We're almost there.

Hey, everyone!

Classes have officially ended for the semester and all that is left are finals. Yay! (Or not-so-yay considering finals are not too fun).

There is something really strangely wonderful and stressful about finals week. All the people who have been not going to class or not doing their assignments are now in a desperate frenzy to salvage their grades. Other people have been putting in the work all semester and are still in a desperate frenzy because let's face it, who isn't freaking out during finals week?  At the beginning of every semester, I tell myself to make an effort all semester so that I can learn the material over a longer period of time. This helps when studying for finals because you already know all of the stuff. You just have to review it and do practice problems (if it's something like a math or science class). Of course, we all have our lazy periods, but it's super important to make an effort. This way you won't be cursing yourself for spending countless hours on Facebook or Twitter or tumblr or Pinterest when you could have been reviewing your notes. But who's perfect? We're all guilty of being distracted.

So how do you fight distraction?

Look at the bigger picture. Why are you in school? You're there to learn and grow and be better. Those hours spent studying and writing papers are at times painful and difficult. But they will be worth it one day. Some people believe that there's no point in going to college. And maybe, for some people that's true. But for me, I know it's the right thing. Knowledge is power. (Corny as that sounds.) To be able to communicate your thoughts effectively is power. College can help you be better, but only if you let it.
So as you're struggling this week, remember why you're doing all of this. (And make a long list of fun things to do after finals are over).

In other news, the Seminar 4 conference at the Macaulay building happened last weekend. We all had to do our group presentations. It's always interesting to see the kinds of projects the Macaulay kids at other campuses do. It was my third presentation of the semester. I like presenting, but I always seem to speak too quickly because I get nervous and want to get all of my thoughts out before I forget them. haha. I've gotten a lot better at it over the past couple of years because I've learned to control my nerves a bit better and just slow down, but it's a struggle. I feel like the more often I give presentations, the more comfortable I get. Sometimes, you have to do things that make you uncomfortable, in order to eventually be good at them. What's weird is that I usually feel more comfortable if I can move around during the presentation. That seems to calm my nerves for some reason.

There are a few people that I went to middle school and high school with that are in Macaulay, but I don't get to see them because we go to different colleges. These Seminar events are good because you get to see people that you normally wouldn't see. Before my presentation, I got to see one of my old friends who I haven't seen since graduating high school two years ago. It was super nice seeing him and catching up on each other's lives. We bonded over our stressful pre-med existence. haha. Facebook is good for keeping in touch, but it's just not the same as seeing someone face to face. Also, once I finished my presentation, I sat back down to see the next presentation. Lo and behold one of the people in the next group was someone who I went to middle school with and hadn't seen in almost 6 years! I knew he was in Macaulay, but this my first time seeing him at any of the events. I sat through his group's presentation all the while wondering if he remembered me or if I should say something. His group finished presenting and sat right behind my group. He ended up tapping my shoulder and we had a super nice conversation. I love moments like that. It's so cool to see people after long periods of time because you notice how some things have changed and others have stayed the same.

Good luck to everyone studying for finals and/or writing final papers!

S.

Quote of the Week

“Study hard, for the well is deep, and our brains are shallow.” 
― Richard Baxter, The Reformed Pastor

P.S. The sounds I hear in the library during finals week: 

• the clickety-clack of someone furiously typing on their laptop
• the zipping and unzipping of bags
• heavy sighs
• the sounds of unwrapping sandwiches or opening food containers (because everyone stops caring that we aren't allowed to eat in the library)
• the brief whispered conversations of friends in silent study
• ...and other unidentified sounds.