Talk Science To Me

Us TY's went to Tallaght IT on Monday (11th November) for a fun Science talk.
We got a double-decker bus there and I sat at the back and we all got a sing-song going downstairs, much to the disappointment of the teachers who quickly developed headaches because of us.

The lecturer (with wonderful accent) showed us some really cool experiments like how the spring of air can be seen, and there was one where a column of fire was spun and it looked really pretty, it was like a big spiral thing. (I'm fantastic at describing things, I know)

Anyway, we had another talk in a lab before the main lecture, and it was about biology and stuff, but I found it kind of difficult to hear the speaker. The lab was really cool though. There were big tanks and pipes and machines everywhere. Half of the lab was for chemistry and then the other half was for biology, which I thought was quite interesting.

On the way home, we stopped in Liffey Valley for lunch and everybody rushed up to the food court for choice of restaurants.

I enjoyed the day, but I think that the lecturer's experiments were the best part.

Zumba? Zumba!

Zumba. That's what the TY's are up to. Zumba dancing. I have Zumba on Friday for PE, and I actually really like it.
Now, anybody who knows me knows that I like to dance. I mightn't be any good, but I'll still do it. So Zumba is like a really cool "class" for me to just dance in. Our instructor shows us the steps and we just copy - like a mirror.
At first I thought I would hate it, but I seriously love it and can't wait for Friday so I can do it again!
...Although, I hope our instructor plays some Cheryl Cole or Little Mix next time, cause they're my jam!

Friendly Communications from Spaceship Funwalk!

On Friday, 11th October, all of the students in St Wolstans participated in the annual Funwalk to mark the end of Friendship Week.
During Friendship Week, students are encouraged to make an extra effort to reach out to other students and to be kind to one another.
The Funwalk is an annual event that is looked forward to by almost all students, but mainly for the dances!
Our class, Tereshkova dressed up as Minions from Despicable Me, and our Tutor, Ms. McM, dressed up as Gru. We organised a dance to a mixed track of the Despicable Me Theme Song and Wannabe by the Spice Girls. I mixed the songs and burned it on to a disk for the prefects. We all danced as enthusiastically as we could with big grins on our faces.
We didn't win, but we all had a good time.

Sarah and I decided to take a nice stroll during the walking part of the day, and we were passed out by many other year groups, but we had a nice chat in the mean time.

When we got back, there were drinks for everyone. I had accidentally smudged loads of my face paint and the yellow tint made me look ill. I was grateful to receive some baby wipes from Ms F to help make me look normal for the journey home on the bus!

Minion Madness!

The funwalk was great, and I look forward to it next year!

A Meteorite is Heading Straight for The Basketball Hoop!

And I threw that meteorite! ...or basketball, should I say.
I've joined a sport! I've joined basketball! An applause has just been heard globally. That's right, Little Miss "I don't do sports" has taken a shine to basketball. I like it a lot and my friends are doing it too. I like the mixture of the different year groups and I enjoy playing it.
I'm honestly surprised that I'm enjoying a sport. Maybe this is a new activity for me. Maybe you'll see me in the paper some day. (Although I highly doubt it - with regard to playing sports anyway!)

I'll be going to training next week, that's for sure.
Bye for now!

I am a mna, NOT a fír! ...I think.

TY's visited the Pádraig Pearse Museum in Rathfarnham a few weeks ago.
We travelled there by bus and the rain poured down as we strolled up the beautiful autumnal avenue. We were split into groups and we were taken on separate tours. My group went on the tour of the house first. My favourite room was his study because it had a bust of William Shakespeare and a mask of Robert Emmet in it. It also had a telephone, and at the time, Pádraig Pearse's phone number was 8! I thought that was really interesting.
After break, we went on a nature walk. I didn't find that particularly interesting, but I enjoyed smelling the lavender!
Then we had lunch and that was my favourite part. The café that was there sold crepes and they were delicious. They put loads of maple syrup on it and heated it up and I would have got another one if I had the money. I also bought an ice pop and talked to other TYs.

I then found myself in some difficulty. The bathrooms were labelled in Irish, and I didn't know if I was a Fír or a Mná. I shouted up to some of the girls who were up on a hill, and they aided me in my dire situation.
All was well after that.

After lunch it was time to go home, and we were back on the bus after another short walk down the avenue.

That's all for now.

Rings Around Saturn...I mean Carlingford

On the 16th and 17th of September, TY's were packed up and driven to the Carlingford Adventure Centre in Co. Louth. Let me tell you, I have taken a strong disliking to hill walking and the rain.

So we left at 7am, and we drove up to Louth. The bus was filled with an unsettled mix of tiredness and excitement as the signs for Carlingford appeared on the edge of the road.
The first thing we did was get a health and safety talk in the centre. Then we got kitted out for the Laser Combat, which was without a doubt, the best part of the whole trip. I would have paid just to do that, and to stay overnight. (Because our accommodation was really lovely)
We did field activities in the second half of the first day, after a hot lunch. They were teamwork exercises and our leader was very cool. She enjoyed my attempt at a Scottish accent.
At this stage, I was ready to collapse with tiredness, but the day wasn't over yet. After dinner, there was a night walk, which I didn't enjoy. I dislike walking in general, but uphill, and in the dusk was not my cup of tea. My feet were sore and I was probably the most annoying person walking up that hill because all I did was complain. I don't like the dark, especially when I'm in unknown territory, so I couldn't help it.
The night walk consisted of a game in which we had to follow a rope around the forrest - blindfolded, I might add - and then games in the dark. The walk back down was uncomfortable for me, and there was an optional tunnel that I did not go through, because I felt I would literally collapse with fear.
The night, however was lightened up with a trip to the Chipper and a can of coke, so I suppose that shut me up!

