About a week ago from today, I was supposed to have finished my last final of the term. (Except it was a snow day, so finals got cancelled and now I have to write a final the first week back from winter break – I’m totally bitter but no matter)
Marks were released last Thursday (seriously December is so stressful for so many different reasons), and that marked (heh) the end of my first term attending UBC.
Ohhhh man were the last 4 months a wild ride.
I took 5 courses last term, despite many people suggesting first years only take 4 courses to ease into the ways of uni. There were some times that I wish I had listened to their advice, but I would think about my friends in the Engineering department and convince myself this is better than taking 7+ courses (respect to you people).
I remember struggling a lot during the first month in terms of getting used to uni life. I had to buy a coffee for the sake of staying awake (*gasp* inconceivable) and I constantly felt stressed and unprepared, even though in retrospect I was doing fine. Because there were so little reminders when homework was to be due, I was constantly paranoid that I didn’t complete an assignment on time. It probably didn’t help that I had written down all the things I had to complete monthly and taped the list on my desk, and I would be stressing out about things that were due two weeks later. (side note, I had friends that would only start assignments 2 hours before it was due and that freaked me out so much)
Then came midterm season. The anxiety I felt trying to complete midterms in 50 minutes is something I will never forget. Despite the learning benefits that may or may not come with post-midterm group exams, I really did not appreciate them. I was already a mess from the midterm, having to confirm where I messed up with my peers was just something I had no energy left for. Midterms took away pieces of my soul has they came and went, and it takes a week for me to actually recover from the frantic study sessions in preparation for them. I did see myself improve; I got 75% on my first physics 101 midterm but got 100% on the second one (I have no idea, but I’m not going to question it). I feel like the shock from the first round of midterms really helped me in the November midterms, and I had more of a grasp of how to study and figure out my time. ( I also remembered to book days off from work the second time, I made the huge mistake of working during the first midterm season ahhaah bad idea)
Midterms were a huge slap in the face, so I prepared myself for the dreaded finals season. At the beginning of the term my friends and I would always joke about finals, but the closer and closer it got, the reality just left a huge pit in my stomach just talking about it. This time, I prepared myself and started planning my study schedule weeks ahead. 
For the two weeks after the end of classes, I was holed up inside my house and only left to take out the trash and go to the exam. I stocked up on food beforehand, and basically lived off tea, granola and yogurt. Thankfully all my exams were reasonably spaced out (thank you school gods), so I had a system that worked out well for the most part. I spent one day retaking my notes, one day to go over practice questions, and 5 hours the night before the exam questioning everything, freaking out, and feeling hella unprepared and not actually getting anything done. It also didn’t help that all my exams were 8:30 am ones…
Aside from the academic side of university (which honestly is most of it in my world), aside from all the stress and all the anxiety, I feel that I became a happier person ever since I started university. I love the freedom of not having to stay in one building from 9 to 3 every day, and I really liked how it was really up to me what I decided to do with my time. I had more freedom to do things I wanted to do (after I finished my work of course).
I met a lot of new people, some who have become good friends despite us having varied timetables. I joined a club, became a club exec (yay UBC Photosoc), and met so many inspiring people that share the same interests as me. I hung out with my high school friends more than ever, and we often spent our lunch periods wallowing in misery and/0r freaking out about a quiz or assignment.
This term, I had the luck of getting amazing professors for all my five courses. Even if the subject they taught wasn’t the one I appreciated the most, they always made classes engaging and had their unique teaching style that was effective in their own ways. They were reasonable, funny, and personable, which to be honest I was not expecting at all. In the moment I was probably drowning in confusion, but after classes had ended, I found myself slightly disappointed that I wouldn’t be attending their lectures anymore. They were all very understanding and encouraging, and truly enjoy what they taught. Personally, I thought that was very inspiring and motivated me to go to class.
Now that term is over, I’ve been lying around the house appreciating not having uni to deal with. It’s been a great 10 days~ as the new year draws near, school is going to start again and I am not looking forward it…
The cycle shall start again, and so shall the cycle of anxiety, self doubt and confusion~~
Aside from that, I’m hoping I’ll get to try more things I haven’t done before, and meet new people(that can help me schoolwork I have no idea what I’m doing)
Here’s to hoping 2017 isn’t as disastrous as 2016 was 😀
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