It was weird driving home from Nakamun without starting to panic about next year's studying. I mean, it wasn't a bad weird feeling and it wasn't a nervous weird feeling... Just plain weird. Weird to know that I'm not gonna be on the benches anymore...
Nakamun was a great meet... It kind of felt like a redemption of something. NEXT 1 finally made it to championships and NEXT 2 did amazingly in the rookie division yet again! There were some really tight quizzes and intense moments between taking my melatonin too early (whoops) and being a grade 12 murder suspect, telling people that I heard screaming in the night. I got a really good question right in a really fast quiz, so I was proud of myself for that.
The funny things that happened: Switching rooms on the second night because Lana and I were staying up for the later curfew, Hannah losing her iPod (which was totally not funny but since we scared the living daylights out of a bunch of people who thought that Hannah's poi were UFO's and got ice cream, it made up for it), and the coaches' quiz. Oooh the coaches' quiz. Jon decided to imitate me during a time out... I'm not sure if I'm really that hyperactive during quizzes or if he was overacting... -shrug-. Both quizzes I coached the coaches and in both quizzes I think we got one right answer (which was beautifully mimed) but their imitations were hilarious!
So, yes, I had a great last meet... Being in grade 12 was fun :oP I didn't even cry when they called everyone up for the grade 12 keychain thingys. I think I was just too pre-occupied with the fact that it was such a fun meet.
And, with that, I think I can honestly say that I've had a good year for the most part, and learned a lot, both this season and during my time as a quizzer. I guess this final blog post is a 'farewell' to both the benches and this blog. In the 4 years that I've quizzed I have learned so much and realized that I am capable of so much more than I realized. I am looking forward to whatever happens next (which hopefully involves coaching) and wish all of you quizzers who haven't graduated good luck for next year! And hey, I'll be starting another blog, 'Beyond the Benches', as soon as I start doing coach-type stuff... Who knows? Maybe I'll even make a page for coaching tips that I gather along the way. I will still be accepting tips from other quizzers to put on the site, and if anyone would like to pick up the flashcards from where I left off, feel free.
Thanks to everyone who's been there for me... My fellow NEXTers for being the biggest bunch of bananas I get to hang out with every week, Troy and Jon for being awesome coaches, Patricia and Lana for being awesome teammates and teaching me how to jump, Mrs. Put for sticking around and all the people who put Quizzing together... These have been an amazing four years that I never want back :o)
So question of the blog, everyone: What has been your favourite book to quiz on? Personally, John was my favourite. My personal stats weren't as great that year as they had been previously but I could play the movie in my head and there is so much great stuff in there :o)
So, for the last time...
Quizzers... UNITE!!!
Maegan
PS... See you in 'Beyond the Benches'!!
Now, you're probably wondering: Why is April awesome? How would you know that April is awesome at this particular moment? You're in different regions!
April commented on my last blog and reminded me indirectly to write a blog about the quiz meet :oP. Thank you April, I needed a break from writing flashcards anyways (I'd just accidentally written 'since' instead of 'sins' and it's, like, 9 at night).
So. The quiz meet. It was awesome. First of all, my team, Evan, Hannah, and I, were a pretty awesome combination. Y'know, Hannah and I dancing around and Evan awkwardly standing there for, like, half of a time-out wondering what we are doing and... why? So that was fun. The Great-West-quizzers-quiz-out-on-three rule was at first depressing, but it made sense, it being the first regional and all, so who am I to argue? And also, we had a mascot. His name is Elephant. He is an elephant. Cause, y'know, an elephant never forgets. And cause elephants are pretty awesome.
We got to the hotel and decided to have pizza (Me, Mrs. Put, Hannah, my mom, and Lana were staying in the same hotel room). Panago wasn't open anymore, so we went with Boston Pizza, who said they wouldn't deliver (even though when my mom and Mrs. Put went to pick up the pizzas, they were delivering for someone else), then told us that they didn't have 2 of the pizzas we ordered, so they gave us perogie pizzas, which we DIDN'T want, so they had to wait even longer.
