Finals and Snowfall pictures
Dec. 16th, 2012 02:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alee_grrlI am currently in the middle of finals, which is why I have been scarce. I had two take-home finals last week, and have two in class finals this coming week. I have yet to figure out why I find take-homes more stressful than in-class exams. I'm a bit odd that way I suppose. I'd rather have the "prep for a day or two and then throw out as much info as you can in a three or four hour period while answering the questions asked" stress than the "here's your final you have x amount of days to finish it, how on earth do I know I've covered everything" sort of stress. I particularly dislike take-homes that are given a 24 hour deadline. Because of my Lyme I often sleep 12 hours a day or longer. Knowing this I knew I had to finish the damn take-home before I could go to bed because I might not wake up with enough time to finish it the next day. It was a class where I wasn't sure how to prep prior to opening the exam, which started the countdown. The take-home was open book and open notes, just no commercial outlines or study materials. So I did my research/review while I went. Damn thing took me ten hours (with breaks, lots of short breaks). Then I crashed for a day.
My second take-home was slightly less stressful as I was more comfortable with the material. I had a bit of a "these questions are more narrow than I expected based on midterm questions" worry. The final covered mostly topics since the midterm rather than topics from the breadth of the course. This wouldn't be worrisome except for the fact that the midterm was ungraded and anonymous (we got amazing feedback in written form). The grade rests solely on the final. But I guess we all did well enough on the midterm that she felt we understood the issues covered because the final did not deal with those issues at all. This final took me about eight hours, with a couple of very long breaks (grocery shopping took at least an hour). Both are turned in, which means they are out of my hands and I can only worry about them in the vague "I hope I do okay" sense rather than nitpick them to death until the last day they were due. Now I can switch gears and start prepping for my two in class finals (one Tuesday, the other Thursday). Then I will be done for the semester! Yay! After that I will have exactly one year left of law school, which is exciting and utterly terrifying all at once. I will get to walk in May with the rest of my class, but won't get the actual diploma til December of 2013.
We're finally getting a bit of snow here in Vermont. It's been a ridiculously mild winter so far with more rain than snow. It's supposed to warm up enough to turn into wintry mix, and I kind of hope we get a blast of colder air to prevent that. I'd rather the snow at the moment, especially since I'm not the one who has to shovel it. ;) My awesome neighbor has a contract to do that. Anyway I took some pics this morning. Not much snow on the ground yet, but it was pretty. The pics were all taken from indoors with my cell phone, but they were pretty enough to share. I have some lovely views. :)
My second take-home was slightly less stressful as I was more comfortable with the material. I had a bit of a "these questions are more narrow than I expected based on midterm questions" worry. The final covered mostly topics since the midterm rather than topics from the breadth of the course. This wouldn't be worrisome except for the fact that the midterm was ungraded and anonymous (we got amazing feedback in written form). The grade rests solely on the final. But I guess we all did well enough on the midterm that she felt we understood the issues covered because the final did not deal with those issues at all. This final took me about eight hours, with a couple of very long breaks (grocery shopping took at least an hour). Both are turned in, which means they are out of my hands and I can only worry about them in the vague "I hope I do okay" sense rather than nitpick them to death until the last day they were due. Now I can switch gears and start prepping for my two in class finals (one Tuesday, the other Thursday). Then I will be done for the semester! Yay! After that I will have exactly one year left of law school, which is exciting and utterly terrifying all at once. I will get to walk in May with the rest of my class, but won't get the actual diploma til December of 2013.
We're finally getting a bit of snow here in Vermont. It's been a ridiculously mild winter so far with more rain than snow. It's supposed to warm up enough to turn into wintry mix, and I kind of hope we get a blast of colder air to prevent that. I'd rather the snow at the moment, especially since I'm not the one who has to shovel it. ;) My awesome neighbor has a contract to do that. Anyway I took some pics this morning. Not much snow on the ground yet, but it was pretty. The pics were all taken from indoors with my cell phone, but they were pretty enough to share. I have some lovely views. :)
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Date: 2012-12-17 05:25 am (UTC)Yay for getting two finals out of the way! Best of luck with those remaining and hugs to you.
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Date: 2012-12-17 04:43 pm (UTC)Thanks for the hugs and the good luck wishes!
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Date: 2012-12-17 06:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-17 06:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-18 08:36 pm (UTC)Um, wow. I am so in awe of you for managing law school AND Lyme, sleeping 12 hours a day? I would be so frustrated. (Actually, I think I've been there a couple of times and I WAS so frustrated. I never felt like I was getting enough done. Even sleeping 7-8 hours a night I never feel like I get enough done.)
But! You are almost done for the semester! And you know how to do it in the best way for you! Yaaaaaay!
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Date: 2012-12-18 09:22 pm (UTC)I bet very, very frustrated with Lyme quite frequently. The massive amounts of sleep I need, especially when stressed, the brain fog and forgetfulness, and I really despise the anxiety, depression and those little demons of doubt. I'm at the point in my treatment where I don't have the physical symptoms as much anymore (much less achy and stiff than I used to be), but am in a phase of treatment focusing on the neurological problems. It is getting better and I am thankful to be able to take out loans for grad school, to have insurance through grad school, and have a flexible schedule in grad school. I do not think I could cope with this treatment and working full time. Hopefully by the time I'm done with school I'll be at a point in my treatment where I don't need so much rest and can cope with full time hours. Was there for a short period this summer, so it'll get there again. :)
Thanks for the cheerleading! :D It is much appreciated.
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Date: 2012-12-18 09:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-18 09:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-12-18 10:05 pm (UTC)Yes, the sun lamp has helped a ton. It was dark and gloomy for a couple of weeks, then I was dark and gloomy, and the sun lamp came and all somehow was okay again. A friend of mine bought mine for me in exchange for handwarmers, though, which I really need to get working on for her!
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Date: 2012-12-18 10:13 pm (UTC)