Money-driven academia?

Hello again! It seems as if I've been reintroducing myself in each of my last few blogs...I think I'll just put up any articles I read in the off-writing days just to keep things ticking over. Anyhow, onto the good stuff...

I just stumbled across an article on BBC (link at bottom) about a head girl in an Australian school criticising the school for being "elitist" (among other things) in her end-of-year speech. When I read it, I thought it was certainly something that, had I been in a similar position, I would've definitely spent time considering saying myself! Nothing better than a bit of drama, and her speech caused controversy not just within the school and the country, but worldwide as well.

The "elitist" comments were linked to her belief that the school prioritised financial benefits and reputation above the needs of the students there. This got me thinking about where I am now and it just so happens that I had the best conversation I've had at uni yesterday with a few course mates. Unfortunately we are now in a system of education where money determines almost everything, and I can't help but think (as part of my ridiculous ideology) that a collaborative education system would solve many of the problems we have created for ourselves in recent times. Here goes my manifesto:

• Bring all universities under one name that simply has institutions distributed across the country. For example, naming it 'The University of Great Britain' and simply having colleges in all major towns/cities (maybe even less institutions than at present). This then has the following implications:
• With one university in the country, competition for places is vastly increased and instead of people getting in to university just to "fill up quotas" and "maximise income", students actually have to be good enough to go to university. There are reasons why there are too many graduates for graduate jobs and it is partly because almost everyone going to university (over half the current generation) are walking out with decent degrees. This also means that universities can actually select the people that they want and not just take as many as they can so they can fund their research.
• Speaking of research, this can now be a lot more inclusive and collaborative. Each institution could carry on with whatever research they liked, but having multiple institutions contribute to what would be an increased research output means that they can focus more on quality and not quantity. In science, I've read too many times about people just publishing papers as a need. Obviously money drives this again because if the financial input doesn't match distinguished output then the books won't balance. But publishing through one university that could comfortably be world-leading with the efforts of so many people in the country.
• The traditional universities will be extremely butt-hurt at losing their individual status but unfortunately "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few". Life in general would be much better if we worked together.
• A-levels and GCSEs have a big bearing on getting to uni and having multiple exam boards does students no good. Why not have one big exam board that is suddenly run by the best people from each of the current ones? Surely 5 clever people in the same room is better than 5 clever people individually? This means they can devote more people to getting the jobs done properly (overcoming subjectivity and marking inconsistency). Never again should I have to hear about teachers marking papers on buses or people gaining 20 marks in a Maths paper remark.

This has to be by far the most I've ever written in a blog but I hope it's been thought-provoking. I think I could write for days to come. Again I'm out of time for now but I'll be happy to discuss anything I've said :)

Thanks,

Oli

Twitter: @Chowerz

(That article on BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-34971956)

Thoughts after Paris

It's been about two or three days since the attacks on Paris on Friday and I've had plenty of time to think about everything that's happened and just reflect on things as they are, so here goes...

Firstly, I'll talk about the thing that really hit me personally on Friday night. I was at a gig on Friday, and to think that I was looking forward to it the same way - ready to enjoy myself and fully embrace the occasion - as those attending the Bataclan in Paris, before finding out after the concert about events over there, devastates me the most. Those concert-goers were in the same situation as myself yet things couldn't have turned out more differently.

On Saturday night, a question that came into my head was: "What do ISIS want?" I searched this exact question on Google and stumbled upon the longest article I have ever read, which I am about one-tenth into. I feel very uncertain as to what it's ideology is, and I think this makes it difficult to comprehend it's actions worldwide. I don't want to say much more on it until I have read everything I can to understand it all.

What is interesting is that a couple of Doctor Who episodes ago (spoiler alert!), the human race and an alien race that have been living together for years suddenly become embroiled in war, with both threatening the destruction of the other. The Doctor manages to solve their dispute by reconciliation, and I feel France's air strikes on Syria are not the correct response to this situation. However, I do understand that real life is not the same as a storyline of a Doctor Who episode and that ISIS seem extremely devoted to their ideology - so much so that there seems to be no way of changing their way of thinking. I have no idea what solutions there are to this problem, but all I know is that it'll be very, very complicated.