Meaanwhile, Hannah, Lana, and I are in the hotel randomly dancing, laughing and trying to buy pop from the drink machine in the lobby.
We had pretty crappy prelims :oP It was actually kinda funny when we got to the afternoon, finished our first quiz in last, then won the rest of the quizzes until finals... Like, WHAT just happened??? Oh, wait. Evan started quizzing out (GO EVAN!). Then Hannah happened. She decided that Evan and I werenot sufficiently stressed, so she waited until question 23 in the tie breaker, when Evan and I were quizzed out and couldn't jump, to jump, get it right (in what seemed like slow motion), and win the quiz. Thank you Hannah.
Anyways. We all did pretty well at NEXT. NEXT 1 went to championships (W00t!), my team, NEXT 2, placed 3rd in consolation, and both of our rookies were phenomenal!! Y'all are gonna have to watch out, they are showing NO signs of slowing down!
Elephant didn't jump at all. He was all distracted by his friend the frog stress ball. *shakes head* He needs to focus more, Elephant does.
We finished the meet at Smitty's as a team, and headed home, I'm not sure about anyone else, but I was pumped, no matter how sleep-deprived I was.
The district meet is already on my mind. Well, not 'already', I guess. It's not too far away. Time to start cracking down on my references and doing more flashcards, I guess.
Speaking of flashcards, I really should work on those, shouldn't I?
If there are spelling errors in the cards, now you know why, at least.
Question of the blog (and you thought I forgot): First meet of the year! How'd it go? How are your rookies doing?
Quizzers Unite!!
Maegan
Yeah, I know this is kinda last-minute for most of y'all but I FINALLY got some flashcards done. I mean, I had some done before but not enough that I was about to post about them. That would be embarassing. But anyways: FLASHCARDS! Knock yourselves out, kids: http://www.flashcardmachine.com/1507808/t1g3So. We at WCD are approaching quiz meet #1... the regional. My outlook on this meet: Positive. We have some pretty die-hard rookies and I'm actually caught up all the way for once! No cramming for me! I'm not stressing yet (well,no more than I usually do at quizzing) but that'll come in due time.
Speaking of cramming, the week of chapter 3 (2 weeks ago) we had pretty much THE worst practice ever. We as a team made, what was it... 17? Errors IN A ROW. Blech. It was horrible. Thankfully last week we redeemed ourselves and had some amazing quizzing going on!
Tonight is an important practice for me... This will give me an idea of what I need to be studying this week right before the meet... Which verses and sections I need to work on more than others. Not that I won't be studying it ALL but y'know. I didn't post this in the last blog, but for every error I get this year in practices, I write that verse out for one page... 30 times. Yeah, probably overkill but I figure that it's constructive in the end. Besides, it keeps me busy and errors suck. After Great West I did something similar (every verse once for every error I got there... Never ended up finishing that) but it was WAY too much and too sudden. Heh heh.
So... That brings me to the question of this blog (I can't believe I've been able to keep these up)... I know I already asked about weird quizzing habits, but I never asked about studying... Do you do anything weird when you're studying that nobody else does (or is willing to say they do)? For me, it's the 30-verse thing, and probably the fact that if I take breaks, I lose every bit of motivation to study I had. I have to study in lonnng sessions or I just don't. Every
Anywhoo. I'm going on for too long. *steps off of soapbox*
Quizzers Unite!!
Maegan
For starters: Yes, it is excusable that I didn't post last week because the first quizzing practice was TODAY. Aware as I am that most of you started LAST week, I didn't have much to post about.
Well, things are a bit weird this year... John and Laura won't be on the benches with us (tear, tear), and we have some new awesome quizzers (who are doing amazing by the way... Just sayin). As much as it won't be the same, and as much as I complain and complain about that, I am looking forward to seeing how this year goes, and how our rookies all handle the awesomeness that is quizzing.
