Phew! Exams are done and dusted (dead and buried?) and with them over, we’ve officially finished our first semester of university! Achievement unlocked! It’s been a hell of a ride, but we’ve made it. I think some small part me suspected that I might not make it this far, that I might have ‘dropped out’ by now. Well hah, small unhelpful part of me! I made it. I proved equal to the challenge. I/You were wrong to doubt me.
One thing that really helped me through exams was a “care package” I got in the mail! So I had bemoaned to my parents the lack of baking facilities in the hall, and then eventually they got sick of my complaining and sent me homemade chocolate-chip cookies! Aren’t they just the best? They told me to expect the delivery, and so everyday I was checking the Uni Hall parcel Facebook page (where reception notifies residents of all the packages that’ve arrived). There was an agonising wait period, during which I was beginning to suspect a hungry postie had eaten my cookies. But no, finally my name showed up on the list! I was so excited! I raced down to reception as fast as I can (not very fast), picked up the parcel, ripped the red postal bag open and… tadaa! A whole lunchbox full of glorious, calorie-laden cookies. Perfectly formed. Cooked just enough, and with plenty of chocolate chips.
I would like to say I shared them. The inglorious truth is, however, that I didn’t. This is because:
- By this stage, most of the people from my floor had left the hall, having already finished exams.
- I am rather greedy, especially when it comes to chocolate chips.
They lasted me five days.
Those biscuits along with some added adrenalin and desperation got me through this testing time; by last Thursday evening I was finished. I then gleefully threw my notes in the bin, said goodbye to my room in Uni Hall (I’ve grown quite fond of it) and flew out ridiculously early in the morning on the Friday. I’m going to be in Christchurch the next three weeks. What am I going to do with my time? Well, I won’t be doing very much study, that’s for sure! It’s not because I’m lazy, but rather that I literally have next to no academic work to do. Since most courses at university are structured into semesters, in the inter-semester break there is no set course-work. I won’t be doing nothing, though. I’ll be continuing to blog and provide my deep and well-considered insights to you all (you can’t stop me, I’m afraid: I’m bound by contract). I can feel a course review coming on soon. I also intend to read a lot, meet up with friends, catch up on TV and sleep, and re-establish an exercise regime (after all those cookies). A bit of skiing would be nice, too. Yes. It’s going to be just wonderful.
All the best.
– Anthony.