That's all I've got time for as I'm off to another lecture now. I'm going to another concert tonight and there'll be plenty more than just music on my mind. I'm just remembering that these attacks have been going on in many other countries, and they are all as important as each other.

Oli
Twitter: @Chowerz

University's Expectations

Yes, I'm back. It's been a while as I've been pretty busy settling in to university and doing more work than there is perceived to be from the word of those student ambassadors that take you round on open days telling you "first year is easy" and "you don't have to do anything". How wrong they were.

On arrival at university I had to do an "Expectations of University" survey whereby I detailed what I was expecting to get out of my degree, interests outside university, plans for balancing work and social life and my reasons for coming to university and picking my degree. However, during a student rep meeting last Wednesday I noticed that a lot of problems raised by other first year representatives could've been summarised under "The University's Expectations of Students".

Broadly speaking, the university expects you to understand what everything they're saying means in terms of finding information and keeping up-to-date with updates etc. This is an understandable demand, apart from the fact that they expect you to do this FROM THE DAY YOU ARRIVE. I don't recall a single person I've spoken to that is comfortable with using the online learning system and we're one month into the course. Something like this just takes time to get used to, and the demands of the university at these early stages should certainly be relaxed a little.

Another conclusion that I made from the aforementioned meeting was that students just need to get used to university life in general. Some of the issues raised were, in my opinion, both puzzling and baffling. A request for "more water fountains across campus" may have been raised because, as first year students, we haven't actually found out where the fountains are? There are probably plenty around and in logical places, it's just a case of finding out their locations. A couple more requests came in the form of "lower pre-lab grade requirements" and "online assessments having a greater influence on the final grade". To address the first, you get three attempts at pre-lab assessments and if you're getting it wrong three times in a row then you're almost certainly doing something wrong and should've asked someone for help a long time ago. As for the second, I am a supporter of continuous assessment but the university, along with almost every other in the country, have decided on a system that works and modifying proportions for personal preferences are just not going to work.

Hopefully I'll have more to say over the coming weeks!

Oli
Twitter: @Chowerz

Defying Freshers' Week

I'm moving into university on Sunday. I can't wait to go, although I'm beginning to realise how quickly life moves on. After refereeing on Saturday afternoon, I'll be going to bed knowing that the next day, all of my things will have been moved further into Manchester, and within a few hours of unpacking, I'll be cooking my first meal out of home. The next day, I'll be up at 7am - comfortably the earliest I've woken up in the last 8 weeks - and I'll be in a lecture at 9am - comfortably the earliest I've done something worthwhile in the last 8 weeks.

Plenty of people bang on about the "university experience", and this typically means going out a lot and drinking plenty. The University of Manchester have an offer of a £50 wristband that will get you four nights out on Freshers' Week. I've heard almost everyone buys this wristband, so if you don't get it, you're 'missing out'. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a night out but there's no version of next week where I see myself going out four times. The more I think about it, the more I decide that once a week is enough for me, although I can accept twice a week at times. If there are as many options open to me as every university has preached, then I find an hour on a tennis or badminton court or in the swimming pool or gym much more enticing than multiple nights out.

As I've not made any plans to go out at all next week, I'm wondering whether or not I'd benefit from not going out. Yes, I'd probably meet a lot more people, but I'd rather make fewer friends with more in common than have too many to juggle that I'm not exactly hitting it off with. If my demands of more sport and less nights out are too much for some, then I guess that's tough luck on me. I've spent my summer living life on my own terms - it may seem selfish but it means I stay true to who I am and I'm not changing that now.

Oli :)
Twitter: @Chowerz

Thinking about uni

I am one of a few hundred thousand people starting university next month. I'm excited and can't wait for it to start, especially because I've worked hard to get here and I'm looking forward to everything to come. However, one year ago I wasn't even sure I was going, so here are my thoughts on how you should think about university.

