Student Views

M ultitudes of
I mpossible and
D eleterious
T ests and
E ssays
R esulting in
M assive
S tress

That little acronym pretty much sums up my last couple of weeks. I’ve talked about it before but it really is amazing how campus goes on a bit of a lock down during mid-terms and finals. People just kind of understand that you’ve got to give everyone a little break from social expectations and standards of normal human behavior for these couple of weeks each semester when everyone is inundated with reading, studying, writing and presenting. Students just tend to be a little bit on edge so it’s best that you take everything with a grain of salt (whatever that means…)

But at least we had some fall breakage last weekend! And it couldn’t have come at a better time. I had originally planned on doing something crazy and awesome for the break since I’ll be gone all next semester. However, as Fall Break approached, the idea of chilling out in my apartment, sleeping in, cleaning my room AND working on midterms sounded increasingly enticing. SO that’s what I did. With a little excitement scattered in here and there as well.

For the second year in a row, one of my best friends from high school and I successfully surprised our other best friend for her birthday! We drove up to Waco (she goes to Baylor), waltzed into her apartment complex, and knocked on her door, catching her in the midsts of her Organic Chemistry homework. It was a great little escape from Georgetown for the night, catching up with friends from home.

My beautiful friends, Nina and Traci

Getting wacko in Waco, climbing the suspension bridge… Don’t worry, Mom. It’s not really as crazy as it sounds.

Later in the weekend, I got to hang out a bit with my mom, shopping in San Antonio and eating dinner with her and my brothers, who both live there.

OH, and how could I forget about Austin City Limits weekend before last! This was my third year to go, and really one of the main reasons I decided to study abroad in the spring - so I wouldn’t miss it!

Dara at the Avett Brothers

The line-up this year was great and included some of my favorite bands ever: Bon Iver, Blitzen Trapper, the Avett Brothers, Heartless Bastards, K’Naan, the Decemberists, School of Seven Bells… I could go on.

Heartless Bastards rocking out hard core

It got a little ridiculously muddy by Sunday, after two days of rain and thousands upon thousands of stomping feet. Luckily, we avoided too many Woodstock moments, though.

So there were certainly glimmers of fun interspersed throughout the chaos of midterms.  And Fall Break was definitely a success, providing some quick respites from schoolwork. But today, of course, it was immediately back to the grind, with a Chicana Feminism essay and Spanish presentation due… but the “multitudes of impossible and deleterious tests and essays” seem to be mostly over - for now. I’m forecasting some sleep in my future tonight!