Although I am done with all of my exams and essays and assignments and sleepless nights (I digress...), it is kind of bittersweet. With only a week left in Ireland I have come to the realization that the reason I came here was to study, and I have done just that. Done. Completed. It's over.
Let me tell you, the road to this completion was rocky at best. Back in the States I am quite used to having exams nearly every month, lab reports due every week and having homework every single night. Since being abroad I have learned a very different education system. Over here, us students have our lectures and at the very end of term is when we get tested on what we have learned throughout the semester. Just one exam. JUST ONE BIG EXAM THAT COUNTS FOR YOUR ENTIRE GRADE. Ok, so that's a bit of an overstatement (I know that science modules require more work than a singular exam). I think I only had one course that required a single exam for the overall grade. But with that said, I must say it has been extremely eye-opening seeing how different countries educate their students.
Coming from a very small university, the exam process for a big university such as UCC was definitely a trip to say the least. I had all my exams at the Mardyke Arena which is the gym that's part of campus. Each student has to have their exam timetable printed and ready upon arrival with student card at the ready. Needless to say I nearly forgot everything before I left....smooth one Bridge, smooth.....
For my first exam, I walk into the gym with my crinkled and disintegrating timetable, as I have been sweating it out for the past hour trying to remember who killed who in Antony and Cleopatra and thinking about how delicious a chicken doner kebab would be at that moment. We all get herded into the gym area where there are rows upon rows, upon rows of desks with numbers on them. I eventually find my seat, sit down and await further instructions. Although I had studied for quite some time, every exam I walked into felt something like this:
"It's just..........good business...."
For the first exam I had, of three, the dude behind me sounded like he was coughing up a lung or something.
I mean honestly....get some cough drops or something dude, some of us are trying to fill the blank space on our exam books with complete and utter mindless knowledge! Honest to god, this guy was coughing the entire time. Thanks so much for spreading your germs all over my back. You da best.....
So for my exams I had a solid 90 minutes to complete them and let me tell you, once they were done, every single person, including yours truly, FLEW out that door. I mean, it was utter chaos but everyone was happy to get out of there.
SWEET FREEDOM
Being completely done with finals and essays is such a sweet feeling. Now I have all the time to explore this beautiful city and take in my last few days worth of Ireland. As bittersweet as it is to leave this country I have come to call home, I cannot wait to run into the arms of my parents and my siblings. This has been the longest I have not seen them and I cannot wait for their warm embraces.
~Bridge
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