If you're set on going to university, pick a course that excites you, not what your friends are doing or what your parents want you to do. This is your life and university is the most independent thing you'll do until you move out, so pick something that you'll be happy with. Also pick a good place to live, especially one you feel comfortable in. If you're living somewhere you like, you'll get way more out of your experience and it'll help you get a better degree. After all, it's the degree you're there for, right?

If you're not sure whether uni's the right thing for you, that's fine. No one's forcing you to go, again, it's entirely your choice. Having a degree can boost your CV, but you'll need at least a 2:1 to have it make an impact. Plenty of people aren't certain as to which subject to study, which is where taking a gap year can help. Maybe getting work experience from businesses in different industries will eliminate what you don't want to do, and narrow your options down to something specific. Alternatively, you might want to pick something a bit out of the blue that sounds cool. I was loosely set on taking Biomedical Sciences, but picked Neuroscience because it sounded cool. And it does sound cool.

Don't forget, university is not the only option in life. There are so many other things you can do that, most of all, it's important to keep a broad perspective and be open to doing anything.

Oli
Twitter: @Chowerz

Time for a change

Continuity is often good in life. Some people like having a consistent routine that means they are able to do the right things at the right times. For example, going to bed at 10:30pm and sleeping for 8 hours is a good routine to get in to, as it means you're getting enough sleep every night to function properly for the next day.

However, at times continuity can be a hindrance. For example, in cricket, a bowling change will carry a greater chance of taking a wicket. If a batsman faces a bowler for a long spell, they will more than likely work out a way of scoring runs off him. If there is a change of bowler, the batsman has to get used to a different line, length, pace etc. Therefore an unexpected change can create a chance to win a game.

At times, continuity can also get you bored stiff. For example, mixing with the same group of people can mean you get too used to each other's habits and things get predictable. Deciding to hang out with others can be a breath of fresh air - different people can bring different things to the table, and such variety is nothing but good, I'm sure of that. Even if it means only mixing it up every now and again, it brings way more positives than you can possibly imagine.

Don't be afraid to change something. I can be stubborn at times, but making a change can certainly make a big difference in life. And just think of the endless possibilities of that...

Oli
Twitter: @Chowerz

P.S. been working since last Monday, which is why the blog has been empty for a week :/

Celebrateee

After reflecting on events since results day on, I came to realise how quickly life moves on. On Thursday, I was swamped with people asking how I'd done, where I was going, what I was doing etc. For one day, everyone was keen to talk to me. I awoke the next day and realised that it was a new day. Believe it or not, people had moved on. Everyone gets back to work and life goes on as if yesterday was just another day. To go from the highs of Thursday to the normality of Friday was astonishing.

I have always thought of myself to celebrate and enjoy every high to the max. But over Friday and Saturday I doubted whether I had celebrated enough. Maybe I hadn't, or maybe it was just the effect of experiencing an extreme high before coming back to normality.

Nevertheless, don't miss a chance to celebrate success in whatever form it comes. Don't have regrets about what you should've done. Just do it (not promoting Nike).

Oh, and I'm starting a job tomorrow. :)

Oli

Twitter: @Chowerz

Opportunities

I am happy that I have had so many opportunities to experience different things in life. I am happier that I have decided to take so many of these opportunities and feel as though it's the right way to go about it. There's certainly no holding back.

Last night, I was asked to be a guest for a friend's radio show in Manchester today. I took the opportunity and was rewarded with an entertaining hour listening to a multi-genre radio station and talking about results, refereeing and music. It was an enjoyable experience and I think I may want to do more, even if it is just as a guest.

You never know what you may end up doing in the future so it's important to allow yourself to be open to as many possibilities as possible. Keep a clear mind and broad horizons, and I'm sure success is to come one way or another.

Oli

Twitter: @Chowerz

One Day More

As a Les Miserables fan, I can't get bored of referencing the song 'One Day More' every time there is a big day approaching. I've referenced it today because tomorrow is a pretty big day.