Today I got, 4 errors? I think. I'm not sure. 3 of the 4 said errors were in the same verse. Ouch. 1 Peter 1 hasn't been treating me so well. But ya know what? I'm out for revenge on Peter this week. Yes, I will study so much that my quizhelper won't know what hit... him? I guess it would be a male since I'm in a committed relationship with... him. Anyways. And next week... NO errors! No stupid errors, no 'I didn't hear the question' errors, no 'stare-blankly-and-hope-that-I-don't-have-to-sit-here-for-30-seconds-cause-I-have-no-idea' errors... NONE! (Yes, I know I shouldn't make that promise but I can dream, right? *sigh*)
Oh, and a question... When an answer is out of context, and it is in the first answer, but the main word in the first answer is in context (not in a rookie division scenario... I'm talking championship finals situation) could that be challenged because the PHRASE isn't in context? I think so but I thought I'd check with my expert blog readers.
By the way, I know you guys studied over the Summer. I've been getting visitors consistantly from May till now so I'm taking that as a sign that you've all been studying. So I think I should expect some fierce competition at the next meet, right, guys? Right?
Flashcards should be started up between a few days and a few weeks from now :o)
So. Question of the post. How did your first practice go? How's 1 Peter treating you (or mistreating you)?
Good luck, all, in the new year, that in cludes you, coaches, officials, and parents who have to deal with the quizzers!
Quizzers Unite... 2011/12!!!
Maegan
Do you miss me? ... I know I shouldn't ask these questions. Oh well. Since its been such a lonng time, I guess I should start with Great West, hey?
So... The Englers were kind enough to take me with them in their vehicle to Chamisall... Thanks Englers! We sang songs all the way from Cochrine to camp... it was awesome! The first night we tried to watch a movie but half way through it stopped working. We also tried to play a game, but it was IMPOSSIBLE!!! You try to balance a ball on a board with STRINGS, walk across the room, and put the ball through a hole in the board into a basket. I think that one tea got one in, but that was luck...
On the Friday we did some practice quizzes, and I did well, I'm not gonna lie. I was on a team with Tomi, Kyle, April, and Heather... And even though we didn't get into championships (which was probably my fault... heh heh) we won consolation! WOOT!!!!!! Snowmen were built, jokes were made, we nicknamed Ben (he is now Kutchmababins... if thats how its spelled), and it was an all-around great weekend. Personally, I came in 35th or something crazy like that, with an average of about 9 (I'm rounding to make myself feel better) and 15 errors.
After that, I resolved to copy out the material 15 times. I tried... but it didn't happen. :o(
Nakamun came pretty fast after that, and with only Love According to John and study week between GW and Nak... it was insane! NEXT went in head first though, and we rocked it. Our cabin was awesome, as we all respected each other's needs to sleep, studied together, made up really stupid moose and monkey stories with watermelon... but nobody's gonna understand that...
NEXT 1 decided to take the long road to championships, placing 4th in the morning, and starting the afternoon with a 2nd and 3rd. So... we had a LOT of quizzes after that. BUT! Even though my mom was sweating bullets and each quiz came down to the last question (literally, out last 4 quizzes of the afternoon were all either tie-breakers or last-question-makes-or-breaks-this quizzes), in the end we made it to finals, and we were all ecstatic, especially since it was Jon's last quiz meet, and probably Troy's last time coaching us.
Nat's qualifiers went well, I got, like, 5 right or something, and I was awful proud of myself. Didn't make the team, but I'll admit, I wasn't quizzing very well this year anyways, and would've brought the team down anyways.
Finals finally came around, and it was an intense quiz, and we came in second to Foothills 2... which wasn't a bad thing, because, as Troy would say, it's not that bad when you lose to a team thats genuinely better than you.
Jon went out with a bang... he placed 9th! Sadly, Jon graduated at Nakamun, and I think I speak for everyone at Next when I say, we're gonna miss him. Not only cause he's extremely good at quizzing, cause he is, but because practices are going to be really boring without his puns. well, that is if we don't somehow convince him to coach... Keep your fingers crossed for our convincing skills!
