Summer Session

Ecology was a good ease into the summer class schedule. I believe I mentioned in my last post that it is a little difficult getting used to having the same class every day and reading for that class each evening. But now it’s becoming more routine. I’m taking Nuclear Power right now and it’s also a great class. The academic experience of taking classes from those who are actually in the field doing their respective work every day provides a good perspective on the application of all the cerebral information.

Summer Time!

The first week of classes is over and so far, so good. I’m taking Ecology right now, which I highly recommend if you don’t waive out of it. We spend 1/3 of the time in the classroom and 2/3 of the time outside, tromping around Vermont learning about trees, birds, and other ecological issues first hand. So far, we’ve had great weather, but I’m sure I just jinxed us all by writing that. Summer classes are very different than semester classes because you think you don’t have to do reading for the class until the following night after having the class, but instead you have to read every night for the same class. I think I have adjusted by now, but it definitely threw me off for a couple of days. It’s also a little strange having just started a class and already worrying about what’s going to be on the final. We’ll see how it goes though…

There is beauty all around

Graduation is basically here, which is a little strange for us MELPs because we don’t actually finish until August 1. But try as I might to remind myself of this, I am getting pretty wrapped up in the whole thing. I have this giant sense of accomplishment that comes with the completion of a degree. I have little to no desire for classes to start up again. However, yesterday with nothing to do, was actually a little boring. I found myself pouring over the summer syllabi, anxiously awaiting new assignments and new knowledge. A little sad? yes.
I will be doing an IRP (Independent Research Project) this summer which should be interesting. Me and a few other classmates will be having a little book club, so to speak, and writing a little paper about it. The books will be environmental, of course, and important for our environmental understanding. I think it will be entirely refreshing.
South Royalton gets more beautiful each day, and I am excited to show my parents where I have been living for the past year! For those of you who are mothers, Happy Mother’s Day!

Now, if I can just keep myself busy enough to enjoy my few weeks off!

one more down, one more to go…

I just finished with another semester and it sure does feel good!  Although, now that I have a little bit of free time with which to play, the weather isn’t cooperating…

It’s nice to have another semester’s worth of work behind me.  I definitely learned a lot this semester, including some very practical skills for all kinds of work and life in general.  I’m also looking forward to classes this summer, as they are supposed to be fantastic, both in content and based on who is teaching them.  Until then though, I’m going to enjoy a couple of weeks off…

Freedom!

I just finished up my last final today. It was for Admin, and it was an ungodly 8 hours long, but I did end up finishing early, so it wasn’t too bad. There was also a strict page limit, so it wasn’t just a mad free for all for eight hours of who can remember most.

I now have a whole month before my classes start again, since I am not taking a class during the first session this summer. It is going to be glorious. Hopefully I can get out and enjoy the amazing spring weather that has bloomed its way to South Royalton! The trees have finally popped, the village green is green again, the fountain is flowing, and the sky is blue blue blue. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Vermont keeps getting prettier!

I am so glad to be done with finals. Hopefully my grades turn out okay; I did put a lot of work in this semester, and I hope it pays off.

Hip hip hurray for May!

knockin’ ‘em out

I turned in two papers on Thursday, meaning that I am officially done with two of my four classes.  And what a great feeling that is!  A huge weight was taken off  my shoulders regardless of the fact that I still have to make sense of admin law before my exam…  So instead of rambling on in this blog post, I’m going to be a good student and hit the books.

One Week

Why, it’s the last week of classes already!!

Who could have known that this semester would fly by so quickly?

As Sanders stated below, we have a lot of papers to write this semester. She and I have all the same classes, so I also have only one test. Although it is Admin, I think I’ll count that as two tests.

For my Environmental Dispute Resolution class, we could choose to do a paper or write a negotiation simulation, and I chose the latter, knowing that I would have many papers to write this semester. It has been very interesting to try and write this simulation. There is a lot to think about, and I think it is probably a little more work than a traditional paper, but it is something I have never done before. It is always important to try new things, even if you don’t want to at first. That is your lesson for the day: try new things! My simulation is going to end up being more pages than a paper, but I think I made the right choice.

It really is coming down to a race to the finish here. We get to choose the day we take our Admin final–it’s a one day take-home. I think I will take it early on in finals week so I can stop worrying about it. I have read everything and attended almost every class, and I have taken great notes. I just hope it all pays off and I get a decent grade!

Wish me luck!!

Exams v. Papers

I used to be a paper person.  I wrote so many papers in undergrad, I felt like I could write them in my sleep. So I was a little worried when I got to grad school and knew that all my classes would probably be evaluated by exam instead of papers, especially considering I hadn’t taken a test (besides the GRE) in almost a decade.  Last semester lived up to expectations of mostly exams (we had a paper due for our writing class, how appropriate).  This semester, on the other hand, I mostly have papers (only one exam).  I still haven’t ever decided which I prefer, as each has pros and cons, but right now as I’m working on two writing projects with a third in the wings, I sure do wish I had exams.  Although when I’ve turned in my papers and others are still studying for exams, I’m going to be very grateful that I had so many papers.  It’s always a trade off, I guess.

It’s Official!

Alright, there are only two weeks left of class!

Ahhhhh!!!

I have two projects due before the end of classes, one on Wednesday and one on Thursday, and I have quite a bit of work to do before then. I am very much looking forward to the end of the semester though, it has been a lot of work, but very rewarding.

On the bright side, the weather is getting to be just glorious. There were a few little snow flurries on Easter Sunday, and it was pretty chilly, but yesterday and today are beautiful. The trees outside my house are starting to bud, and I am really excited for when all the trees really green up. A friend of mine has lilacs outside her house and they are just about to pop!

In short, yea for spring!

Spring has sprung!

One of the things I enjoy the most about living in an area with a relatively cold winter is the spring.  Once the weather starts to turn even a little bit, people get so happy and excited that almost everyone spends a decent amount of time outside.  It’s been raining a decent amount lately, but the sunny days have pulled people from their desks and computers and encouraged them to play frisbee, go running, cycling, and climbing, and just sit in the sun and enjoy the vitamin D.  It feels like everything is alive again.

I really enjoy the sunny weather on a personal level because it gives me more energy.  I can break up my work with an outside activity, which makes me more productive when I return to my homework.  I’m looking forward to the summer and all the activities I can engage in then!