"Another day, another destiny...tomorrow we'll be far away, tomorrow is the judgement day, tomorrow we'll discover what our God in heaven has in store. One more dawn, one more day, one day more."

Much nervous. Such results.

Oli
Twitter: @Chowerz

I love un bike ride

Yesterday I embarked on what has somehow become a 'weekly' thing - a bike ride on a Friday afternoon. A week ago, it was as a two-man, and yesterday was a triad threesome (three Chinese people, if you can't guess). However, there were no guns involved and no violence, only some struggling through footpath barriers and the near-death experience of being overtaken by an 18-wheeler. The three of us enjoyed a solid two and a half hour, 25km ride to Lymm and back via roads and the Trans-Penine Trail, with a short stop-off to see a friend during his (3:30pm?!) lunch break. Thankfully the sun was out and a mid-cycle ice cream was definitely needed, at least for one of us.

I think I love a bike ride simply because it is exercise and although it is not always the most strenuous, it's definitely enjoyable, especially with some scenic country routes. Take a few friends and you can take all the time you want cruising down country lanes and taking in the great countryside views. It's fair to say the UK is quite good-looking.

Any more for any more?

Oli
Twitter: @Chowerz

Thinking about results day

One week to go. I've had myself a few worries over the last couple of weeks when I've seen the date, but I know I will never be as nervous as I will be next Wednesday night. I'll have tons of adrenaline keeping me awake for two or three hours longer than I should be, and I'll enter school with more nervous energy than the total energy I've used for over 18 years. Despite this, I'll still feel optimistic about the present, past and future, and I'm here to explain why optimism will always trump pessimism on these occasions.

My opinion is that whatever happens on results day, there is still plenty to look forward to in the future, whether that be something that you're doing the next day, or at the weekend, or the following week. Looking at the future as simply 'next year' is always going to be daunting, so be as open as you can to the possibilities that the next year could hold. For me, I'll look forward to a family meal on the evening and try to enjoy it irrespective of my result. I'll then go and play cricket at the weekend and will be able to put aside my results and get stuck into the many other parts of life I enjoy. My life doesn't, and never will, hinge on what happens on a single day because there are too many other factors to take into account that affect life. Therefore I encourage you to think positively about everything you've got and achieved until this point, and celebrate every success deservedly.

An approach that I thoroughly disagree with is the one of having low expectations. The main reason I have heard for this is that people like to 'be surprised' by getting the results they should've achieved anyway. Just think about what this attitude reflects of you and what sort of message you're sending to yourself and to those around you. If you have low expectations then...you didn't expect yourself to get into university (if that's where you wanted to go)? And you'll be surprised if you go? If your ambition is to get in then surely you would expect yourself to make the grades, or else what'd be the point in applying? At the odd chance that you'd make it? University means a lot to me, but I still expect myself to do well. If I don't, then of course I will be disappointed but I know that I have plenty more to achieve in life than what is reflected by one set of results.

My attitude is neither cocky nor arrogant, it is simply logical. I'm not building myself up, I just have confidence in my own ability and what I've done. You can easily become over-confident, but it takes actual mental fragility to be able to knock yourself down to a state where you're doubting yourself all the time. For once, people, back yourselves.

Oli
Twitter: @Chowerz

My Time Off

You may or may not have noticed that I have not blogged for two weeks. The main reason for this is because absolutely nothing exciting has happened in my life for two weeks, and I have had no spontaneous thoughts to elaborate on. Here's an update on what's been going on:

I played tennis and badminton.
I went to cricket training.
I played tennis.
I played two cricket matches in two days.
I played tennis.
I did cricket coaching.
I played tennis.
I went to cricket training.
I played tennis.
I played two cricket matches in two days.
I played tennis and badminton.

I also watched some cricket.

Oli
Twitter: @Chowerz

My inability to rest

Throughout my exams, I just couldn't wait for them to finish so that I could have time to "do nothing". Sure enough, that day came, and the day after exams I did nothing. During that day I realised that there was no way I would be able to do the same for two and a half months.

