Studying!

This is how I have been studying for my exams: took notes on questions from past exams. Took notes on those notes. Underlined key concepts in both sets of notes. Took notes on the notes that I took on my notes. Read notes over and over. Talk to myself.

Is it possible that even with all this studying I could do poorly on my exams?

Yes.

Also, the other night I had a nightmare about cell signaling pathways that do not exist. I woke up very cranky, and worried that I will accidentally write about these fake cell signaling pathways on my exam instead of real ones.

Recently I have been studying a lot at the Scottish Studies Library. It is way better then the main library, which is filled beyond capacity with stressed students who are furiously studying. I got an email the other day that said more tables had to be moved into the library to accommodate all the students going there to study, and more study spaces had been opened in other places. So, in short, the main library is a hub of MADNESS which I am avoiding at all costs.

The Scottish Studies Library, on the other hand, is lovely. It is small, with only two rooms and three tables at which to study. One table is in the room where the librarian works, and the other two are in the connecting room. The librarian is super nice, and barely anyone studies in this library. Sometimes I am the only one there. Then I pretend it is my library.


I can dream can't I?

Yesterday and today I took tea/coffee study breaks. Yesterday I met Harriet at Metropole, and today I met Lindsey at Elephant House. Both study breaks were so nice, but today's was a bit sad as I had to say goodbye to Lindsey. Luckily, however, she goes to Smith, so we have planned to go to Haymarket together sometime next semester. She has never been.

Okay, study time!

Molecular Cell Biology

Take that MCB past papers! I am done answering all your questions! Five past papers and five make-up past papers (for those who fail the first time) with about 6 questions each. Some questions were repeats and some not so applicable to this years course so all in all I answered around 40 essay questions. Now I just have to go over the concepts these questions didn't cover and then review everything over and over and over. Oh, and do the same for Biotechnology.

Despite being finished going through the MCB past papers I am still the opposite of happy, so I am off to watch Life is Beautiful 'cuz that will definitely cheer me up.

Coping

Things are weird right now. One of my flatmates is gone. She left for the States on Wednesday. It isn't that I miss her, I mean, I didn't really get to know her so I can't exactly miss her, but it is the fact that she is gone. Her experience in Edinburgh is over. In 4 weeks my Edinburgh experience will be over too, and I think her leaving made this all the more real.

Because I only have 4 weeks left I should really try to enjoy my time in Edinburgh, but right now all I can think about is finals, Finals, FINALS. I already turned in my final paper for Genetics, Nature, and Society, so now I just have to focus on my Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology exams. They are on May 12th and May 13th respectively, so you would think that I wouldn't be too worried. Wrong. I am worried. For both exams I will be given 5 questions of which I must answer 3, and these 3 essay questions (which I get 40 minutes to answer) are worth 65% of my grade. Three measly questions determines my grade, telling you whether I successfully "learned" all the course material. What is driving me slightly more crazy, however, is the fact that I have 11 days. Eleven days during which I have to study. I would rather a short time to study and have it be done with, but instead I have to wait 11 days for my impending doom. I suppose I should try and look on the bright side, I have a lot of time to study, but that really isn't helping this rain cloud over my head to disappear.

Once my exams are over (which seems so far away) things will be great. I'll be done, my brother will come to visit, and we can enjoy all the lovely things Edinburgh has to offer. For now I am coping by watching Lizzie McGuire and eating lots of chocolate. Tonight's chocolate dessert is a Double Chocolate Swiss Roll which I bought at Tesco for 38p. When I was standing at the fattening cakes section trying to decide the best way to block my arteries I heard a girl talking about the Swiss Roll. She said when she was younger she use to get them and eat them right out of the package, biting the end off until she had consumed the entire roll. Sounded good to me.

I will update about my Spring Break travels later, when I am in a better mood.