(Interesting title regarding pre-finals here)

Hello from Siberia!

Ok, so I'm not really in Siberia, its more Arctic than that. We're experiencing our first negative tempature days of the year up here at Luther, and let me tell you, it is not a fun walk from Olson (my residence hall), to the Union (source of life on campus), to the music building (center of all life on campus...sort of), and back. I kind of forgot that I'm still going to college in Iowa, and hats and gloves are pretty much winter prerequisites to living here. Note to self: beg parents for a parka and mucklucks.

So, I decided that the most effective use of my last two blogs (not that I can't write more) before Christmas break would be to fill everyone in on what exactly goes down during college final preparation here at Luther.

Disclaimer: I am not an average Luther college student.

Saturday (aka "reading day" [see below for explanation])
Sleep
Juries! (see explanation 2)
Subway
Juries!
Dinner
Facebook
Study
Study/Facebook
Study/Facebook
Facebook
Facebook
Facebook
Sleep

Sunday (aka cram everything before tomorrow day)
Sleep
McDonalds
Study
Study
coffee break
Study
Study/Facebook (not again....)
Study!
Dinner
Freeze my butt off
Study
Study/Facebook
Study/Facebook
Facebook
Shower
Facebook
Blog
Facebook
Sleep

Monday (finals for most everyone else....not for me-day!)

Now, reading that, you are probably wondering how in the world I got anything done with all that facebook time. Well, you're right, I didn't get a lot of things done while I was on facebook. Thats the problem with wireless internet, you just can't avoid your social networking sites. However, I did get a lot of studying done when I wasn't reading about who just tagged 16 of their friends in a note, or who has the angstiest status.

I have 4 finals. On Tuesday, I have my music theory, ear training, and developmental psychology finals. What a day, eh? And then on Wednesday, all the first year students have their Paideia final at the same time. I honestly think its scheduled that way so that there is a vibe of mutual suffering from all the first years ringing throughout the campus for a solid 2 hours. Honestly, the Paideia final is painless if you're prepared. At least thats what I think the Ghost of Christmas Future was trying to tell me last night.

So, as we draw to the end of this blog, as in classic "formal" writing form, I told you what I was going to tell you, then I told you , now I'm going to remind you what I told you. (If you've no idea about what that means, ask your English teacher.)

Basically, finals are only stressful if you let them stress you out. I feel that I, for once, was responsible about starting my studying before the night before my exams, and I think that that has significantly affected my view on finals. However, if you find yourself studying and tempted to check facebook every 10 minutes, I'll save you the trouble: Nothing happened.

Now, as promised, I will explain the two earlier mentioned "college terms."

Reading day isn't all that exciting. It's just basically the title that Luther gives to a specific day preceding the start of finals in which 24 hour "quiet" hours are enforced. This really helps a lot of students get motivated to start studying early because of lack of excessive noise in the dorms and around campus.

I can't remember if I already mentioned juries, but I'm too lazy to go back and check my previous blogs, so I'll explain it for the first time/again. You recieve credit-hours for taking any lessons during a semester. However, each class you get credit-hours for requires a grade, and juries are like a final exam for private lessons.

Ach!
I kind of covered a lot in this blog, so if any of you have questions about some of the things I mentioned (except for what I ate at McDonalds) I will be happy to answer them or direct you to someone who can. You can contact me through my e-mail:
watsja02@luther.edu

Well, I'm going to go catch some zzz's before another day of studying!

Wish me Luck!
Jake