While I'm being emotional here, Troy is probably leaving us, too. Its not gonna be the same... Troy got NEXT 1 to where we are... He is the best coach EVER! I'll admit, I cried when we had to leave, knowing that Jon and Laura wouldn't be on the benches with us, and Troy probably wasn't going to be coaching, but I'm trying to look ahead. I'm trying to get Lana and Patricia all psyched up for next year, I don't know whether its successful or not, but I hope so.
anyways, enough with the sentimental stuff. In the end of it all, I've learned a LOT this year, and all good things have to end eventually, right? I mean, I'm leaving town after I graduate, so I can't blame other people for not coming back and coaching, right?
So... now that its all over, what are YOU guys doing with your life? What have you learned this year? I learned that work ethic DOES need to be renewed, that team dynamic is just as important as individual scores, and all good quizzers make errors... you just have to learn from them and keep going.
Well, see ya in August for the countdown, maybe earlier if I find some tips or study methods... I'll try to update you on studying over the Summer, I've already started Hebrews... Last year I took a long break and regretted it, like< REALLY regretted it. Are you guys taking a break? Who's graduating?
QUIZZERS UNITE!!!!
Maegan
Well. I stopped the title before it became a song reference. Are you proud of me? I'm proud of me. Are you proud of me? LOL!
Anyways. I totally disappeared, didn't I? Yes... I vanished sometime during the last quiz meet and I haven't blooged about it and I feel like a terrible person for it. So here's the down low on the last quiz meet.
I was actually pretty relaxed by the time we got to our first quiz, probably too relaxed. A group of us quizzers got together and got a tour of Ambrose University (they have an amazing music room, by the way), and we had watched Tim Hawkins for most of the drive, so we weren't really in the worst mood. Dropped my stuff off at the hotel where my mom and I were staying, went out for supper and showed up a bit early, not that it was a bad thing. Talked to some people, got pumped up, went to announcements, and trekked upstairs for the first quiz of the meet.
Jon and Patricia did really well in the first quiz, but I erred out. Talk about a bad move right off the bat. I couldn't think about how everyone else was doing as much cause I just kept thinking about how stupid all of my jumps were and how much of a moron I felt like for getting the questions wrong that I did. It was not a good quiz, in my opinion, and after the quiz Jon and I ripped up the score sheet into several pieces. My mom took me out for ice cream right before DQ closed, and we watched a movie. WOAH! What happened there? I wasn't studying? Like, really? Yeah. I freak myself out, too.
I admit, I still didn't sleep very long but when I woke up I wasn't in a panic like I usually am during quiz meets. Which was odd. But on to the stuff we care about, right? The quizzing. The morning quizzes went a LOT better than the quiz the night before and we all felt better in the end of it all, making it into championships and stuff. We were excited, like we always are when we do well, and even though we took a long road in the afternoon, didn't make it to finals. We had some amazing quizzes, impossible questions, Patricia banged her head on a microphone (then got the question right) and we had an all-around good time. Jon, Patricia and I all made it to Great West and we're all going, after I talked their heads off and threatened to kick Jon. Heh heh. I'm not violent.
BUT WAIT! There's more! We all went to Great White North practice together!! YAY! That was fun. My quizzing was... off... Patricia didn't feel too good either, but the day was fun. Before the practice, Patricia and I went looking around at Home Hardware, then I felt bad for just hanging around in the store and bought tic tacs. :oD.
The practice itself was great. I got some good advice on jumping, challenging tips (no, I'm not gonna dedicate an entire page to challenging. Maybe.), and TONS of motivation.
Anyways, Great West is a day after tomorrow, and I have a LOT of work to do... I'm gonna go finish up the flashcards! Up to chapter 18 is up... I apologize for the wait and the rushed-ness of this blog!
Quizzers UNITE!
Maegan
Okay guys. Quiz meet. You knew that this blog was coming. You knew it... its the blog about the quiz meet. And boy, do I have a blog for YOU!