On the second day, after a tiring morning of shuffling around our room and taking turns in the bathroom to change etc, we went back up to the field to do more activities. The rain lowered my mood, no doubt, and I soon found out that my so-called "waterproof jacket" wasn't so waterproof after all. We did archery, body zorbing and a dark maze. I liked the archery, despite my poor aim, and the body zorbing made me uncomfortable. I felt a bit trapped and I couldn't move my arms. I could see the rain droplets on the inside of my zorb and I just didn't like it very much. I didn't take part in the maze, for similar reasons to the outdoor tunnel. I don't like the dark and I don't like cramped spaces, but me and Sarah had a great time sitting on the floor trying to keep warm and listening to the struggles of the rest of them inside the maze.
I began to feel a bit sick as the rain worsened and although we got a mini bus back to the centre for lunch, I didn't have much of an appetite. I knew that kayaking was next, and I have done it before, so I actually wanted to do it, but for my own health and well being of my fellow group members, I didn't go out into the harbor. I was a bit disappointed, but a few other girls didn't go and we had great chats in the centre.

As home time approached, I was suddenly desperate to get back to my own warm bed, and the bus ride home couldn't have been longer. We arrived back at the Petrol Station and my mam was there to bring me home and to hear how I got on.

I think Carlingford was a great experience and a good opportunity to build new relationships with everyone.
I definitely would take it as a learning experience - I learned I hate the rain and I won't be going hill-walking anytime soon. But I also learned that new things can be good, like laser combat in the forest!


See you soon,
Jess.

Mini-Company in the Milkyway

On Thursday, the 19th of September, Ty's visited the Moat Theatre in Naas for a talk about Mini-Company. We were given tasks to try and develop marketing tactics, brainstorming methods and other things that Mini-Company involves like what type of things we can build a company around, what products sell well, what services are useful and how well innovative products can sell on the market.

We received workbooks to use during our Mini-Co classes too.

I'm looking forward to developing my Mini-Company in my group. We're currently trying to develop an innovative product, because they seem to sell the best.

See you soon!

Comet Castletown & Results

Yesterday, the 12th of September, TY History students were given the opportunity to go to Castletown House. We were told we had to walk there, but the weather was so bad that we ended up getting a bus, which was a huge relief. 
The tour consisted of the whole house with the restored rooms. I had taken the tour many times before, so I was joking with my friends while we were waiting and pretending to give a tour of the stables (with a few true facts I might add!) I said things like

"The 3 pillars to your right are made from Irish limestone, quarried here in the town. The cobblestoned ground is also limestone. We are currently standing in the West wing, and just up above is the dining room which we will see later on the tour. If you just follow me over here, you'll see an original stable that Tom Conolly would have kept his hunting horse in. If you have any questions just ask me at the end of the tour, thank you."

It was a good laugh. 

The day before on Wednesday, we received our Junior Cert Results. I did good and received all honours, which I am proud of. I didn't go "out" to celebrate. Instead I went to a friend's house for a party and had a fab time.

That's all for now.
On Monday, I'll be heading up to Carlingford for two days, and I'm not overly excited, but we'll see how it turns out.

Bye! 

Planet Positive!

This Wednesday, us TY's got the opportunity to have a workshop day. We had 3 different sessions with 3 different people. The first one we had was Positive Parties and that was really fun. We learned how to maintain a positive mental attitude and ways to get positive when there are days that we feel a bit down.
The second session was all about confidence building . It was good, but I preferred the Positive Parties!
The last session we had was a massage class and we learned how to give massages and all about our "oras" and our "energy". It was really relaxing! 
Next week we will be getting our JC results, and I'm a bit nervous, but I did my best in all of the exams.

But don't worry....


Be happy!

Talk soon!

Flying Through Classes

It's the 3rd day in TY and we've already done half of the subjects. My favourite subject last year was English, but we have yet to do that. I love French so far. We have had Home Ec, and we're designing outfits for Junk Kouture. I'm really enjoying TY, and I'm looking forward to music. I'm not nervous coming into school any more, because I know what to expect. The shock factor of being assigned projects has disappeared and I'm working on my Geography and Religion ones.

This week I am looking forward to the workshop on Wednesday and Music class. I have Technology later today, and I am wondering if it is going to differ much from Tech in 3rd year.

See you later!

Blast Off!

Hello there, and welcome. This is my TY blog where I can express and post my thoughts about TY and all that comes with it. We've all been assigned new classes. Our classes have been named after historical women. There's Tabei, Tereshkova, and Cornaro.
I am in class Tereshkova, and we are named after the first woman to go into space - Valentina Tereshkova.

Valentina Tereshkova

That's how I came up with my blog title and theme, like "Blast off in 3...2...1..." I like to think it's funny in some way, however, you can be the judge of that.
We've all just been settling in for the first few days, picking lunch rooms, learning about what each subject's curriculum has in store etc.
I'm anticipating the coming workshops on Wednesday, so we'll see how that goes.

Bye for now!