Ben Clatworthy's Blog

by Ben Clatworthy, blog content editor

First Eleven Magazine

Theres always something exciting about opening a magazine and seeing an article that you have written, often months in advance, printed on that thin glossy paper.

However, theres something even more exciting about walking into your local WHSmith and seeing your article on sale in a real shop…

When I sat down to write my ‘Becoming a boarder’ article for the magazine in late June to be honest I must admit I did think to myself what exactly is the point – it wasn’t the pay (thats a lovely bonus though), it was not in the least bit exciting and too be totally honest it was the last thing I wanted to be doing just after my GCSE exams had finished (and by the way I mean literally that afternoon).

So what exactly is the plus side? Well, now in Mid-October as I finally pick up a copy of the magazine, flick to page 11 and see 3 photos of me and see that article (not just a long word document) I now most certainly do understand the appeal.

It must be strange being a freelance writer with varying length lead times and a new twist always coming just moments after you finish the article… I know the death of Michael Jackson caused me to re-write the section on the latest music trends.

The summer sun goes down, back to school.

It’s not a lie to admit that we have been here before; the launch of my blog that is. So why are we on attempt 3 (is it?). Well the honest answer is that all the others have come across some problem or other, normally to as a result of something technical.

Anyway, third time lucky, “This is it”, maybe its best I don’t use that phrase, after the death of Michael Jackson over the summer I think its safe to say I might just jinx myself if I say that. He hadn’t even died when I last wrote a blog entry and we’re in October now. So what on earth has been going on since June? Well GCSE results came out in August and much to my relief I passed everything so that one stress gone and then in September it was back to Clifton for another year and 6th Form, or AS Levels. My subject choices are very journalistically focused and picked for that very reason; English Literature, Economics, Geography and Politics.

The first few weeks of term are always a whirlwind of activity as the new 3rd form find their feet whilst others settle into a new timetable and dust off books which haven’t even seen the light of day during the summer. My school life has changed too; I’ve started boarding… The best decision of my school life to date. Its brilliant. It meant moving into a new school House but even that was change for the better and I am yet to find fault in my new surroundings.

Thats all for this first instalment of the new blog. I’ll be back next week for more, and with Autumn approaching thoughts are increasingly turning to winter, I might just need to write some ski related ’stuff’ next time…