Now that Thanksgiving break has ended, there are only two weeks of classes left before finals! I’m both shocked that the semester has gone by so fast, and relieved to have a longer break. With less time off this semester, time to relax is much needed! I’ll be staying in Portland over winter break for the first time, and look forward to spending time with my roommates and my dog, and zooming with my family.
While I’ve taken several exams throughout the semester, many of my classes are more project-based. Lots of the loose ends to tie up involve longer-term projects I’ve already been working on! My capstone manuscript is due on December 10th, but I’ve already finished writing it and turned it in yesterday. It turned out to be 53 pages long! I’m really happy about the work I’ve gotten to do this semester, and am excited to continue my research next semester.
Today I presented on my capstone project, and got to listen to other students present about their projects! It was really rewarding to put together my final results, and hear feedback on the outcome. Of course, it also feels nice to have finished my entire capstone for my major! My professor decided to make the final exam optional, which I’m really grateful for! I really appreciate professors who have been flexible and understanding this semester.
The tiny tree in our house!
In my Spanish class, we are doing a second round of presentations. I’m planning on presenting about one character and gender-based violence in a movie we watched for class, El lugar sin límites. We also have a poem and an essay due for class, and I need to finish revising both! As my Behavioral Neuroscience class wraps up, we’re finishing APA research papers from a lab project about belief in neuromyths. Just that paper and the final exam (which is take-home this time), and we’ll be done for the semester!
The end of the semester can be bittersweet sometimes. In the past, I’ve juggled homesickness and being excited to see my family, and sadness about not seeing my friends for a month. This year, I haven’t been able to spend much time with friends aside from COVID-safe outdoor meetings. And since I’ll be staying in Portland with two of my roommates, things won’t be very different. I’m sad that I won’t be going home, but it does help to relieve the stress of travel! The journey from Portland to Milwaukee and vice versa can be a bit draining.
I hope everyone is finding ways to stay relaxed and focused as we approach finals season! Feel free to contact me with any questions, calebweinhardt@lclark.edu.