Although I didn't clock it at the time, I have never been able to perform unproductive tasks for long periods of time. I feel guilty. Unbelievably guilty that I'm not using that time wisely at all. I have to find something productive to do, even if it means I suffer for the sake of it. A great example has just occurred this past week. Having been on back-to-back holidays, finished last Friday, I was down to play cricket all day Saturday. I desperately wanted a rest but decided that I would "rest while asleep" and went to play. I didn't go out with friends on Saturday, claiming that I "needed rest" whilst I planned a bike ride the next day with a friend. All of this has left me a little tired today, but I've been to play tennis because there's no way I could sit on the sofa for the day.

It takes a lot of mental strength to be able to "do nothing".

Oli
Twitter: @Chowerz

The friends you keep forever

So I'm back from the Lake District and, naturally, I was thinking again...here's what I thought about today:

Many people come and go in life. You'll meet new faces that may contribute to your life, either positively, negatively or both. No matter their effect on you, some people you may see for only a minute, or even a few seconds, and there are others who may hang around for a lifetime. However, there are only a handful that you will share endless moments of joy with, dotted with occasional mishaps, but will ultimately remain in touch with each other after all you've been through together.

As I found out today, sometimes we'll never say to each other, or to anyone we meet, that we're good friends. I don't believe in a 'best' friend - if you're my friend, you're a good one, because we wouldn't be friends if you weren't. It may be a gesture, an adventure, an experience or a facial expression that tells you everything you need to know. Today, for me, it was a slight pause, the making of eye contact, before laughing and throwing our arms around each other. Nothing more needed to be said.

I hope you're as lucky to have some people in your life as I have.

Oli
Twitter: @Chowerz

It's not the best photo but it's all I've got:

A Small Confession...

Missed yesterday because of a severe lack of Internet connection. Today, we enjoyed gorge walking, getting extremely wet in the process. We're off out for an Indian to celebrate the end of our stay here. I did prepare a blog last night, so here it is:

Last night, for some reason, I decided to look back on our monstrous walk that missed the "coveted Roman Road" (see Monday's blog). I realised that on our massive uphill climb, we turned left too early (this I knew at the time) and were only 150m from the Roman Road, which would have eliminated any struggles we had on the return leg. Why I made this decision can be explained by a number of factors, but I am not willing to go into detail at this moment in time. Harry, Shieuerz, my dad and my brother were "DISGUSTED" (dad's text to me), and Harry, politely, only called me a "scumbag".

Other things that happened today: I took the mickey out of my dad's receding hairline, which almost cost me the country's best fish and chips. Shieuerz took 20 minutes to make the letter 'T' out of four wooden blocks, to his own embarrassment only. And we visited a circle of stones that had no historic significance compared to Stonehenge, where I duly won "Best Picture" for my original indie snap (see below).

Unlucky Shieuerz, competition restarts tomorrow.

Oli

Twitter: @Chowerz

Bomb It!

The phrase "bomb it" was used three times in our 16km walk from hell yesterday. Only once did it work. Today, a casual tennis workout was the beneficiary of a 6km "bomb".

Picture it: we've done 5km in two and a half hours, and we have another 6km to go, needing to get back to camp to play tennis at 5pm. The "DofE effect" was in full flow as a few members set the pace half a kilometre ahead of the others. At 2km/hour, the ATP Tour Event at Park Foot would be missed. So 4 of us decided we would "bomb" the last 6km to the cars, bring two of them back and cut the second leg to just 3km in an hour and fifteen minutes for the other five members. With some ultra-aggressive walking and some running, we managed to cover the 6km in an hour and fifteen minutes with a minor navigation error, and drove the cars to our meet up point with Taylor Swift's 'Blank Space' lighting up the Lake District.

Highlights:

 - covering a huge distance to save the day for 5 of us

 - echoing shouts through the mountains

 - a waterfall that is incomparable to Niagara Falls

 - destroying Andrew Chow's enthusiastic serve-and-volley game with some gorgeous lob shots 

Again, no Peggrets from today, even if my legs are collapsing beneath me.

