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'!!
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
Tomorrow! Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrooooooow there'll be suuuuuuunnn! Just thinking abooooout.... Tomorrow! Wipes away the cobwebs and the sorroooooow till theres noooooone...
Yeah. The quiz meet? Its tomorrow. Lets all break out into song. From Annie. Yeah. We're all that cool. Who's ready? Not me! Although, when am I ever ready for these things?
So... after arranging rides and everything to and from Calgary, NEXT had an epic practice today! Our last-minute stuff always goes well... even though today we were all acting unnaturaly protective of our specializations and stuff... we're trying to all get really great personal scores to get into Great West and that I guess is turning us all into total divas... LOL!
Preparation for the meet... I'm going to wake up early tomorrow morning to get my flashcarsd done and getting everything ready for the meet tonight so I have nothing to worry about tomorrow morning. Around this time every meet, I usually have my cards done. Unfortunately, this time I don't. I apologize.
Here at NEXT we have decided (well, at least kind of decided) that we are going to attempt to avoid the candy, sweets, and any form of unhealthy food that we may come across for this entire weekend in attempts to have sharper minds and healthier bodies for quizzing. Jon's theory is that the 'junk' food will slow us down and we won't quiz our best. Or, ahem, as Patricia would say, beyond our best. Hopefully this is the right move, or at least a good one that we can keep up. I guess I'll have to switch to herbal tea to keep me awake, huh?
Well, I have flashcards to do, sleep to try to get, and a bag to finish packing.
Question: What is the most important item you have at a quiz meet, other than studying materials?
So... until we meet again, 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
Yeah... check it out, a title with no song reference!! Please excuse me while I have a random 2 minute dance party with only myself.
Anyways, in honour of the 'OH MY GOSH I ONLY HAVE ONE MORE WEEK LEFT' spirit that is probably hanging around with your quiz teams, whether its welcome or not, I have posted another study method and another Rookie tip.
Yes, Ii did say in my comment response to Patricia that I wasn't going to make another post, but this HAD to be out there, because I just remembered the tips I wanted to put onto the site and I was itching to tell you people!
And, just for the sake of it, here's another link to the flashcards for John: http://www.flashcardmachine.com/891179/5q5v
They're almost one for this meet, I swear! Bear with me people... they'll be done sooner than later, probably by later tonight okay? Okay.
I don't have a question for this blog. Go to my earlier blogs and answer my other questions... I like seeing people's comments and answers! It seriously makes my day when I get an email wrom Weebly saying 'you have a comment'! Honestly, I'm not that pathetic in real life. Wait. Am I? Hey Patricia, a little help here??? LOL!
Quizzers UNITE!
Maegan
Pardon my Alesana reference... if you don't know what that means, don't try to find out... just for those of you who...
Okay, I'll stop being obsessive. This blog is really, really, late. Who missed me :D??? *cricket sound effect* FINE! I'll just write this blog to myself. Dear me...
I'm kidding. Anyways, due to the lateness of this blog I still haven't reported on how the first quiz meet of the year went. For me, it was definitely an exercise of self-control... not only are the standards of jumping in John much slower than Corinthians but I was told by many people at numerous different times to *not* quiz out all the time, slow down and let the rookies get used to jumping... and I tried! I really did, I swear! But... like I said, controlling my jumping? Not my forte.
In the end of it all, NEXT came first in both divisions, championships and consolation, my team being in consolation, I placed first in consolation and Jon placed first in championships and Patricia placed 3rd in championships and we were all umping around in room 1 and sqealing about how much of a coincidence it was...
Anyways, mixed feelings towards that quiz meet, cause as slow as I was trying to jump I still managed to get an error in all but 2 quizzes... Oh well. Just means I should be studying more, right?
So.... another quiz meet in less than 2 weeks... WHAAAAAT? Where did the time go? Oh, I know, NaNoWriMo (writing a 50,000 word rough draft of a novel in one month)... darn it. No... I shouldn't use writing a novel in a month as an excuse... I really should be studying more... so last night I got my word count 3,000 over so I could study...
Question: What's your biggest distraction from studying? I doubt I'm going to get any answers from that question. I really don't think anyone wants to say that.
Update on the car accident: Still a bit sore, but physiotherapy has been helping a lot and if all else fails, I've got all the right medication... (no I'm not a drug dealer...)
Anyways, back to the books, keep sending stuff in... COMMENT! Please? April gets 5 stars for commenting on my last blog :o)
Quizzers UNITE!!!!
Maegan
And by 'it' I mean my emotional attatchment to Quizzing. Studying etc... starting to consume me again. The spark lit the forest on fire... right?
Anyways, I'm almost done the flashcards for the first meet.
OMG the first meet! Its one practice away after today... I know... what the heck? Where'd the time go? I'm kinda confused... I wish I'd been studying more earlier in the year....
Anyways, just thought I'd post those two things. This is short, I need to keep my flashcards, copywork and sutff up to date.
Quizzers Unite!
Maegan
Hello kind people of the quizzing world!
So... I just got the question set for the year and I've started on the flashcards but the key verses are different so this set is temporary until I get the official WCD question set, not that the questions really SHOULD be different, just that I'm going to do something different with them this year, just to test it out... I'm putting the club the verses are in with the answers (up to 145, of course I'm not putting Text on all of them and 300 I can't really tell)
http://www.flashcardmachine.com/891179/5q5v
Thanks for commenting on my other blogs. Not. LOL! I'm so lonely over here!
Quizzers...
UNITE!!!!!
Maegan
|
RSS Feed