Where to begin? Well, first I can't believe the first term here is actually over. It has gone ridiculously fast! If I were to have one problem with the way this term has gone, is that I have dedicated my life more to work than to fun.
And how do I feel about this? My grades have never been so high. If this work continues next term, I will go back with a first. (for the rest of this rant, please see the 'overall results' section)
Anything else? Well, I've not really travelled. I am aware I have six months left but I can not BELIEVE I have been here four months and have only travelled to DC! But, it is now Christmas - I can practically feel the snow in Chicago and Massachusetts. Come January, I am sure I will feel less upset about my lack of travelling.
But there are some positives. I have met some absolutely amazing people - both fellow exchange students and Americans. My classes, although work load top heavy, have been really interesting and my professors have been lovely people. Louisiana is still a lovely place to be - I'm not wearing a coat yet, I am however, wearing a light jacket to fight against the wind (day of publishing edit - I just saw people sunbathing.) And the food, the food is still fantastic (even if most of it is fried!) Now that this first term has finished, I feel like I should have savoured more of it and at the time, the work seemed to be the most consuming thing in the world but looking back, this term was really enjoyable.
Overall results. I never brag about my results. In fact, if I see people putting their grades on facebook, twitter, other forms of social networking that replaces actual conversation etc, I think those people need to take a sit down and think about how that status may affect someone who worked just as hard yet the results never show because they aren't EFFORTLESSLY CLEVER *takes a deep breath*. However, I have made 4 As. That translates to roughly 75%. I am not a 75% student. I am not a 70% student. Heck, I'm not even a 65% student!! If I scrape 60% I get down on my knees and thank God I am still getting a 2:1. So why have I suddenly improved? Is it my lack of social life? Is it the fact you can actually get 100% here rather than failing to move higher than 64%? Do they simply mark nicer here? I was told I'd 'get high 2:1s and firsts' here and I pretty much scoffed that idea. I refuse to argue with the results, hence my one chance to brag. I will simply be happy and aim to try just as hard next semester so that I can go back to Sussex in a strong position for fourth year.
A week to relax. I have a week before I go to Chicago and it is really nice to be able to stay here doing nothing but watching Netflix (I CAVED) and reading books (I read a fictionalised novel about Louisa May Alcott and have read Alcott's 'Moods' which has to be one of my favourite books EVER - so delicious for 19th century literature!!). I'll stop this post now before it gets any longer - off to see The Hobbit and stay at Katelyn's for the night because we are decorating Christmas cookies!
A few pictures of the purple and gold tree!
Christmas cookies we decorated!
Merry Christmas readers!
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