Oli

Twitter: @Chowerz

Oops

Oops. This blog's a bit late. Harry and Shieuerz came up to the Lakes and I showed them, my brother and my dad the planned afternoon route which got a positive response. It turned out my "15km, 1.5km climb and fully flat along the top" team talk was a slight underestimation.

We struggled through the first kilometre to which my dad said "that's the climb isn't it?" How wrong. 5 hours later, having climbed almost 500m in 1.5km and got lost nowhere near the coveted Roman Road, we stumbled back into the lodge and spilled the horror show to our waiting family.

Above: Andrew Chow 'struggling' halfway up the 'steep uphill' 

Since we've had a BBQ, drank some beer and are playing Uno, only Imy pointed out that I hadn't blogged. So here it is. Harry has just won a game despite Shieuerz calling 'Uno' "like 20 times".

No Peggrets from today though.

Oli

Twitter: @Chowerz

Fundamental Motor Skills

This blog is a little late simply because we've done very little today. With the Men's Wimbledon Final the highlight of the day, we took a short trip to Penrith and returned in time for the tennis. It was not until the rain break that my brother, my cousin and I went to kick a ball and throw a Nerfball that a decent thought came to mind.

As learnt from PE GCSE (one of the only useful things learnt from it) there are six fundamental motor skills: running, throwing, catching, hitting, jumping and kicking. If I remember rightly, these skills are developed quite early in life, well before adulthood. I've been wondering whether they can be developed later in life, maybe post-16 age? There are different skills that are ever-improving, such as concentration or communication, but the basic motor skills are a different kettle of fish. It is very difficult to change them after a certain period of life, which is unfortunate for those who decide to take up certain physical activity later in life.

If the motor skills are solely developed early in life, it's my opinion that every child should develop all of these skills to their maximum potential. Obviously genetics may be a limiting factor, but these skills are essential to life. Being deficient means being left behind; not fitting in. It's tough on those of lesser ability and I wish more could be done to improve these skills throughout life.

Feel free to leave me with your opinion below - it is openly welcomed.

Oli

Twitter: @Chowerz

Participation in Sport

My dad may have been the happiest member of the Chow family last night after Federer beat Murray but there can be no complaints - Federer played as well as I've ever seen him play and Murray fans can have no complaints.

Today we've been on a long Lakes walk with some great views, as well as a scone on the way back, plus some local beer.

The main point of this blog is to tell you about my second article that was published on The Opinion Panel last night. I was talking to my friend, Calum, about how they wanted sports articles and how I was thinking about the continued decline in sports participation. Coincidentally he was thinking likewise about swimming, so last Friday we set up a Skype call, had a chat, and the transcript is below:

http://www.opinionpanel.co.uk/2015/07/10/interview-with-a-sportsman-about-the-declining-participation-in-sport/

Hope you enjoy the article!

Oli

Twitter: @Chowerz

Lakesss

It's been a long 24 hours. Getting home from Spain with around 4 hours' sleep in the bag meant I was extremely sluggish in packing for The Lakes. It was nice to get back and see the family, especially to tell them everything about the trip.

Having cooked breakfast for my dad's birthday, I took the wheel of my mum's car and drove exceptionally to The Lakes, if I do say so myself. I'm now watching Wimbledon in the hopes that the campsite's big screen will be the place to be for a Murray victory on Sunday afternoon.

I've also been writing another article for The Opinion Panel for the last week and it should be up soon. I'll be linking it tomorrow.

Here's to a great week in The Lakes!

Oli

Twitter: @Chowerz

Reliving Spain

I think this morning's coach journey that lasted just under 3 hours starting at 5:05am was the most tortuous of my life. I'm writing this on the plane having spent 85 minutes extra waiting on the plane due to aeroplane-related issues. Who'd have thought the plane journey would be more frustrating than the coach?

