How was the fall semester for you? What were the highs and lows?
The fall semester started strong and ended even stronger. I never really got used to the workload, but the amount of learning and progress is amazing. A high was definitely the week after midterms when everything was more or less finished and we were able to celebrate and read without stress. These few weeks were my favorite. The low was definitely when classes started being online, as it is really hard to stay focused during online learning. But the majority of the professors were extremely understanding, so I managed to get through it.
What are your expectations for the winter semester? Are you stressed, nervous, excited, curious?
I am excited for the winter semester because most of the courses I am taking will be more closely related to my field of interest. I am also looking forward to seeing all of my friends as we will be starting the semester in person. But I am also scared that the semester will move online, which brings many complications for students struggling to pay rent. But that is just the sign of the times, and I am trying to keep a positive outlook - thinking about all the fascinating books to read and people to get to know!
Will you be making any changes this semester based on what you learned in the fall semester?
I am trying to convince myself to start my final papers in time, even though I always end up waiting for inspiration until the last moment. Hopefully, I will be a bit more strategic with the articles I am reading (professors, close your eyes!) - skimming the ones I am less interested in, and devoting my time to the ones which might be useful for my research in the future.
Author: Ellen C. Byrne, one-year MA student