First Day Back

This is the first official day back at college. Not a particularly eventful day, but interesting all the same. TOday we worked out which classes we'll be taking over the year.

In order to gain the HND qualification, 30 units must be gained over the two year period. Because I did the Portfolio Preperation class last year, I have start with one more credit than other members of the class. This morning I thought this was great as it meant that if I failed one unit I would still gain the qualification, this, it transpired, is not the case. 30 units is the maximum. Taking classes which result in me having more than 30 credits will be charged. I have therefore had to abandon two of the classes I had intended to take. Au revoir to French and Work placement. I'm going to have a look at the ILA website and see if I would receive funding to do a nightclass.

The idea of studion fees was introduced today to cover the costs of paper, card, calico, etc. I think this is entirely fair, not least to cut down on the amount of waste. People are less likely to waste materials when they are having to pay for them. A figure hasn't been disclosed yet but it will be payable on a monthly basis so should be more affordable.

Anne told us that the college will be involved in the fashion show for the Butterfly Cancer Trust at the Racecourse on 25th October.

After a short break Dianne came to speak to us about guidance, looks like we're actually going to get it this year. We had to write down our plans for the future in particular what we plan to do once we finish the course. I possibly wrote more than what was required, or my life story as Laura so nicely put it. I just explained that I would like to go to University, however, the distance and the cost would be a massive issue.

Millinery

The millinery class was good, well, for the people who were actually any good at it. We were given samples of the various millinery materials that we'll be using and Maggie explained what they are all for. We were then given two colours of calico which we had to cut into an eight centimetre wide strip. This piece was then folded in half lengthways and then folded into the fold. We then ironed the strip which sealed it to a 2cm wide strip. We then twisted half of one of the strips around a piece of dowling and steamed it. This gave us a sinamay spiral. After this we were all given the chance to play around with the strips to see what shapes we could make. Laura made a lovely shape but mine just didn't seem to happen. Ah well maybe next week.

Tomorrow we have events management and pattern cutting. I can see events management being, well, eventful. I'll keep you posted.

Induction Day

What a day. It started in chaos and led on from there. I got to college a couple of minutes late to find all the students making their way back down to the ground floor. No stairs to climb for me then, result. We then hung around the corridor for about ten minutes until we were given sticky notes in different colours and told to get into groups of 1 of each colour. I was blue. I think we ended up with 1 blue, 1 pink and 2 greens, but hey who’s counting right.

Task One

The day kicked off with a project runway kinda task. We were split into groups of four and given 3 rolls of toilet paper and five napkins. We were instructed to make a dress from these items.

We decided to make the skirt from a number of strips of toilet paper. After three layers tucked into the waist band, the skirt was looking pretty good. We then decided that a one shouldered number would be on trend and fabulous. We hung some left over strips of toilet paper then wrapped toilet paper around the torso as a bodice. At this point the dress already looked great, but needed some colour accents. I French pleated into a belt and attached it around the waist. Emily then wrapped a napkin around a headband to which I attached a large rose made from tissue. The look was finished and it looked great.

Task Two

After the tissue dresses were displayed on a makeshift catwalk in the drama department we were placed in new groups. Each group was then given a questionnaire and told to go for a break. The questions were all related to the college and the campus. What is the name of the Principal? Where is the cash Machine? Etc. We were able to answer most of the questions whilst we were sitting having a coffee. I have to say though I was surprised at the amount of people who didn’t know the name of the Principal.


Funniest moment of this task for me had to be when I Laura asked what the new building is called (which was one of the questions) we told her it was IT Business and Design Centre. She looked surprise so we asked what she had written. “New Building”. Classic answer, almost wish we hadn’t told her the right one.

Anyway we managed to get back first and thought we were sure fire to win. Not so lucky. We had one question wrong. Apparently there are only 3 stairwells in the new building.

The Egg Task

Totally the funniest idea ever for a team building exercise. So, we get 1 raw egg, 1 balloon, 4 drinking straws, 1 A3 piece of paper, a pair of scissors, 1 metre of string and 60 centimetres of sellotape. We have half an hour to figure out a way of launching the egg from a second floor window without it smashing when it hits the ground. I never did find out what the right way of doing it was, but I think we had the right idea, just badly executed. ( A bit like the egg). Needless to say, our egg didn’t survive to tell the tale.

Some of the interpretations were pretty interesting; my favourite was the group who tried to get the egg into the balloon. The egg never made it as far as the launch. Another was a parachute made with the paper; this was genius however the laws of gravity don’t allow such a rigid material to be used to parachuting. We attached the straws to the side of the egg then rolled the paper round it like a Christmas cracker. Then we tied the string to both ends of the cracker and to the blown up balloon. This should have worked, we just didn’t so the straws right. Never mind, can’t win them all. And if there had been a winner of the tissue paper challenge we totally would have rocked that prize.

