I'm done, but I'm not.
So far, the end of the semester has been brutal. It turns out that both my instructors are attending AGU and so everything had to be finished this week. I managed to finish all my assignments up, but it did involve a few nights with not much sleep. On the bright side, I got done earlier than just about everyone else.
I also finished up most of my grading at 11 p.m. last night. That is, I finished up the grading that had to be turned in (the instructor for the course gets all final exams). I brought a couple things home. Mostly it's post-lab questions, which are not time consuming. I have to send my grades in tomorrow, though.
I think I did okay grade-wise. I know that I got an A- in one class. So much for getting a 4.0. It turns out that they use +/- grades here, so I'm already behind. (But I really don't care about grades anymore, right? Didn't I decide that I put far too much emphasis on grades, which would cause me to stress out and not be able to study, thus becoming a cycle of doom? Isn't that warm fuzzy feeling that I learned something the important thing? Yeah, didn't think so.) I was happy because that was the class I biffed the midterm. I felt far better prepared for the final exam, and I'm guessing that's why I didn't get a B, despite the fact I was expecting it.
I think I had two big realizations this semester.
1) I've always been in a situation where the classes kicked my ass, and the grading was less substantial. I guess it doesn't always work that way. Being in classes where the work is doable but not an uphill battle all the way was...fun. But I feel guilty because I'm not used to it. I learned a lot, but I'm used to learning being a struggle.
2) I can get everything done as long as I get into a good rhythm. I don't think I found that rhythm until mid-November. By then, I was so far behind, it took everything just to dig out of my hole. However, I did manage it. I think that if I can get into that rhythm early next semester, life will be a lot better, and I'll be A-okay for my writtens.
Both of these realizations leave me feeling rather positive about the upcoming semester. But first, I get to spend a whole month with my little guy. Yesterday was his last day at daycare, and he doesn't start his new one until mid-January. Boy, is he going to be sick of me. :-)
I also finished up most of my grading at 11 p.m. last night. That is, I finished up the grading that had to be turned in (the instructor for the course gets all final exams). I brought a couple things home. Mostly it's post-lab questions, which are not time consuming. I have to send my grades in tomorrow, though.
I think I did okay grade-wise. I know that I got an A- in one class. So much for getting a 4.0. It turns out that they use +/- grades here, so I'm already behind. (But I really don't care about grades anymore, right? Didn't I decide that I put far too much emphasis on grades, which would cause me to stress out and not be able to study, thus becoming a cycle of doom? Isn't that warm fuzzy feeling that I learned something the important thing? Yeah, didn't think so.) I was happy because that was the class I biffed the midterm. I felt far better prepared for the final exam, and I'm guessing that's why I didn't get a B, despite the fact I was expecting it.
I think I had two big realizations this semester.
1) I've always been in a situation where the classes kicked my ass, and the grading was less substantial. I guess it doesn't always work that way. Being in classes where the work is doable but not an uphill battle all the way was...fun. But I feel guilty because I'm not used to it. I learned a lot, but I'm used to learning being a struggle.
2) I can get everything done as long as I get into a good rhythm. I don't think I found that rhythm until mid-November. By then, I was so far behind, it took everything just to dig out of my hole. However, I did manage it. I think that if I can get into that rhythm early next semester, life will be a lot better, and I'll be A-okay for my writtens.
Both of these realizations leave me feeling rather positive about the upcoming semester. But first, I get to spend a whole month with my little guy. Yesterday was his last day at daycare, and he doesn't start his new one until mid-January. Boy, is he going to be sick of me. :-)