By claudiadev
As we near the conclusion of our semester abroad there is one thing that remains the same about my educational experience at home and here are GW - I’m still stressed about work. Being somewhere new and exciting doesn’t mean I don’t still worry as deadlines near. Taking a heavier course load than I do at home (5 rather than 4), adds to the stress, as does the increased number of assessments. I’ve mentioned before that in Australia it is customary to have two assessments for each class over the semester. Here I’ve had upwards of 5 in 4 of my classes, and the one class that didn’t have that many assessments made up for it with a lot of reading.
This means that the final two weeks, of study, review sessions, essay writing and exams, will be filled with exactly those things – Study, review, essays and exams. I’ll have a little time to say goodbye to DC, and to the friends I’ve made here, but enjoying those experiences and the good weather will be balanced out with a whole lot of hard work.
"It’s worth reminding ourselves, when we’re studying abroad – that we’re doing exactly that, studying. This semester is primarily meant to enhance my educational experience and broaden my academic abilities. The travel and adventures and friendships are incredibly wonderful side affects of the experience."
Of course, years from now it’s more likely I’ll remember the friendships I’ve made, and laughs we’ve shared, than a small detail regarding a philosopher’s view regarding whether we have minds, or the exact date Frank Lloyd Wright designed Fallingwater in Philadelphia. But those academic experiences as a whole are ones I’m sure to remember – because they’ve been excellent, and have really enhanced my experience at university.
I may not know whether I have the ability to remember all the cases I need to for my health law exam, or whether the essay I’m writing on Urban Planning for Modern Architecture even make’s sense. I don’t know for sure which new friends I’ll still know 10 years down the line, or where we’ll all end up in life. But one thing I’m sure of is that I’ll forever remember my semester in DC.