Tender Mercies

Do you ever have those moments when you think back over the past few days and all of a sudden you realize that some string of random events is actually a string of tiny (or not so tiny) blessings and answered prayers? 

This week is the end of first block. The middle week of the semester means that first block classes have finals and final projects due, classes with 1 midterm have a midterm, and classes with 3 midterms have a midterm. I could see from the beginning of the semester that this week and into next week were going to be that time in the semester -- the really awful time that makes you hate school and life temporarily. I actually had a week similar to that about a month ago when I got sick, so I was bracing for the storm. I was so on top of my school work a week and a half ago. I started doing assignments as soon as they were assigned, keeping a running tally of everything I have that I need to be working on, and trying to study early for my exams so I'm not just cramming and panicking the night before each of them. My schedule has a Plant Classification test (my hardest class) Thursday (today), a big test tomorrow in Plant Biodiversity (close runner-up for difficulty), and next Monday to Wednesday a comprehensive Geology final and an Ecology midterm in the testing center. Plus all the assignments, quizzes, and papers on top of that. Surviving this week and a half has been a common theme in my prayers for the last little bit. This is how some things have turned out. Each one seems small, but I'm feeling pretty grateful. 

I had a 5 page paper due last Thursday, which I found out in class (after writing 4 of the 5 pages) that it wasn't due until Tuesday. HUGE lifesaver. If I had known it wasn't due until Tuesday, guess what I would have been doing all night on Monday? (Although, I wouldn't say that the extra time actually improved the paper much... just helped my schedule.)

My Plant Classification test has been moved to next Tuesday because of my professor will be out of town presenting something at a conference. That splits up my hardest tests.

My Geology final was opened today instead of Monday to accomodate some students who will be going into the MTC (Missionary Training Center) next week and were just taking block classes. I took it today to get it out of the way, and it feels awesome to be totally done with that block class. 

My Ecology exam has been pushed back until the end of next week because we are behind in our class lectures. 

Oh, and not to mention that about a third of the material on my Plant Biodiversity exam was covered on last month's Plant Classification exam, so it's review for me. 

This week or so has still been a lot of work, but I'm surviving and I'm feeling pretty happy about how things are going so far. Spencer's had a busy exam week, too, but he's pretty much done for a bit. It sounds like he did alright on his o-chem exam and he did pretty well on his Immunology exam. He's a hard worker, and a good studier. He's also good at not whining about it like me. I could learn a few things from that guy. Anyway, I need to get to bed now. It's late and I have an exam in the morning.