The funniest moment of the egg challenge was Tyrie’s trials. I don’t know what was funniest, the fact that her egg was already broken before she launched it, the fact that the balloon burst as she tried to get it out the window, or her hysterical laughter at the whole event. She has a funny laugh.

Lunch

Lunch came and went very quickly. A quick jaunt to the shops and Laura locking her keys in the boot of her car and we were back to the fun.
Sweetie Quiz

The sweetie quiz was great fun. A list of cryptic clues with all of the answers being a sweet. We managed to get 21 out of 24 which was pretty impressive.

Here are the clues:

1. Wobbly Infants
2. Wise Guys
3. Group of Stars
4. Road for the Upper Class
5. Edible Fasteners
6. 9,10,11,12
7. 100% Precious Metal
8. Speak Quietly
9. Fallen Fruit
10. Sport of Princes
11. The Universe
12. Carrier of Dairy Produce
13. Capital Granite
14. Pirates Loot
15. Endurance Test
16. Big Bus
17. Happiness in Istanbul
18. Bovine Peepers
19. Twice as Good in French
20. North of Scotland Toffee
21. A City in England + ie
22. Occult Wizardry
23. A Favourite Expression of Scrooge
24. Miscellaneous Blacks

Final Task

Our final task today was to create a poster for the new Hair and Beauty Department. They have a salon where the trainees will be able to practice on poor unsuspecting students. They are going to be doing facials, manicures, blow dry and set that kind of thing. We did a lovely poster, making use of the Prospectus we had cunningly obtained earlier in the day to help with the questionnaire. As with most of the day there were really nice posters and there were some more disappointing ones. Most of them however were great. My favourite, apart from ours of course, was on which had used pieces of coloured paper cut out to make strands of hair and a lovely eye, and a cucumber placed over an eye. It was lovely and so well done that it didn’t look like cut out pieces of paper.

After all of the posters had been pinned on the wall the fashion students and the hair and beauty students were separated and the lecturers made sure we all knew what we’re doing on Monday. It would appear that the new HNC’s don’t have to do the communications class this year if they have Higher English, they can do the Millinery class instead. Wish I’d been given that option last year, Communications sucked.

Well that was it really, back home and mega excited to start back on Monday, though first class is draping which I’m not sure I’m much into, Millinery in the afternoon which I am really excited about.

Catch you Monday.

Divawitch

For Answers highlight the area below

1. Jelly Babies
2. Smarties
3. Milky Way
4. Quality Street
5. Chocolate Buttons
6. After Eight's
7. All Gold
8. Whispa
9. Pear Drops/Cherry Drops/Lemon Drops
10. Polo Mints
11. Galaxy
12. Milk Tray
13. Edinburgh Rock
14. Bounty
15. Marathon
16. Double Decker
17. Turkish Delight
18. Bullseye
19. BonBon
20. Highland Toffee
21. Yorkie
22. Black Magic
23. Humbug
24. Liquorice Allsorts

Enrolment Day

Finally, the day I've been waiting for all summer, back to college. Well, not exactly back, but almost back.

Today was enrolment day. Possibly the most boring day of the academic year. Forms and rules, regulations and more rules, visits from student reps and a tour around the college.

This year though, I'm doing the HND which means I get to lead the tour, well for a small group anyway. I have to admit though, I wasn't the best tour guide, we missed half the college, and to make it worse, it was the half that we actually use. oops.

My wee group were very friendly though and we went over to the refectory for a coffee/tea/hot chocolate/bacon roll. I can't remember the names of the girls apart from Dana. her name stuck in my head because a girl in last years HND class was called Dana or Dania or something like that.

Back to the classroom and sitting with my HND classmates, we were told about the various extra curricular activities. As Annie rattled of the activities; eco warrior, class reps, mentoring programme, I showed interest in all of them. Nicky asked if I had the time so I reached into my handbag and got my phone out. "Quarter past eleven" I said. Through muffled giggles Nicky explains that she in fact meant, would I have time to get involved in everything. I'm such an idiot. Anyway her point was taken, I might give the photography evening class a miss. For now my plans are to take part in:

• Mentoring Programme
• Student Association
• Class Representatives
• Eco Warriors

I also plan to contact the student magazine "Buzz" and see if they would like me to do a monthly fashion page.

Am I taking on too much? Probably but I'm willing to put in the time and graft and to be honest I feel I owe the college a lot.

Well tomorrow is induction day. We are going to be doing activities alongside the new health and beauty department. Hope all goes well.

Divawitch