Academics

Hi everyone, hope you have been enjoying the really warm weather.

 Apologies for not blogging laat week, I had a couple of midterms to study for. One of which was Maths, which I am horrible at usually. I stopped doing maths when I was 16, because you don't have to do it for longer in England. Last semester was the first time I had taken maths in a few years, and I really struggled. I was really worried I would not pass, this would mean that I would not get into Math 117 this semester, which I needed to do to transfer. I actually was so worried about it, I even enrolled in a Math 117 program at Antioch University, in case I didn't pass my class. This would mean I would have had to come back a month early from Winter break. This caused quite a few tears, as when you are so far from home, the last thing you want is break to be cut short. However, surprisingly I managed to pass that class and now I am in Math 117, and doing well so far, real relief. I really like my teacher Profesor Smith, the information is actually going in, instead of me switching off as soon as class starts. Long may it last really!

I also had a Geography midterm, which was so hard! I think in the past I have blogged about stress levels during exams, I am the Queen of this, but I am concerned about that test. As this is my final semester I am taking the majority of my classes pass/ no pass, so it won't affect my GPA to transfer, and you can take up to 14 units pass/ no pass for UC transfer. Considering I have completed my major pre-reqs I thought I would allow myself a little rest (slightly) and take up this option. Even so, I am trying not to freak out at tests. I think it is a combination of a lot of things, I guess some people just don't have this anxiety. But for me, I've always wanted to do well and be really independent in the future, so I knew doing well was key. I also think the school system in England is far more pressured so it's almost been built into me that I need to do well. But mostly, the satisfaction I have when I'm high achieving is great, but if I don't it really, really upsets me. I think I need to have more faith in my ability and realize it is not the end of the world. It's hard when it is so ingrained in your nature, any help welcome!
 In the next few weeks, I hope to go and speak in the Comparative Politics class about the continuing Ukraine crisis. Professor Eskandari asked if I would, and I very much would like too I just need to sort my schedule so I can, definitely going to be pretty nerve-wracking though. I've also been watching the news about the Malaysian Jet, tragic turn of events and I wonder what/ whom is behind it. 

On Friday, the ambassadors held a Language Exchange Program, out at the Outlook. This was a mixer for anyone to learn a different language. Ambassadors sat at different tables with the flag of the language they spoke and other students would sit and speak to them. I was on the English table, unsurprisingly and there were a lot of people coming by. I quite like tutoring, and there was one guy who had come from Brazil a couple of months ago to learn english, so he barely knew any. I think this must be so hard, strange place, new culture and not knowing the language. It was a success and many people who came by wanted to then join the Pangea club, so that's great. Hope everyone had a good weekend:) New Coldplay song below!