Okay, so, chapter one: Arrive. Talk to friendly people who I like talking to until my parents arrive... my dad actually came for Friday night! Not as freaked out as I was last meet, finally spot my team and stand around talking about how pumped we are and playing cat's cradle (or attempting to, in my case). Sit down in the sanctuary, choose a stress ball for the night, hand out some blueberry-pomegranite gum and sit, talk, and wait for announcements to start with a huge case of the butterflies. We. Were. Ready.
Chapter two: After waiting around, watching quizzes, and running through a few dances in the hallway to get my blood pumping and get excited and stuff, we sit down to quiz. I, of course, MUST have the seat furthest away from the quizmaster or I get a bit freaked out. We did well that quiz... Finishing with 180 points, we did well and my dad was proud.
Chapter three: Fast forward to Saturday morning. My dad unfortunately couldn't be there, but we, NEXT 1, were determined to do well. First quiz of the day was a perfect quiz. Like, it couldn't have gone any better for our team. We all quizzed out with no errors, finishing with a score of 300! This gave us the confidence boost that we so needed for the rest of the day... and believe me... that little boost was all we needed.
Chapter 4: Last preliminary quiz, 170 points. Happy face :o) The rest of my team went to Ikea for lunch, but my mom and I went to Fat Burger, and that was the best veggie burger EVER! Just saying. I got a new fidget toy from Education Station (a didget fidget... look em up. They're fun!) and arrived back to find out that we, NEXT 1, had actually placed 1st in the morning. I did, in that moment, feel unprepared for this, so I went and studied until Alannah and Jessica from Edson 1 came and said hi to me. Then all of the sudden there was, like, a party in room 7. That was fun. At 2:00, though, with dropped jaws and twinkling eyes, we headed to our first quiz of the afternoon. We had a great afternoon after that... We all had those moments where we got questions that we thought otherwwise impossible and were happy to have some very close quizzes with neck-to-neck competition. After a few of these quizzes, we had done what in previous years, and even just moments before, we would've thought impossible. We actually made it to finals!!!!
Chapter 5: After running outside for a little bit to cool down, eating some fruit and freaking out a bit more, it was time. We were called to the sanctuary for announcements. I was dying on the inside. I really was. I just wanted to get this over with... we had already decided as a team that now nothing mattered. Even if we all erred out, it wouldn't matter. So we walked in, jumped fast (but smart), respected eachother's specializations, and started the quiz strong. John got an impossible quote (number wasn't really even close to finished)... We were feeling good, but we didn't really take the quiz seriously until we got third person in. Now the rubber met the road. Question 11. We can actually do this... we can do this because we really actually don't care. We're not freaking out. We're not stressed. I answered the last question. Multiple answer. What came... grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. They said I was right. My face went beet red and I ran back to our seats crying. We did it. We actually did it. We prayed and thanked God for giving us the opportunity and putting us on such a great team together... still couldn't believe it!
Great meet... I placed 10th, Jon placed 8th, Patricia placed 13th... and we're all VERY happy! :oD! Teamwork is a valuable thing!
NEXT 2 did really well too! Shoutout to Lana for placing 14th in Consolation... we're all, at NEXT, doing a lot better than we ever have before. I think I speak for everyone at NEXT when I say that we all did our personal bests. (patricia says that best i
Question: How was YOUR quiz meet?
Quizzers UNITE!!!
Maegan
So... first of all... I thought it'd just be responsible of me to say this... My Nerves page is not a cure for anxiety disorders, nor is however the advice works for you diagnostic of an anxiety disorder, however, if you are experiencing extreme anxiety that cannot be subdued, or the anxiety is unexplainable or continues even when you're not quizzing, if it is interfering with your life or if you have to sit out quizzes because it gets that bad, you may want to consider talking to your doctor about the possibility of an anxiety disorder. They won't judge you... in my experience, my doctor was impressed that I brought the issue up on my own and helped me find the help I needed. If you need advice or support in doing so, feel free to email me at [email protected].
