It's really over...

SCHOOL IS DONE!

Has been since last Thursday, but I've been so caught up in celebrating and winding down that I've not really been on the computer. Just got back from taking Conrad to school and the sun hasn't completely hit the garden yet, so I'm resolved to sit down and talk about the wonder and majesty that are final exams at Goldsmiths.

I wasn't nervous about my medieval history class. My friend Olie and I spent nearly a month studying for it, and it was gorgeously sunny that morning (allowing me to wear a sun dress and flip flops), so I was ridiculously calm going into it. So much so that Sonja was concerned. But to be fair, I really can't get worked up about things when the sun is showing itself for the first time in WEEKS...

Anyway. Exam-taking here is a curious affair. I'm used to having to run to the student bookstore first and stock up on Scantrons and blue books, but they provide all that for you. You also can't bring in any bags or coats or anything, and you have to empty your pockets into these chintzy little white plastic bags, tie them securely, then leave it all under your desk for the duration of the exam. You can have a bottle of water and extra pens and such, and it goes without saying that your cell phone has to be shut off. Both of my exams took place in the Great Hall, which is obviously this big room in the main building. I was surprised to notice they have a pipe organ in the front as well as choir seating thingies up on a big stage. The floor is lined with rows of individual desks, and since there are multiple classes taking their exam in there with you, after walking in you have to first find your class, then walk up the rows and find the desk that has your name on it. There are a bunch of teacher-types wandering around (their official name is "exam invigilators"...how ridiculous is that?), and the head one reads off the important announcement things (i.e.: DON'T CHEAT), and then you're off.

My medieval exam was only a two-hour essay deal. Thirteen questions, pick two, write two essays. As I looked over the questions, I realized I could've gotten away with a massive three-day study blitz and been fine. Oh well. I don't think I've ever been able to say that I've been over-prepared for a final before. Wrote an essay on mendicant orders and another about the "fall" of the Roman Empire. Finished about fifteen minutes early and just sat and stared. Tried to avoid eye contact with the scary teacher who I'm sure I've mentioned before. Olie and I then treated ourselves to a quick bit of shopping (I wandered into a Claire's for the first time in ages and got a cute pair of earrings as well as some ridiculous High School Musical socks Olie talked me into). Had a pint to celebrate being half done, went home and my brain turned to mush so I called it an early night.

Got up the next morning and was greeted by more gorgeous sunlight, so after taking Conrad to school I got my books and my bathing suit and sat in the back garden all day, listening to music and chatting on IM. Good times. Got a teensy bit of a sunburn that morphed into a nice tan the next day.

Woke up the next morning to even more sunlight but sadly had no more sundresses to wear, so I opted for cutoffs and a t-shirt and headed off to school after dropping off Conrad. About halfway there my stomach tied itself in knots and I almost threw up. Apparently my head decided to be nervous about the English exam. Ridiculous. English exams have always been easy. This one, however, is a three-hour monster. Have to pick one essay topic from three different sections and write an essay for each, without using any one piece of literature that we'd covered in more than just one essay. Sweet. Wrote one about Homer, one about Strindberg, and one about Atwood and Brookmyre (great essay on the functions of mockery in a text...kept wanting to use the phrase "taking the piss", but thankfully managed to avoid doing so). Finished fifteen minutes early again, did a doodle on the back of the question booklet, then strode out of there a bit weak-kneed since all the school stress was attempting to leave my body at once (which wouldn't have normally been a problem except that I think that stress was all that was keeping me going by the end...). I was actually shaking as we all congregated outside the Great Hall while deciding which pub to go to.

Wound up at the Hobgoblin, where I wound up being the only one of the group that was completely done with finals. Had a good time sitting in the sunny beer garden out back. And thus it came to pass that I was completely done with school.

Didn't actually get to properly celebrate until Friday night since Sonja was out of town the night of my last final. The weather was still nice on Friday, so I joined a bunch of classmates in the grassy courtyard of one of the dorm halls and hung out for hours. Went back to Olie's flat later that night for a dance party, which lasted until the sun came up, so we abandoned the dance party to go and find a field from which to watch the sun rise. Pictures and video on facebook. Got home at about 7:30 Saturday morning. Surprisingly, didn't actually drink that much. In fact, the bottle of vodka I brought with me never even got opened. Just good times with good folks. Made a couple of new friends too.

So now I'm trying to adjust to having nothing to occupy my day other than housework. I've ordered my textbook for the Old English class I'm taking next year, so I think I'm going to get a jump start on that as well as start teaching myself Latin. Exciting stuff. Especially Latin. I've already read two books since Saturday, and I'm probably going to raid Sonja's library for more tomorrow. Especially since the weather is still supposed to be nice and I have no intention of leaving the house.

Anyway. Time to go. More about the situation my job has evolved into later. Maybe tomorrow night.