Freedom Rings!!

Finally! I can breaaaaathe again!! Anyone who has seen me in the past 3 and a half weeks or so knows that I temporarily abandoned my never take life too seriously mantra in order to isolate myself in hibernation in my room and at E Boyle library. Let me explain what the British school system has done to me...

Considering the fact that I did almost no work this year, minus write 2 submitted essays and keeping up with English literature, I was in a bit of a bind when I got back from Europe a couple days before new years. Since then I have basically been studying my butt off in my room and in the library. I had it all figured out, how I was going to manage my time, how I was going to eat well and go to the gym and all. That worked up until my third exam on the 11th of January. In between new year's and then Anna came home from visiting her brother in Edinburgh and later that weekend all my flatmates came back home, along with the entire uni population. Then after those 3 exams I realized that I hadn't even glanced at the other 2 courses all year. So smart me studied one course till the 15th and studied the other one for 48 hours till my exam today (17th). Aside from doing lots of procrastinating in the flat, in the library, and especially in our kitchen with those little egg suction cups you throw against the window (amy through it OUT the window hehe), I don't think I've ever had to cram soo intensely!! Yet the British are still so laid back about exams, but its soo different back home. I love how they give you a seat number in the exam room so you can't really write the wrong exam (unless of course it's their fault), ahem.. someone i know.. I think they went pretty well, aside from that one exam where I had to sit next to someone who shifted in his seat for 2 hours because he didn't try to write his exam... ugh

I won't find out how they went until February. Although they were all exams worth 75-100% of my final mark, I'm not quite sure how it translates back home when grad schools look up your mark. Anyways I am now a certified expert on climate change (sort of), modern literature, cognition, emotion, motivation and social psych and environment and society (well, sort of). I learned 5 courses in 3 weeks and handed in an essay, not bad at all.

I walked out of my exam feeling SOooooooooooooooooooooo happy as if I were finally alive again haha it took so much out of me. I think I will do more work next semester. I should mention that last weekend we went out for Anninha's birthday- so fun and I was going to go party at fruity but I felt sooo full from the buffet- they even had a chocolate fountain...mm (as Jason says, not all you can eat, but more than you can eat). Apparently I missed a really fun night but I didn't mind too much after hearing they got home after 4 am to have to stuyd the next day... meh they're so laid back that it's not so bad, if you fail you just resit the exam! haha ok i'll stop talking about school, so glad to have a life back now! It was bad at some points haha but I did it.

Anyways David, Steph and I just randomly decided to go to the driving range a couple of towns over. My hands really hurt as it was a bit chilly and a lot of swinging but soo fun. I want one of those putting greens in my room to practise with. So what now? Tomorrow, I have to pick out courses for next semester tomorrow, get some food, get settled and the sort. As well, a lot of the exchange students are only here for a semester and will be leaving this weekend, so there will be some tearful farewell parties coming up... :( oohh and on that note, I met some more McMaster girls today... I loved seeing their faces after just having gotten here- reminds me of when I first got here 4 months ago. I absolutely cannot believe that I've been here for 4 months- so much has changed and I am so excited for whatever lies ahead, who knows what another few more months here will do. I feel so happy and privledged to be here (thank u mom and dad) and I am without a doubt, having the time of my life. I'll save the rest for a more reflective journal later, and now, relaxing time.. aahhhh