…Yep, you guessed it: exams! It’s that time of the year, and even though I should be used to it now by the end of my junior year, the word still makes anxious. So far I’ve written three exams: British History, Memory and Perception, and Social Anthropology today. I still have to write one more in Thinking and Language. Notice the use of the word “write”: that is what people say here instead of “taking an exam”, and they certainly are written exams: essay based solely. No multiple choice or fill in the blanks. And lots of hand cramps. My history exam was three hours long: I was exhausted afterward. Most of them are only two hours though. Thankfully.  

The studying has been intense; I’ve pretty much made the library my home during the day. My room is a mess (see picture of my desk): I’m a huge neat freak, kind of to the point where I don’t like working if things aren’t in order. And I haven’t slept late in the morning for a while! I miss it! But I’ve come out of the exams feeling pretty comfortable which should be a good sign, right? I’m nervous, and don’t really know what the external examiners expect.

I also just realized something: by next Wednesday I am done with my junior year! Where did it go? Everything has flown by and I can’t believe I will be a senior when I get back to Evanston… I remember being a freshman an a) being intimidated by the seniors, and b) thinking that they were these mature, smart beings, who had their stuff figured out. Personally I don’t quite see myself in those terms yet!

But until then I still have three more weeks that I intend to enjoy fully here in Edinburgh! Here’s to hoping that the weather warms up a tad!

Expect more posts!