First exam of the semester was this morning! It wasn't really an exam - more like a glorified quiz - but it covered some of the basics of immunology. Not too bad since it was only a few pages of true and false questions and definitions. Cardiovascular physiology is on Thursday, and that's a big one. Our physio is divided up by body section/system so each exam only covers that one system in detail. I think it'll be tough and comprehensive, but at least this stuff makes sense to me (for the most part). There's also a behavior quiz on Friday, but I don't think that's even on the radar for most of us right now and should be cake.
As much as I would have loved to get some of that nationwide band of snow and ice (it's just not wintry enough down here!), it's a relief that we don't have to worry about making up our missed lectures. In undergrad, a delay or closing didn't really matter (even though we only got a total of one snow day in four years). Teachers just sped up a little or omitted the missed material. After our snow day on the second day of the semester, we had to find time to attend make-up sessions with our lecturers. It's so much of a hassle when we're already cramped for time that it's not even worth the fun of snow! All the same...having days of 65 or 70 degrees in January is freaking me out a little. It's not normal, and it's also not the best way to stay indoors and be productive on weekends!
It's been interesting to see the changes in students since last semester. There's definitely been more backbiting and high school attitude going around. I don't know if people are more stressed, getting sick of each other, or just realizing that this constant go-go-go is how our lives are going to be for the next 3.5 years. Overall, the class still gets along great - we're cohesive, support each other, and are very enthusiastic. There's just been more complaining about each other or little tiffs between students. Hopefully it's just the stress of the first round of exams...
The only issue I have with the class as a whole are the grade-A stressors. I used to be one back in high school and early undergrad. Panicking, crying over tests, weeping over missed points, making myself ill before exams, etc. Sometime during sophomore year - I think it was because of organic chemistry - I just sort of realized that all I could do was study the best I could and see what the exams threw at me. You can't know every single detail and major stressing was only setting me back and making school miserable. That adjustment has really helped me stress less, study better (and less on the whole!), and do better in my classes. It's an important skill to learn, and I think it comes to students at different times (if at all). So while I sympathize with the study-holics and know where they're coming from, sometimes I just want to tell them that it will all be better for them if they take a deep breath and relax. Nothing aggravates a day of school when you arrive perfectly happy with your level of knowledge and grasp of concepts and then have to hear constant cries of, "I'm going to fail!" I mean, I study a lot, but not every single night for every single hour I'm home. I've found a way that works for me, and it's cut down on how much I have to spend with the books to get the grades I want and need for further training. Also, there are a few things I won't sacrifice for school even if it means getting a B rather than an A on an exam - my sleep, my sanity, and my relationship.
However, according to several professors and other classes, we're one of the most relaxed groups to come through the school recently. Don't know how I would have handled being in a class with MORE of this kind of anxiety!
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