So obviously I didn't quite succeed with blogging a decent amount...

But I'm here now!

This is just going to be a super short update, because I'm in the middle of studying for midterms. I submitted 6 law school applications last weekend (well, two weekends ago now), so I'm anxiously waiting to hear back from them. I still need to finish & submit a lot more, but I'm so busy with exams that that's on the back-burner at the moment. I also applied binding early decision to my top choice law school. They barely accept anyone early and my number's (GPA & LSAT) are below their averages, but who knows! Maybe it'll work out. I'll hear from them sometime in the 15 days after I submitted the application (so within the next week). I'm expecting to get deferred to "regular admission" (ie I won't find out for a while, but it won't be binding) or possibly flat out rejected (but hopefully not!). Depending on what happens I'll have some decisions to make next week! One part of this that's particularly scary is that if you get in they phone you, otherwise they email you. That means I've been completely paranoid every time I get an email. I've also had a couple nightmares about it... (oh dear!)

I'm also in the middle of midterms. Unfortunately I have 4 - one for each of my classes, over the course of 4 days (which is unusual). I had econ on Tuesday, psych today (Wednesday), art tomorrow and politics on Friday. Econ didn't go as well as I was hoping, and I'm also not sure at all how psych went (it was multiple choice, but there were a couple I didn't know). Anyway, regardless of how those ones went the main thing is to keep my focus for the next two.

Art is proving to be a real killer - I have to memorize 85 photos, when they were made them, who made them and how they were made (as well as a much of terms etc). Anyway, better get back to doing that!

Grades

Just a quick update....

I should preface this by saying that I'm not totally obsessed with grades, but they are important and they were also an important catalyst in making some important changes to my life, which I've talked about before.

Anyway, I've got all my grades for this semester now - I got a B+ in my lab work, and straight A's in my other four classes. I am so pleased with myself. I feel like I was able to make some really important changes to my study habits and that that's really paid off. I'm especially pleased with my grade in history because I really wasn't confident about that one.

On a separate (but related) note, my boyfriends meeting with the academic adviser went really well. He seemed to think that it would be helpful for next semester and he now has some good strategies for exams etc. The adviser also talked a little about how important it is not to base self worth on grades. I've already got passed that a bit (I say a bit because good grades still make me feel really good about myself, but at least my self worth isn't so badly affected by less good results). For my boyfriend I think that was an especially important discussion to have. (He also did pretty well this semester, including in his worse class, which he passed (he chose to do it pass/fail as opposed to graded). He got one B and the rest of his results were all B+, which is a pretty good result.)

I still haven't told the boyfriend about my grades because I don't want to upset him and overshadow his good achievements. On the other hand, I would like to tell him because we share everything. On the other hand, I don't want to upset him.

Does anyone else have this kind of problem? Any advice?

Anyway, just a quick update!

Summer Schedule and Update!

I'm spending my summer working in my lab at college :S. I told them I couldn't work this week and I'm going home for the next two weeks, which I'm looking forward to. The boyfriend and I are staying on campus this week, as all our graduation ceremonies/reunions are happening next week and we wanted to go to some of those things.

We had to move rooms for that (and he doesn't even technically have a room, so he's living in my room. I'm in a three room quad, meaning that there are two bedrooms, each with two beds in them. Luckily, my roommate (who I've never met) won't be here till Friday, so he's able to stay with me till then). Moving was incredibly stressful. I hate change anyway, it was hot and sweaty out and he was getting mad about having to move everything. Anyway, that's done now (but we have to move again at the end of this week, because I'm in a different room again for the summer), but it was really stressful at the time.

Since then we've just been trying to chill and de-stress, but there's still a lot that we need to do. I went to the doctor today and got my nuvaring prescription refilled - apparently it costs $20/month (with insurance), which is a bit ridiculous. I also got a new pair of shorts for the gym which I'm excited about! Talking about the gym I haven't been in the longest time. I'm planning to go today though for a bit. My diet has been so poor recently that I'm never going to hit my 5lb goal for this month, but a bit of toning never hurt and I need to start going to the gym again for my own sanity. I've also fallen off the wagon a bit with my resolutions. Now that we're settled into the new room though I'm going to try to start working on them again!

Regarding grades...I'm still waiting on one in particular that I'm worried about (I'm meant to be getting it today), so as soon as I get that one I'll let you all know about the ones I have (temper the bad news of that grade with the good news of the others). The main issue with grades is the boyfriends grades though. Every semester he's always disappointed with his grades (mostly B-, B, B+) and thinks they don't adequately reflect his work input. To be honest, I kind of agree with him. He always gets a bit depressed about it, feels useless, compares himself to his genius sister and me (I do slightly better than him) etc. I never know how best to help him, as I don't want to make it seem like his problems don't matter, on the other hand I don't think his grades are that inherently bad. It's really getting to be a bit of a problem though, as I don't tell him my grades now because I don't want to upset him, and the whole not telling each other thing isn't really how our relationship operates. (NB He had a tough freshman year, got an F, through no fault of his own, and a C or two, so his GPA is really not good. Part of the reason he's so tough on himself now is that he really needs A and A-'s to pull up the GPA). I've finally got him to agree to go see the academic counseling people here. I've been to see them before and they really helped me to turn my grades around. He's been to see them before and doesn't like them at all. I think part of that though is his reluctance to put what they tell him into practice... . Anyway, I'm probably going to go to this meeting with him, which I'm hoping will help because at least I'll be able to remember/write down their advice! (Sorry about that rant!)

Does anyone else have suggestions for dealing with these kind of (boy)friend grade issues?

One down...two to go!

I had my sociology exam today. I'm glad it's over. To be honest, it didn't really feel that much like an exam. It was open notes and open book. and there was very little time pressure. I really really am hoping I did well on it - I really didn't like either of the essay questions though. Neither of them really made that much sense to me :S. Anyway, fingers crossed.

I had a review session for my next exam (engineering) straight after the sociology exam, so now I'm worrying a bit about that. I had another review session for history (with the TA, not Professor) and I'm super worried about that one. We have to write an essay covering from the 1600s to today in Urban planning in the US in 50 minutes! (Along with another 50 minute essay, a 20 minute essay and 12 "identifications" in an hour! Eek!).

I know it's really boring to hear about me studying but that's all I've been doing recently, and all I'll be doing tomorrow and the day after. Come Friday afternoon though, I'm free....to pack up all my belongings and put them in storage :(. On the plus side, the boyfriend and I are going to cook dinner together, which I'm looking forward to :).