As I sit and write this, I'm currently two hours away from my last final, four hours away from the official end of my first semester of college, and 22 hours away from my flight back to JFK. This finals week has been a period of angst, rage, and distraction, but most importantly, reflection. I figured I'd give you some insight on what it's like to be a freshman experiencing this for the first time.
I spent Sunday night at the student theatre bi-annual prom; a dance they throw together at the end of the semester to celebrate the season -- the successes, the flops, the friendships, and the upcoming season that promises something more. As it was my first Student Theatre Council (STC) prom, I was very much unsure of what to expect, but the festivity was the perfect break from the chaos that is this week, and allowed me to step back and realize the tremendous community I've been welcomed into this semester. As the night winded down and we were eventually walking back to the late shuttle to Mount Vernon, I couldn't help but feel ridiculously lucky for being here, as I so often do, but also so excited that I have this place to come back to in the next few weeks.
Monday, my reading day, I spent with my head in books. I switched off between my Italian verb conjugations and my philosophy readings, and as my hours in self-proclaimed solitude ticked by, I wondered how students with more than two finals were possibly still breathing. After twelve plus hours of being a good student, I emerged from my study session down on Foggy Bottom at around two am. To my shock, there was snow! Here! In Washington D.C., which, for a New Yorker (as is everything below us), is "the South". The streets of GW were absolutely still as I padded fresh prints, that sound being the only thing resonating on campus. There have been few moments of that much peace here at GW, especially with all the commotion that's always taking place here -- ESPECIALLY during finals week. Just as I was getting back to the Vern, my floormate sent me a text saying, "Want to take a walk in the snow?" She met me outside the dorm, and we spent a half hour treading around the VERY silent Vern, breathing in the winter air and reflecting on how now that it'd snowed, we'd had the surreal realization that we actually do live somewhere else now. It was one of the most calming experiences I've had here thusfar.
Tuesday brought my first final, and I shoved as much last-minute studying in as I could before I ran off to Monroe for the first time. I could not get over how DEAD campus felt; the usual liveliness and hustle and bustle of Foggy has temporarily dispersed (unless, of course, you're trying to get into Gelman/bucks). After the final - which I survived, due to my over-studying - I met one of my best college friends at our usual spot for lunch, Au Bon Pain. We shared last minute stories from the Yule Ball on Sunday, talked about our plans for next semester, and how weird it felt to be leaving. I hugged her goodbye -- suddenly, three weeks seems like an eternity. I spent the night with my head in mind--boggling philosophy readings, only breaking to exchange Christmas gifts over a Christmas dinner with my roommates.
Today, I got up at 9 am for the second day in a row to dive right back into studying. Time is moving extraordinarily fast today, as I had to say goodbye to my roommate two hours ago, and was overcome by how sad that was for me. I made her promise she'd come back to GW (which shows you how mindless this week is driving me), and although she's coming to visit my hometown before we come back to school, I actually felt my heart sink over the thought of being separated. It goes to show how much your roommates can become your family if you let them be.
So here I am, two hours from the exam, having done literally all the studying that can possibly be done, and finding myself overcome by feelings of introspection. My advice for you when you're enduring your first finals week? Stay as focused as humanly possible, but DO give yourself breaks. Go to lunch with your friend, visit someone's dorm to watch a movie, take a walk in the snow till 2:30 AM, go to an STC prom ;) Just allow yourself those little moments with your friends before you're off for the first time, because, believe me, the separation comes as a shock at first. And above all, try to reflect a little. Whether it's superficial, on how you've done in classes, or a little deeper, on how you've changed in the past four months that have probably been the most unique four months of your life -- just try to look at yourself from the outside looking in for a moment. That way, you'll know what you want to be for the next semester.
I'm sure this is not the last time you'll hear from me over the next three weeks, avid followers, as I am thoroughly GW-addicted. Plus, I've been getting some really phenomenal emails, so keep those coming and I'll try to blog about them: gmdepalo@gwmail.gwu.edu.
Godspeed to the rest of you still crunching through those finals; we sure need it.
See you around campus,
Gina Michele
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