10101010101110010110101010101101010110101011101010101101010101

Thats binary okay? Oh fine, I made it up. Today we hae been leaning about binary and how to change IP addresses int binary - quite difficult when you get started, but once you know how it's easy as pie. It's involves alot of maths skills (Not my stong point) and I cheated a bit using the calculator (How do they expect me to figure out what 32461431956 divided by 2 is?!).

Chaning decimal numbers into binary was a bit toublesome for me but Nicola came with her cape and her super hero mask on and saved me from the endless spiral of not knowing what I was doing.

We did a Cisco assement today and it was moderatly difficult. some of it was common knowledge, some of it required a pen and paper. I managed to get a score of approximatly 83% - Nicola beat me!

I'm still not overly confident about binary so I hope we get back onto it soon.

We touched upon specifications of a computer system toay and had to find parts for a customary computer - I decided to do a computer specifically designed for a Graphic Designer. The final price came to roughly £3000 and that was without VAT - With VAT it was nearning the £5000 mark.

First things first:

YAY! INDUCTION WEEK IS OVER!!

We are starting to do out first unit - unit one. All we have to do is write a report about what an empoyer looks for in the terms of skills and qualities in their employees. It takes some research, but I got the information I needed and I am already half way though it.

At break time today Nicola seemed to offend a person with special needs and had a panic attack when he approached her and started shouting abuse towards her for looking at him (He was on a wheely office chairs and crashed into the wall, so its only natural that you look).

I got myself a NUS card and need to figure out how to activate it (The woman in the office did tell me how to do it, but I wasn't paying attention).

Yesterday we got told what groups we where in, half the class got put into group A and the other hallf got put into group B for the cisco courses. Group A went into the room across the corridor and group B (my group) stayed in the current room.


At 3.00pm we packed up and got ready to go to Sutton to the bowling ally, we got into groups of six. Myself, Yan, Lewis, Sarah, Nicola and Freddie stuck on our new found shoes and played. I think I did well being the first time I played and gaining second place. Yan won (and obviously cheated with his child guards). Freddy has a bit of a hissy fit when when the child guards where put up.


We had our first "real" lesson of the academic year today and to be honest, it's extremely difficult. We where split up into the two groups. The other group was learning binary and what all the 1's and 0's mean, and the group that I was in was learning about "gates", which is essentially "mini-circuits" filled with switches.

A nand gate is simply two switches in a row. See my illustration below.

We learned where they were, what all the symbols mean and the names of them. I won't remember what they all mean by tommorow so I think I may have to look at my notes tonight.

We went to the hall today for a "fair", a couple of recognised business representatives where there, from T-mobile, Natwest and Barcleys. I picked up an NUS leaflet and am considering getting one.

Since we are still all slaving away in this induction week, we have been doing alot of "team building" activities. I suppose the main reason is to let us get to know eachother since there are many new people in my new class.

Day before yesterday, we did an online test that seemed to last for three hours. It was tediously boring and sleep intensive. Then I found out I had to do it all over again with the numeracy.

Sitting here at 2:27pm i'm wondering what the hell I should write to make a good introduction. The guide my tutor gave me is made for sleeping on so i've decided to ignore it and do my own thing.

I have to write this blog to go alongside my assignment work throughout the academic year of 2007/2008 (against my will might I add!), if all goes to plan this blog will be updated on a weekly basis and submitted to Edexcel with my assignment at the end July next year.

I would describe myself as a generally happy person who really dosent give a damn about what people think about me. If you don't like me, you don't like me. honestly, I really couldnt care less. I think this attitude is good for me as it means I have the oppertunity to not worry about what other people think like many other teenagers of todays age.

In my spare time, like many other people my own age, play computer games, watch TV and talk to friends. I don't really do clubs and groups, the last club I joined was a football club in primary school!