Twice in one week, this must be a new record! :) I decided to take a break from all my studying to write a quick post since the only thing Dad wants for his birthday is a blog post (the silly man!). So here you go Dad, two in one week, just for you!
It's officially SWOT VAC here which means that George Roberts is to be quiet at all times of the day, with an exception around meal times. There is to be no talking outside of rooms, no loud music and absolutely no parties. The RAs aren't required to give warnings and if you are caught speaking too loudly you will be fined $25.00.. and let me tell you, they are serious about this! Two of my friends already got fined yesterday for standing outside their room and talking after dinner. Apparently in Australia the only thing relative to University they really take seriously is exam time. It's made GR feel like a ghost town!
In addition to the 24/7 quiet hours the dining hall is also open all day (shocking!) for studying purposes. The kitchen staff provides cakes and cookies for those who study late into the night and hot chocolate, coffee and tea are also provided. Although perhaps the best part is that they put wireless internet in the dining hall, meaning we can actually move from the confines of our desks and get internet access! How exciting :)
So far this week and past weekend have proven to be very stressful and I think it's only the beginning. As our time here dwindles emotions are high and the looming exams and final assignments just make matters worse. This past weekend arguments and tension broke out between numerous people, all over simple and stupid matters. I have attributed the quickly approaching departure date to these misunderstandings.
Last night I was talking to one of my Australian friends about the whole concept of leaving. We were discussing what a strange experience studying abroad truly is. You leave your home and create a new one for five or six months, only to get up and leave your new home and return to your old one. Upon returning to your old home, it's as if the last five months never existed and everyone becomes memories. You get close to people, have experiences and make memories and suddenly you have to pack up and leave it all behind. Despite the semi depressing concept, we ended the conversation realizing that the experience was completely worth it.
In my last post I forgot to mention Home Ball, which is like prom but for George Roberts. We rented the top of Mad Cow (one of the clubs down town) and had food and drinks provided. Everyone dressed up in semi formal dresses and I wore the one Melissa and I bought during her visit. The dress is my favorite dress I've ever own, it's unique and so beautiful. I love the way it flows when I twirl around and how it fits around my waist.
Here's a picture of us all getting ready for Home Ball. I wish I had a better one of the dress because it is so lovely, but this is the best I could find. I also got myself a pair of true Australian heals (so fun!) that were almost 4 inches tall! :)
Anyway, I better be going, I just got back from an afternoon at the river and really need to get studying. I have a final exam in photography tomorrow morning and two huge assignments due on Friday. I've been trying to finish this one history assignment for over a week now. It's about the environmental history of Indonesia and I'm really struggling with it. I never realized how hard it is to write a research paper! Everything I say I have to research and because I have absolutely zero prior knowledge on the subject I am starting at square one. Wish me luck!
Love and miss you all <3
No comments:
Post a Comment