I think now's a fitting time to revisit the last 4 days. Put simply, it's been great. A few highlights for me were the coastal walk with some stunning views, the most chilled pedalo hour ever and having a cocktail atop a cliff. Thankfully only one of us will be leaving with 'Peggrets'. Other nicknames have also been developed for various reasons throughout the trip:

Oli 'Mother' Chow for taking care of everything on the trip.

Archie 'Shots My Round' Batra for ordering the Jäger but himself throwing up afterwards.

Stephen 'Flamingo' Balfour for his body-contorting reaction to entering the cold seawater.

Jack 'Peggrets' Pegg for regretting almost every choice he has made on the trip (although we're genuinely sorry about the iPhone).

Will "How Much Money Are You Taking?' Shieu for his persistence in knowing how much money people would be taking out with them.

Harry 'Budapest' Vogt for being unable to resist singing George Ezra's hit song all the time and subsequently poisoning our brains with the song.

Here's to many more eventful things to come lads!

Oli

Twitter: @Chowerz

Coming Home!

Our last full day in Spain. With plenty of desire to keep up-to-date with the day's sporting action (Wimbledon and The Ashes), a 'more chilled' day was planned, as if we haven't been chilling enough on this trip! We left the hotel at 12pm and Harry predicted England to be one down in 5 mins...we returned to the disappointing yet amusing news that Lyrh had been dismissed very early indeed.

Believe it or not, we skipped siesta and instead went 'shopping' in the heat, forgetting that half the shops were in siesta mode too! Too bad that when we made the beach not long after, the sun was gone and we had a bit of cloud for the first time. We returned to the hotel after a short sea session and are getting ready for our 5:15am pick up tomorrow morning.

Here's to a safe journey home.

Oli

Twitter: @Chowerz

Oh, What A Night! (July, 2015)

Went to a lovely Spanish restaurant for dinner to celebrate Balf's birthday yesterday. Really nice fish and sangria. Again, I'd put pictures on if it didn't take forever.

We then went to a bar and almost completely took over the music playlist, requesting way too many songs and generally embarrassing ourselves without a care in the world. Clearly the guy who requested Jäegers yet ended up throwing up will be having a lighter night tonight (only 5 beers and two glasses of sangria Archie).

4 of us embarked on a stunning coastal walk (would love to post pictures) and managed to avoid the eagle-eyed waiter outside a pizzeria, desperate to entice us to an Italian restaurant in Spain.

One day more here!

Oli

Twitter: @Chowerz

More Spanish Adventures

Believe it or not, the 6 of us made breakfast this morning, albeit the last 20 minutes of it from 9:25 to 9:45. I think that's an unbelievable achievement for a group of 18 year old lads on a holiday in Spain, where the norm is to spend half the day sleeping. I guess the travelling from 4am yesterday took its toll.

We went for a nice little walk up to the castle/lighthouse structure to the right of our beach and indulged in some cocktails. In typical Asian fashion, Mr Shieu turned bright red and we gave him the usual stick. Some great sea and coastline views capped it off. A beach trip was always on the cards and some questionable dance moves were thrown by someone (myself) on a rock out in the sea. Not to mention Mr Balfour's comical reaction to the cold water usurping his body (oh, and Happy Birthday Balf).

And mum and dad, we're still alive and well :)

Oli

Twitter: @Chowerz

P.S. I've tried to post a couple of photos but it's taking way too long :(

Viva España

This morning myself and 5 friends flew out to Spain to enjoy a few days in the sun. Needless to say the 3:30am wake up and total travel time nearing 5 hours was tiring, resulting in a rather sedate beach trip with an extended siesta.

Unfortunately our saving grace of Wi-Fi requires payment bar a 15 minute free trial that I'm using to write this. As late 20th century children we're naturally disappointed with not being able to update ourselves with the social media world (although we are genuinely concerned about letting our parents know we're OK). So mum and dad, we're OK and everything has been fine bar a couple of comical airport scenes.

Hopefully I'll be able to keep blogging - we'll take the minor financial hit to keep in touch with our nearest and dearest.

