Abroad in Baltimore #11
The Pre-Final Slump
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If you haven’t already heard, Taylor Swift’s re-released album Red (TV) has finally come out so Fall can officially start. Although this is not a blog in which I review albums, the 10 minute short film Ms. Swift wrote and directed is nothing short of a masterpiece and I implore you to give it a watch while the leaves are still falling. And with that, we can now commence with our regularly scheduled blog post.
As we hunker down for final projects and exams, there is another season we students must be extra vigilant about this time of year: The pre-final slump. Don’t be fooled by the approaching holiday cheer, this time of year is the most dangerous for students around the world. After working hard all semester, by the time mid-November rolls around and finals are on the horizon, we begin to dream of winter break and it’s dangerously easy to let things go.
Attendance is a vital part of most studio courses, and only allows for one or two unexcused absences per semester. If you’ve been smart and saved them up, this is about the time you’ll be looking to cash them in as it’s probably not a good idea to start missing class any closer to finals. But be warned, absences are a slippery slope and it’s all too easy to let things get out of control. I’m speaking from experience when I say that if you start missing class left and right you won’t feel ready when finals do come crashing in.
It’s all about deciding when you can allow for a bit of relaxation and when you have to just push through. It’s this time of year where you decide how the rest of your semester is going to look, either very organized with plenty of time, or scrambling to get things done. I’ve done it both ways and I can tell you this much, winter break should be a reward, not another deadline.
As I start to prepare for the end of the semester and realize that my classes are circling for a landing, I’ve found that it’s the peers I’ve befriended that I’m going to miss the most. I have this working theory that the harder and more painful a class is, the more you bond with your peers and this semester of classes has been no exception.
The people in my anatomy class are so much fun to draw with on a Thursday night and being stuck in a sweaty studio room for 6 hours every week really connects you to people. Similarly, my peers in creative writing have also become some of my favorite people to work with. It’s a bit heartbreaking for me to think that in a few weeks we won’t have class together anymore and I just hope I can savor the rest of our time together.
Gosh, I’m tearing up just thinking about it. I still have another semester at MICA, but after just one I feel like a part of their community and have immensely enjoyed this first part of my study abroad experience. Plunging into campus knowing no one made me realize how much I took my built in connections and friendships at PCA for granted.
Another thing I’ve sorely taken for granted this semester is being closer to my family. It’s ironic that my year abroad would actually bring me closer to home. When I’m abroad, I often miss things like birthdays, Halloween, and Thanksgiving, but this year I get to enjoy all of the holidays with my family close by. We just celebrated my Dad’s birthday and I realized this is the first time I’ve been home for it in a couple years. I’ve just really enjoyed being closer to home, getting to spend time with my Mom, and properly annoy my little sister.