overyourhead

2. I've got a degree in General Relativity - TRUE...
Aged eleven I went to a comprehensive school in Stevenage. It was an all-boy’s school and a real rough old place - fights amongst the kids, violent staff and frequent expulsions for threatening behaviour (by both staff and pupils). Despite that I did quite well at school exam-wise (12 O-levels, 5 A-levels) which was in no small part due to the fact that I fancied my maths teacher (male) for my first three years and then both my physics teachers (one male, one female) in the fifth and sixth forms. I was very eager to please. A swot, basically. My parents were too very proud of my results. Neither of them had ever been to university. They were overjoyed when I was pushed into decided to stay on and do a seventh term Oxbridge entrance exam (no one had done that at our school for over twenty years). Much to my surprise I won an entrance award (an Exhibition) to study at Trinity College, Cambridge. An Exhibition is when you do very well in the exam, better than a Pass but not as good as a Scholarship. Socially my three years there were the unhappiest three years of my life. I find it hard to talk about it and I don't keep in contact with a single person I knew then. Academically I faired somewhat better - studying cosmology, advanced quantum mechanics & general relativity (yeah, yeah I know, easy options!). The entrance award gave me better lodgings and also money towards accommodation. As a result I was able to live in college all three years. It was a sheltered existence which meant I didn’t have to face any town/gown life. So officially I am the proud owner of letters after my name. To be precise I’m Mr. Jonathan Green MA (Hons) Cantab MBCS. But keep it quiet. I’m embarrassed I ever went there.