Surviving Written Exams…

It’s hard to believe that in the midst of all the high-school and college friend-reunions, frolicking about the English country-side, and mastering my punting skills… I did actually manage to spend an exurbanite amount of time in the library doing exam revisions!

And let me tell you, having now completed my written exams I can’t tell if it was the most unique (albeit challenging) experience of my academic career, or just a bad dream. After sitting for my written examinations, in full sub fusc, in the gorgeous (but absolutely intimidating) Examination Schools, with a Proctor pacing over your head, writing by hand and in pen for three straight hours, I officially feel like I have earned my degree from Oxford. In fact given my experience, I think it’s entirely possible to summate the experience into several key points…

You can say you’re an Oxford-ite when…

• You actually understand which color carnation to wear on which day of exams.

 

• When your proctor (ie. the adorable little old British man at the front of the exam hall) falls asleep in the middle of your exam.

 

• When you have to ice your hand the night after/before yet another exam.

 

• When after completing an afternoon exam you head straight to dinner at Christ Church.

Dinner at Christ Church (with Benedict, Anna, Eric, Laura, and Andy) on the evening after my first examination and before my second! :) How about that for winding down… Haha

• When after a morning exam you head straight to the pub.

The Orientalists hit the pub post-exam! 

• When you have had to run from or dodge (in sub fusc) people with either squirt-guns, water-balloons, champagne bottles, or the occasional vat of whipped cream.

• When you have celebrated the completion of exams by literally spending an ENTIRE day pub-hopping around town with your programme and friends.

My lovely Orientalists on the other-side of their Arabic Examination! :) A very long day of pub shenanigans was to follow in celebration!

• When you have visited the party supply store for celebration confetti, leis, and other “trashing” accessories more than once.
• When you can officially say that you are a “finisher!”

With Love from Oxford… <3 Mary Elizabeth