If anything, the downward spiral thing could aaaaaaalmost be called personification, but don't push it with that.

Also, with the statistics thing, yes, I am being 100% serious, but I'm not sure if you linking to an outside source is really...relevant. If you're meant to talk about the website and all things related to it, wahey, you're all good, but I can't remember if you actually have statistics in the main blurb itself on the front page. The link on the side isn't enough, because you're linking to a source and talking about a source that isn't yours. That's called plagiarism

And yeah, you'd get both endorsed that way. Good fuckin' luck getting an endorsement at Level 2 with Excellence, the only real way to do that (if you're not a super genius with no life) is to have done a Level 2 subject in Year 11. Even then, my friend did that and still fell short of getting the endorsement...

Hi Alice! sorry for the late reply, I've been really busy with school stuff and work and all...

Dependant on how I get around Europe is whether or not I get the train pass, but it's likely (seeing I know very well there is train routes between all the places I want to go). Sure, train ain't my ideal way of travelling, but I'm very lucky that I have places where I can keep some of my luggage, as opposed to dragging 30kg+ of stuff all around Europe seeing my Europe leg of the trip will probably be ~3/4 weeks anyway, I'll probably look into getting one of those ones that is pre-planned (seeing I'm a planner, and there's no way I'll be variating my trip, I feel ).

I can't 100% rely on my UK accommodation (seeing I don't really want to burden them with me for that long), but I know that if shit really turned to shit, I have family friends over there and one of my teachers is moving back over there this year too.

I am just worried about the hostels because I know I'm doing my tour at a 'quiet' time, seeing it'll be September/October-ish when everyone starts back up at colleges and all in Europe, so I'm worried I won't meet that many people I'm also a very shy person with new people (although, oddly enough, the forum has helped me a lot with new people), so I just worry I'll make a dick of myself, but that's the least of my worries

Going back to money anyway, I got some good news last night... I did really well at school this year (I got top academic student of my school) so my parents said they'd save up and help me out with my trip but yeah, with things like food and all, I know that restaurants here can rip you a new one, and I will be going to restaurants here and there just because I can I ain't travelling half the world to eat stuff I'd eat here!

All I'm really concerned about is money - seeing I do want to have fun but be cheap at the same time, there's some sacrifices I know I'll have to make, like, I want to do a UK roadtrip too with my friend, but of course I don't have money just lying around to do so. That's looking at about £400+, and then I want to go to Leeds Fest with my friend (another £250 or so), and little things like that really add up. I know I don't need the Leeds Fest thing, but I do want to go to some kind of concert while I'm over there to experience a UK/Europe crowd.

I can find out later on this month how much my flights will cost around, but I know I can get them cheaper about April/May next year. Here's hoping I get $NZ2500-ish flights, then flights + insurance would only be $3000, which gives me a little more money

Another note is that I'm very, very lucky to have two aunties who are well travelled, because I can ask them about sights and all that I need to see. One of them backpacked all around Europe, similar to what I'm doing, so she'll know how to lash out but still be el cheapo like I want to be

Ah yeah, I saw you're having a few problems and all I've been there and all, so if you ever need a helping hand, my PM box is always open

I'm good, thanks, I've been a little busy lately (hence the late reply), and yourself, kind sir? Are you feeling better? ?

Statistics are a verbal feature

And no, that's not a metaphor

Ah yeah, I got a Level 1 Excellence endorsement with my Level 2 credits falling back I think officially at the moment, I have something like 85 Level 1 Exc credits they count for both endorsements, by the way...

*sigh* you want me to do it for you, don't you? STOP HINTING, JUST ASK. (you're probably not even hinting it, but that's not the point !).

I was very proud of my mock results

If you've had a goal, go nuts, but honestly, I just am saying all this stuff because I don't want you to be really cut up when you get your results I'm not saying that there's no way you'll get it, but I don't want you to get your hopes up that it's very likely...

