Things that have changed since the last post:

• I've started sixth-form college properly
• I've changed from A-Levels to the IB
• I've eaten sushi recently
• I've seen Swan Lake
• I've tried a cheese layered salad - and enjoyed it
• I've become ill for the first time in five months (that must be a record!)
• I've made vanilla and Nutella cupcakes
• I've been walking 15-20 minutes, not 2 minutes, to school
• I've talked to boys(!)
• I've missed my secondary school in ways I never imagined I would
• I've discovered the Starbucks five minutes away from school (thanks, Sara!)
• I've seen 'Sweet Lovers' Plums' - and plan to buy some
• I've completed a practical in Chemistry without screaming/jumping/standing a metre away from the bunsen burner
• I've seen the boy at school who wears a suit everyday
• I've introduced myself to dozens of different people
• I've developed a penchant for the Drench drinks sold at school
• I haven't stopped calling my 'college' a school - if I'm learning, it's a school!

Ignorance is not bliss

I find it really disconcerting if I don't know something, but know enough about it to feel as if I should know more. This might be part of the reason why I don't want to give any subjects up.

I love every subject so much. I don't want to give anything up.

I usually embrace change, but I'll be so sad to stop studying anything. This is a huge period of change, and I just don't think I'm ready give up so much. Unfortunately, I can't take ten A-Levels.

"Non, je ne regrette rien," "Vraiment? C'est possible?"

Actually, I don't know about regrets. I don't want to regret anything that I did academically, because I worked as hard as possible, so I really do hope that I achieve the results that I (along with my teachers) want. If I do, I'll have no regrets in terms of school.

As for regrets in other areas of life, I've never really done anything serious that's worthy or regret. Through what is essentially my own doing, my life has been sheltered, so I've had no opportunity to make some of the stupid mistakes that youths are supposed to make, according to newspapers, anyway.

But, on a more indulgent note, I think my parents and I regret the fact that we haven't been on more holidays abroad together. We've visited France, Belgium, Spain, Monaco (which is so small that it barely qualifies as a country - the country equivalent to Pluto, perhaps) and Ireland. Of course, we're lucky to have experienced these trips, as there are many families who can't afford any holiday at all, let alone one outside the UK.

However, yesterday my mother and I were thinking about our holiday past, and we realised that we should do more. We can get away with the environmental impact - we're recycling vegetarians without a car who fly no more than once a year, if that - and my parents are good with money so we'd have enough to do something nice.

One of the main problems is my aversion to heat. I just can't take it, and I burn so easily that I'd probably spend most of the time applying sun cream. Inevitably, this limits out holiday options. At some point I'll probably brave a hot country, but I'd need to build up my resistance - starting with an activity as simple as spending a few hours in the sun (well protected, of course), or visiting the beach for the first time in around four years