I'm also going to copy/paste this to the Nerves section... but seriously. If you have anxiety that you suspect is a problem, even if it isn't a treatable illness, just asking your doctor for a referral to a psychologist or group therapy IS A GOOD IDEA.
Now that I'm done telling you about that, let's move on to the issue of the week.
In case you didn't notice in my last post, its the quiz meet.
I did, and I am proud of this, talk to a Kids Help Phone counsellor this morning and recieved some great advice on how to avoid getting myself worked up so I'm not freaking out as much as I usually am. Extra practice today went well, and I feel like I'm prepared for (almost) anything. Team strategy is getting worked out for NEXT 1 (we're all shooting for Great West) and we are READY! Yes, yes I did actually just say that. We're ready. Are you?
Question of the day: What is the first thing that goes through your mind when you've just quoted a loooong verse and the quizmaster says the dreaded word: "Again"?
For me, I think, "My. Life. Is. Over." For half of a second, then I realize that self-pity never helped anyone and start going over the verse again, and super slowly.
Quizzers UNITE!!!!
Maegan
The title was pretty obvious, huh? But its SO true! Everything else seems so boring... I'd rather be stuck in a quiz with only quotes (My least favorite questions) than to be sitting around at home right now. i was actually typing out all of my flash cards to my iPod when I remembered that I wanted to blog about the quiz meet. Lets start with the story, then the stats, shall we?
Okay, so this quiz meet was probably the first time I've ever called quizzing an emotional challenge. I started off on a bad foot, jumping too fast, WAY too fast, and finished the first quiz with 2 errors and 3 right. I mean, not bad, right? I thought that if I just studied a little bit more, calmed down a bit and took my time jumping, it would all be fine and dandy, right? So we get back to the church from the AMAZING billet's house and I thought we were ready to roll... until the first quiz of the day. Its my instinct to start panicking at the beginning of the quiz, no matter how much I was telling myself to stay calm and breathe... the rest of the morning went kind of well. I still got questions and stuff but I didn't really ever get back into it or used to quizzing again until the last quiz of the day. We placed 4th in the morning, so we got into championships!! *insert happiness here* In our second quiz of the afternoon Patricia saved the quiz and got us into a tie in the last 3 questions like we had 'planned' and quizzed out without error... THAT WAS AMAZING!!! Then I ruined it by getting one of the tie breaker questions wrong... which was kind of depressing... then I got the last one right just for the sake of it all! YAY!
I was really stressed after that, during that quiz my pulse had reached 210/minute and before the next quiz it was 162 so I sat for a bit of the quiz before stealing a question away from the other team even though we would lose anyways but Troy wanted 3rd person in and I was in an evil mood so I did... I tried apologizing cause they needed that question to win but they just kinda glared at me... SERIOUSLY GUYS IM HONESTLY SORRY ABOUT THAT! Troy told me to...
Anyways I got an amazing question in the last quiz of the day... "What is..." then I half got an r... real rood... my flesh is real food... I officially felt amazing! That was after I had gone an entire half hour without studying or talking about quizzing at all, which I was surrprised at...
Anyways, i was shocked to find that I placed 18th... Jon and Patricia placed 16th and 17th (team dynamic much?) and we placed 8th in championships! Hannah on NEXT 2 got 3rd place Rookie in the ENTIRE meet and top rookie in consolation... YAY HANNAH!!!!
Congratulations to all of the other teams and quizzers who did so well this weekend... without the competition quizzing wouldn't be HALF as fun! Now, excuse me while I try to recover from post-quiz meet....
One more thing, guys, my mom made an amazing scrapbooking page from last year's quizzing... so I think that it would only be kind of me to direct you to www.heritagemakers.com/4923 because my mom loved the scrapbook so much she is now running a business with them! I like the program... its cool, easy to use and really fun, so if you order one, order with that link cause then my mom gets paid for it, and all profits are going towards supporting NEXT quizzing :o)
Excuse the advertising... but I really do like the program.
Anyways, good meet... get ready for February!!
Quizzers Unite!
Maegan
|
RSS Feed