Focusing on the Books

                My study abroad experience has been wonderful in so many ways but I have to stay focus on my main purpose of being here which is academic. Sometimes it seems like it’s harder to get in study mode in a different environment. I am learning to focus and study in any type of environment.  I have adjusted to a different academic system. That has not been the easiest but I feel I am managing and my exams will go well. Due to the strike this week is when I will be taking Mid Semester Exams then I will be taking Final Exams in approximately a month. It is definitely official study mode time and focusing on the doing well. This semester I am taking Mechanical Engineering Lab I, Thermodynamics, Strength of Materials, Applied Electricity, and Dynamics. I am aiming for a 4.0 this semester. I know if I can obtain a 4.0 here I can continue to do extremely well at North Carolina A&T.

In the mist of adjusting academically I have been researching ways to be more effective in studying and preparing for exams. Sometimes I catch myself studying but I question how effective am I? I am aiming to get the max out of my study time. I had the feeling that I had freshmen year when I took my first exams of just not knowing what to expect. On Tuesday, I took my first Mid Semester Exam for Strength of Materials and it went very well. The exam took place in the Lecturer Theatre with approximately 125 students. I was given script paper and the actual exam. On the script paper, you are required to give your index number which takes place of your name and that is where space is provided to show work for exams questions. At this university names are not used so all students will be graded equally. The test was approximately an hour. On Thursday at 6am, I took my second exam which was a little intense. After leaving I felt, I needed to study some more for that class in a different way. I am looking forward to the final exam of this class to well. Tomorrow I am taking my last exam of the week for Basic Mechanics. It has been interesting week full of preparing for exams.

On Wednesday, I had an experience of a life time. Some classmates of mine invited me to a mid-week church service. The church service started at 7pm which took place in a residential hall dining room. It was a nice service and I was enjoying it but in the mist of it the lights went out. My first thought was they were going to pray and dismiss service because the electricity was out on campus. Well as the lights went out students obtained candles and placed them on the floor lit and service continued for the remaining time it was scheduled. I was flattered to see how students dealt with the lights going out and continued to praise god in the mist of it all. Once service was over, I headed to my room walking in the pit black.  I was very tired and had a lot of homework but was unable to do it because of the lights going out. With that said I went to sleep for time to pass and hoping for the lights to come back on. I woke up approximately every 3 hours to check to see if the lights were on. Throughout the night they never came on and at 6am when the sun came up it was not bright of enough to see to do homework. With that said I went for my morning run and let more time pass to for the sun to be bright enough to study. When I got back to my room from running the lights were finally on.

I feel that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel towards going home. I have less than 7 weeks and I know the time is going to go fast. I am excited about Christmas, snow, my family, friends, and American food. Great grades lead to a Great Christmas. This is always a goal for me to accomplish every fall semester. It make the holidays that more specials when you can relax knowing you did well in school.

It has been another week of interesting events and I am looking forward to what next week has in store.