I am simply days away from boarding a plane and flying home. Just three more days and I will finally be sleeping in my own bed, talking with friends and family, and running around with Max. The only thing standing in my way is a 4,000 word essay.
Having finished my tutorials, I have started to reflect a bit on the term. Sure there were some tough times, but I think I’m coming out for the better. My writing has improved exponentially (something I didn’t think was possible). I always thought my strength was my writing, though this past semester has proved me otherwise. My writing needed a lot of work and I hope that after all of this my writing will continue to improve.
I was able to end my Byzantium tutorial on a good note. He told me my paper was the best I had written all term. We were finally able to discuss history instead of the structure of my paper. It was nice being able to discuss and debate my interpretation of the sources. There were a lot of things I would have changed about the class both as a student and a teacher, but I believe I learned a lot (even if it was to learn what not to do with students). He did care about my learning and my progress, but I think cultural differences got in the way. Having not taught a foreign student before, he was not experienced with working with an alternative approach to learning. He simply taught me as a typical Oxford student who grew up in the UK. It wasn’t until I approached him and talked with him that he noticed things needed to change. While I could tell it was difficult for him at times, I think I started progressing better once we sorted our differences out.
Philosophy was also an experience for me. Having not taken any philosophy courses before this semester, I had to learn to read and write differently and learn how to ‘follow a thought’. There were some good weeks as well as some not so good weeks, but I fought through it and tried my best to push myself. I think by the end my tutor was hesitant to say I had improved greatly but told me I am on the path and at the threshold of a new way of thinking and writing. I know this tutor speaks his mind so this means a lot to me. He believes in me and can see a great potential in me that I have yet to master.
This semester has been the hardest academic semester of my life. The hours I spent reading, writing, re-writing, and defending my papers can amount to nothing I have experienced before. There were some high moments, some very very low moments, some mental breakdowns, countless cups of tea, and numerous late nights (or early mornings depending how you look at it). I never would have been able to survive such an ordeal without the help of the amazing people I have met at CMRS. You people helped me through this and I thank you for that. The community we created this term was something I have never experienced before in college. I hope you all feel that I supported you in the same way you supported me.
For those who follow this blog, my posts will not stop when I land in the US. I will write for a bit longer reflecting on everything I experienced here as well as wrapping up any stories or events that I forgot to mention or write about. This blog took a backseat when my tutorials began because I became so busy and blind to everything but my work. Please don’t feel as if I neglected you or forgot about you, I just didn’t have the time. BUT don’t worry, you shall know every adventure I had here, it just depends on when I will be able to sit down and write it all out. I’m guessing this is my last post before flying out so the next time you hear from me, I will be back in the States!
Cheers!
jenniguenther 