometown Northern Ireland.  I got a Grade E, which by my standards is bad. 

 

 

Mr. Mealing explained that I was not “getting to grips with the poem at all”.  Its structure didn’t flow, and I had “relied on omniscient points” to guide me through the essay.  I was slightly shocked by the grade as I was used to getting A or B grades at GCSE level.  But it is a big step moving from GCSE to Advanced Level.

 

 

Today I had another English essay back, this time from Mrs. Francis.  I had to write about the characters and situations going on in Chapter 2 of “Emma” by Jane Austen.  This time I achieved a D grade.

 

 

Mrs. Francis said I had a good understanding of the novel.  I made a point, gave a quote as evidence, and explained its effect.  But I had not explained it enough.  So now I know what my faults are, I will try to improve in the next essay I write.  I’m aiming for that C!

 

 

As Shania sings “Things can only go UP from here!”