Exams

I knew May would be the hardest month of my program but I was unprepared for how hard.  The UK education system is very different then in the US.  Instead of taking an exam or writing a paper for each core class, you take one exam that tests your knowledge of the subjects at the end of the school year--9 months after you took those classes.  You are given one question per class and whatever you get on that question is what your grade is for that class.  You have to pass each question and have an overall pass grade in order to get your degree.  You then have another exam which tests your overall knowledge and can incorporate anything from any class you have taken.  You must also pass this in order to get the degree.  The hardest part is squeezing in study time while you are also in classes.  We are only given one week free from anything else to study.  Here has been my study schedule the last three weeks:


9:30-10:30am: wake up, sometimes go for a run, get ready, eat breakfast, do any chores
10:30-11am: commute to school
11am-11pm: study
11-11:30pm: commute home
12-1am: relax, hang out with flatmates, get ready for bed
Repeat Monday through Saturday.  Sundays I take off, although last Sunday I spent 10 hours doing church things.

I cannot honestly remember the last hot meal I had.  I have been living off sandwiches and salads from subway, the school cafeteria or pret a manager.  Least you think I would get sick of this, I mix it up with sushi from a place around the corner from school.  Their sushi is half off after 8:30pm.  Once I even went so late they gave me whatever I wanted for free since they were just going to throw it away.  It was def a study miracle!

One of my school besties has been so obsessively studying we lovingly call her "Tiger Mom".  She is Asian and is fulfilling every stereotype.  I have not had a conversation with her that didn't surround these exams in over a month.  She got so stressed out the night before the exam she got diarrhea and didn't sleep the whole night.  She was in tears the morning of the first exam which is so rare for her.  I was nervous because health economics was my strongest subject (you know it's bad when this happens) and Shea and I had a legit conversation about how we both used the website mathisfun.com to get through some of our classes. Needless to say we have all felt a lot of pressure.  I will be totally honest, the pressure of the exams made me have some pretty irrational thoughts.  Have you seen the movie Limitless with Bradly Cooper?  He takes a drug that makes him be able to access so much of his brain he becomes a super genius with tons of energy.  I never been to tempted to do drugs but had the Limitless drug been available I may have considered it.  I am kidding...sort of.

I also read a article about these children in China who hook themselves up to IVs while they are studying so they can been even more alert.  I do attend school with a bunch of doctors and the thought crossed my mind to do the same.

Instead I settled for my drug of choice: diet coke.   I have developed an addiction.  That's what happens when that is the only thing that keeps you from going crazy.  I decided to detox the month of June--I'm two days in and doing alright.

My finger has a permanent indentation from taking practice exams .  It is slowly looking more normal.  

On the way to the exam I calmed my fears with a little Nirvana and Rocky's theme song--I wish I was kidding.  And in the end, it all went fine.  Well actually, I won't know for another month or so but I assume it went alright.  Either way it's over and I am so happy about it.  We celebrated with lots of trips to the pub and a retreat to the British sea (More on this to come when my camera stops acting up).

My school besties after our final exams.  We did it!

I cannot believe this year is wrapping up. It feels surreal.  I am so looking forward to the summer.  While I will have to write a dissertation, I will have the entire summer to do it. I have a "few" trips planned and some pretty exciting visitors (Smart Sistas take Europe in 28 days!!) and I can't wait!