You did, I think

They always say the mocks are harder than the real thing. If the mocks just went were the real thing, I would've got 7 E credits (which is good for Level 3) and 24 M credits. That means I would've gotten 29 E credits and 42 M credits this year, which is ridiculous

But yeah, don't think just because you did well in the mocks that you'll do well in the real things. I did well in my Year 11 mocks from memory, and I got 8 E credits and 7 M credits in the real things. *shrugs* I just don't want you to keep hoping you'll get it, aspire for the Merit endorsement, then if you don't get the E endor, you won't be so gutted

Yeah, be safe. Rather than get the disappointing 'if you had put in a verbal feature, you would've got excellence'

The whole thing = the comment

It's bloody easy to get internals at E, though

Seriously, don't think you'll get that many Excellences in the exams, Jonnie. I got 8 E credits in my Year 11 exams. They always throw you off with a new marking system, or a new aspect that your teacher 'forgot' to mention, so on, so forth. I'm not saying you can't, but getting all of your eco exams at excellence is a little unrealistic as is accounting. I thought I could get straight Excellences in geography because I had gotten all E's throughout the year in geo - I got three A's. Basically, what I'm saying is, don't get your hopes up and rely on the exams - it's the last thing you should do.

Well, like I said, I don't know if you need a verbal feature. If not, don't worry about putting one in

ololol, your comment is so all over the place.

I've only ever once got Excellence in unfamiliar texts, and that was this year and before this year, I barely scraped Merits 3 of the 6 times I sat the paper

And again, you're all about the marks it's 50 Excellence credits you need, and I'm glad you're aspiring to get it, but you are stressing yourself shitless about it. I know this probably isn't the right time to say it, but trust me - markers for the NCEA exams are harsh. If you don't have at least 35-40 Excellence credits going into the exams, it's very unlikely you'll get an E endorsement. I only got Merit endorsed, and I went into the exams with 37 E credits, I think. If you've got any less than 25, unfortunately, the chances are extremely slim. So, if you're around the 30 credits mark, screw the economics thing, do some study oh, by the way, you have until about mid-December to hand in internals if you want them on your Record of Achievement.

If you're really this fussed on getting the endorsement, focus on the papers in subjects you're good in that yield a lot of credits, like, I have papers that give me 6 credits this year - I'm naturally going to focus on them

And for your write-up, I'm just thinking what I'd put in there I'm two years older than you and have done L3 English though, so of course what I'd say to put in is a bit more advanced

Yes, I apologise what I write is a bit jumbled, I cbf proofreading

Sounds like your teacher is marking you at a Level 2/3 equivalent don't worry about that, you've just got a harsh marker. You can't talk about how long you've spent on the website, sorry

And as for the eco prize, I really do doubt they'd give you a prize and not tell you about getting number ones, otherwise, yes, you'd look like an idiot. So, go to the prizegiving if you want, I say, but don't expect anything...

And as for the write-up:

Also, Jonnie, this is something I've always wanted to say to you, because sometimes you freak out a bit much about marks and all:

/long

p.s. me writing long comment ≠ you having to give long reply

Apologies for being late, I had work

You have spent a hell of a lot of time on it, I know that I think you've done as much as you can do, and you probably will get Excellence. To be honest, you've done a fuckload of work for Level 1 English, I got a Merit from spending 20 minutes drawing a poster and I would've got Excellence if I had made my background a little lighter, that's all

And did you get any placings?

I'll read over the thing now, hold on a moment...

I can help now, I'm back home but it's probably a little late for you

Inorite? I totes got 4 1sts, a 2nd and a 3rd

Tomorrow.

I totes got Dux at prizegiving

Particularly this one photo - http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs347.ash2/62698_1609606397087_1144021476_1707814_8146899_n.jpg

I do indeed, but I'm not doing anything

I can't sleep because I'm thinking, and when I think, it's never good if you want, I can MSN for now...

It seriously looks like you've lost a crapload of weight in your fb photos

Cannot sleep

Goodnight, you lose.

I'm going to bed now, but just before I do, I want to point out - shit, woman, you've lost some weight

What do I have to do?

You've got 3 minutes to reply. If you haven't replied with what I have to do in that time, I'm going to bed.

Oh, I see. I'm just another person.

I wondered why it didn't make sense my iPod's predictive text is horrid and why did you get kicked out?!

Nothing, I was just being difficult on purpose... GIVE A BETTER REACTION NEXT TIME.

It's fine, albeit a little distorted, but that's not a problem

With linking to stuff, I guess it just depends what you want the content to be - like, you could link to shit like news articles, interviews, statistics etc about African gangs? I dunno, I am terrible at offering ideas

?

Again, I still don't actually know what you're meant to do

You've been quiet as of late