Oli

Twitter: @Chowerz

We Don't Like Cricket, We Love It

Cricket, cricket, cricket. An unbelievable game of high intensity, high co-ordination and plenty of...banter. Quite simply, there is no better way of wasting away your summer days than spending 8 hours basking in the sunshine at a picturesque cricket ground.

"Why play cricket?" you may ask. Good question. Great for social interaction and one of the only games that endorses a heavy post-match drink, there is almost no end to the social opportunities. Oh, and it's a sport. Yes, cricket is a sport. If you think about it, it's an interval game with very short intervals. Add in the unforgiving intensity of amateur club cricket and you have the formula for a proper summer's workout. What more can you ask for?

And if you're keen on watching cricket this summer, there's no shortage of action. The Aussies are over for The Ashes, with England looking to avenge their humiliating whitewash Down Under last winter. I'm backing England to edge this series though, with Captain Cook back in form, James Anderson looking as threatening as ever and the fresh optimism brought by a breed of new players. Hopefully we can pull off what would be an extraordinary win.

Oli

Twitter: @Chowerz

The Best Days of Summer Are Back

Hi!

If you can't tell already, summer is well under way. The sun is out, temperatures are soaring in early July and the most telling point is that...the tennis at Wimbledon is in full swing. Some of my favourite memories from every school year have been strolling home in the sunshine, pulling an ice lolly from the freezer and preparing myself to watch the latest day's entertainment at SW19. It's fair to say that Wimbledon is unmatched by any other tennis event in the sporting calendar, and we're lucky to have it right on our doorstep.

Since Federer broke onto the scene, there has been no shortage of masterclasses from arguably the game's greatest ever player. Factor in that Nadal and Djokovic have two Wimbledon titles each and you have one of the most exciting and closely-fought eras of sport in history. Oh, and there's just the small matter of our own Andy Murray, giving the British public something to cheer about in the game and far exceeding Tim Henman's best grand slam achievements (semi-finals at the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open). Murray has had an unbelievable 2015 so far and looks in better shape than when he won Wimbledon in 2013. I'd be backing him to at least make the final this year.

More from the British corner, where James Ward has reached the third round at a grand slam for the first time in his career, simultaneously breaking into the world's top 100, a great achievement for someone who puts so much into his game. On the women's side, Heather Watson faces a monster of a battle this afternoon against Serena Williams, but can do the nation proud with a defiant performance irrespective of the result. Finally, Laura Robson's return to the game following injury means we can look forward to plenty more from the women's game.

I'm certainly looking forward to more cracking sport until the men's final a week on Sunday. A strong showing from the Brits can do no harm for the nation whatsoever, and can maybe get more involved with the game.

Oli
Twitter: @Chowerz

How spoilt are we?

Hi!

Second day, second blog. In February this year, I had a spontaneous thought about comparing our lives in the present day to when my parents were growing up. This led to me writing an article that I sent in to The Opinion Panel Community in late May, and it's up on their website now! Link is here:

http://www.opinionpanel.co.uk/2015/07/02/how-spoilt-are-we/

Please leave any feedback you want - every comment is appreciated! And follow me on Twitter, @Chowerz.

Oli

Hello and Welcome!

Hi!

I'd like to welcome you to my new blog! After just under two weeks since finishing A-levels I am bored already. Blogging will give me something to do over summer but I feel as though over the last couple of years my life has really kickstarted and there are so many experiences awaiting me in the near future. In my eyes it's a great opportunity to share my memories and experiences with others and keep a record for myself.

My blogs will consist of some regular updates with what's going on in my life - be it football, cricket, music or anything else that is vaguely interesting. Every now and again I'll have a crazy brainstorm, most probably at 4am on the way back from a night out in Manchester, at which point I'll get home and write down my thoughts before I forget them all. These will make for blogs that are closely related to my optimistic and idealistic attitudes towards life - although you have a right to disagree!

In the meantime, you can follow me on Twitter (@Chowerz or https://twitter.com/Chowerz) - please be aware that I use Twitter purely for fun and my tweets will be taking the mickey out of something or someone, more often than not myself!

As ever, I'm looking forward to what's to come.

Oli