Florence Dewhurst
WEEK 4
Well, it seems like I’m the only person in town who actually has too much to do during level 5 restrictions. Between normal schoolwork, drawing, debating and writing this article, I’m absolutely snowed under!
And I’m starting to truly understand the pressure of deadlines. I can’t even begin to describe how stressed I’ve been, trying to comply with the deadlines of my various projects.
It may seem like I’m over-dramatising everything (and yes, usually I am), but it’s definitely been the most demanding week this year.
As Mam would say: ‘No rest for the wicked.’
Last week, I had to write a speech for my debating team at school.
I was tearing my hair out all week over it, and only actually finished the speech at midnight on the day before the deadline.
Then I had to recite it several times to my half-asleep mother to ensure it was the absolutely correct length of four minutes and 30 seconds.
I daftly took on the role of the captain of our debate team, as if I don’t have enough to do already, and that meant I had to write two speeches, one each for the start and the end.
It comes as no surprise to me that debating has also changed during the pandemic.
We now have to send recordings of our speeches instead of actually going to other schools. It’s sad that we won’t be going on these trips, but in a way I’m relieved, because the thought of speaking in front of a crowd is nerve-racking.
The pressure of debating was also matched with the many, many drawings I’ve been doing in recent weeks.
I love to draw usually, but in the weeks up to Christmas, lots of people have been asking me to draw pictures to give as Christmas presents.
It takes me approximately 6 hours to draw a picture, so it’s heavy going and it also leaves me physically, emotionally, and mentally drained. Probably not the best state to be in when I’ve got three tonnes of history homework to do as well as that.
When I have no drawing commissions on the horizon, I’ll constantly have the urge to draw and re-draw pictures of Tom Holland and various members of One Direction, and never get bored.
However, my Dad has been asking me to draw him a picture of my two brothers for the past three years and yet, I’ve never felt remotely inclined. I love art, honest.
In a break from the teenage drama that’s dominating my life at the moment, scout events are still taking place. I dragged myself out of bed at half past nine on a SUNDAY to go to the scout hall.
The day was spent banjaxing our poor hands by using some auld rope to tie wooden spars together; in other words; pioneering.
While the idea of spending seven hours outside in the November cold tying knots seemed like hell on earth, in reality, it was the best thing I did all week.
The end result was a structure that was just about solid, but I’d say it wouldn’t take much of a breeze to knock it over. One of the girls there did manage to get up onto it, although there was a lot of screaming involved on her part.
On Sunday evening the whole family sat down with tea and biscuits in front of the TV, to watch the annual phenomenon that is ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here’.
We watch it every year, and it was very strange to see it set in a Welsh countryside setting. But needs must in the Covid-19 times.
As usual we have no idea who most of the celebrities are at this stage, but in a month’s time, I’m sure they will feel like our best friends and there’ll be tears as they leave the camp one by one.
Of course, the scariest thing about I’m A Celebrity is knowing that Christmas is nearing, and I still haven’t bought any Christmas presents!
So, there you go, it’s been a hectic week. ‘No rest for the wicked’ indeed!
Florence Dewhurst is a TY student at Loreto Secondary School, Fermoy
