LEAVING SCHOOL

Every time I go to write a blog post, I seem to begin with the same words: “It has been a long time since I last wrote”. It has been almost 3 months, but I’ve been studying for exams, going to orchestra and I am now working at the Longborough Festival Opera. To say I have been busy is probably an understatement.

There has been a lot of uproar in the media recently regarding Michael Gove’s decision to remove all non-British texts from the GCSE syllabus. At my school, we studied Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestly, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and The Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare. From this list, ¾ of them are actually British writers, which begs the question, why is there a need to remove non-British authors? To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee was one of the books that sparked a large discussion on what these authors bring to the young generation. Having read it a few years ago, I didn’t quite understand the message that was coming across, but perhaps if I studied the book I’d have found it more interesting. Similarly with The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, I didn’t fully understand the book when I read it, well, I read up until he left the school.

Another author that has blown up recently is John Green. Ever since the announcement about his book The Fault in Our Stars, the world wants to read his books. Two of his books have had the rights bought to have the book adapted to a film: Looking for Alaska and Paper Towns. All of his books cast an interesting view on love, in The Fault in Our Stars; the two teenagers are so passionately in love with each other that as a reader I became lulled into a false sense of security. The book does have a twist but you’re almost expecting it from the build up portrayed. Similarly, the same happens in both Paper Towns and Looking for Alaska; as a reader you’re waiting for the climax because of the relationship the boy and the girl have with each other, it clearly wouldn’t ever last. Personally, I found the books quite predictable because in young adult novels, it is generally about love, and being in a relationship whilst you’re a teenager. On July 24^th I did go and see The Fault in Our Stars after re-reading it at the cinema and I was very surprised at how well they managed to adapt the book to become a film. Often I pick holes in the film, but in this I didn’t find many glaring ones – the most obvious was that Augustus’s ex-girlfriend was not mentioned, although it does add to the depth of the character, it wasn’t necessary in the overall plot of the film.

I must be honest, I wasn't terribly sentimental when leaving school. Work awaited me and I was more excited about earning some money than I was learning. Unfortunately whilst I've been at work there hasn't been a great deal of opportunity to read, and at the moment my friend has let me borrow his copy of The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams. I am around 3 chapters in and the book only gets stranger. Internally, I felt I had left school around 6 months ago, the feeling came gradually, but I felt increasingly ready to leave, that when the day came I wasn't sentimental, as I knew that something new and exciting was going to be around the corner. Many of the people that were also leaving as part of my year got a yearbook, cried and hugged everyone telling them that they were going to have to meet up in the summer. Me of all people know that the likelihood of the majority of my year speaking to each other in a years time is slim. But for me, I made a good few friends but I like change and school didn't bring a lot of that, so hopefully in the future things will be more varied.

Aside from the exams, I’ve begun working at an Opera Festival. I know it sounds rather odd and probably not something a typical 18 year old does, but then again, I’m no typical 18 year old... I sell books on Amazon to make money – I don’t know any other 18 year olds doing that for some pocket money. Anyway, so I begun on my first day and I was daunted by the size of the place, however it seemed that most of the other people working there as ‘General Help’ were similar to me (which essentially means they’re musical). I’ve really been enjoying the atmosphere of the festival, it’s not something you get all the time and what makes it fun, is when you take a shift behind the bar and you are able to see all the outfits and all the men in bow-ties. It’s hard work, but unfortunately you don’t get money for nothing nowadays. But for now, I’m enjoying it, and the festival finishes at the end of July so I’m only working through the end of June and July – it’s not much longer before I’m able to go on holiday! The productions Longborough are The Barber of Seville, Tosca and Rinaldo. All the performances are fabulous and the orchestra are very versatile – many of the players are in both. After watching some of the dress rehearsal for Barber, I really enjoyed the male parts, however I found it too much when the woman came on. Not sure I’d be able to watch an entire opera – perhaps one day.