Friday, 12 August 2011

I know it's been a while, but life has been keeping me quite busy. Exams, and other things.

A few days ago, I was at a point where I thought I couldn't possibly write my term paper. Ever. I was desperate enough to e-mail the lecturer about it, and his answer, although it wasn't what I had wanted to hear, was the very thing I needed to hear. It was kind, but pretty strightforward. He recommened seeking advice from a fellow student who had already handed in her paper, and seeing him during his office hours to discuss further questions I might have.

That was totally unexpected. I had always thought of him as some weirdo who's out of touch with reality. Once again, thas was an encounter that really taught me something: Don't judge people.

Well, a few days later I finally wrote an e-mail to this fellow student of mine, and her willingness to help me really impressed me. So it seems it's not me against the world, as I'd thought.

I'm very thankful for this lesson of life. :)

Friday, 8 July 2011

On Thursday, one of my lecturers had me take an exam that I hadn't even signed up for. I objected, but he said it wouldn't hurt to give it a try. And he promised he would answer all questions regarding vocab I didn't know. So I did give it a try.

Today, he handed it back to me, and - wow! - top score! That really, really made my day! I think I wrote it before, but I just have to repeat it because it's so true:

That lecturer knows how to encourage his students to always try their best!

Thursday, 7 July 2011

I realized that it's a little unrealistic for me to write a blog post each single day. I think I'll only be posting when I feel like it from now on.

I took my Latin Grammar exam on Tuesday, and I was surprised at how easy it was.

Wednesday morning, I got up, still undecided whether I wanted to take my Greek exam that day or the week after (which would have given me more time to study). I finally decided to actually take it that day. And I was so glad I did. When I handed in my exam, the lecturer quickly skimmed through it, and then said:

Very good.

Wow. What a nice thing to hear. Afterwards, I spent almost an hour talking to her and a fellow student, mostly about our studies. And during that conversation:

That awkward moment when you realize that the professor whose lectures you dislike the most is the Ph. D. superviser of one of your lecturers, and she pretty much shares your view that he is kinda weird.

College is funny sometimes.

Monday, 4 July 2011

and the rumors aren't rumors anymore ...

the uncertainty was unbearable
but your answer didn' t make things
any better

my concerns have been proven to be true

paths meeting
wink of an eye
moving apart
and you're gone

such is life
they say
just move on

and it hurts to hear that
but I guess it's actually true

the very moment
my world seemed to fall apart
into a thousand, a million pieces
when I was about to immerge myself
in neverending darkness

he came along
he didn't even notice me
but I felt the world light up around me again

for some reason, I'd been thinking of him all day

and there he was
a silent reminder
that life is precious

every second of it

Friday, 1 July 2011

I feel like I repeat myself all the time in regard to a few things. Like this Latin metrics class I have Friday noon. But I just can't get over it. I still vividly remember sitting in another seminar at the very beginning of this semester and thinking to myself:

I have no idea what this lecturer is talking about... And I don't think I'm ever going to get this metrics stuff.

But here I am - four months later - and I've made so much progress. And most of it was thanks to one amazing lecturer. And I don't think I'll ever be able to thank him enough.

Thursday, 30 June 2011

The Literature exam was not as bad as I'd expected. I was able to answer a little more than 50% of the questions, and that's all it takes to pass. Goal achieved.

And for once, I attended Latin Grammar on a Thursday, because, as I said, I'd taken Tuesday afternoon off from college. I was surprised at how easy it was. It seems there is finally an exam that I'm actually well-prepared for.

Wednesday, 29 June 2011

How come printers always stop working when you're desperately trying to print the summaries (yay Roman Literature) you're supposed to memorize by the next morning? Oh, the irony of life, but in a funny way. This day has taught me two things:

1) If you procrastinate studying for an exam until the very last evening, make sure to at least have all the materials you need.

2) If you plan on not attending a voluntary college class that you usually attend, don't tell the tutor only a few hours before (as I did yesterday). If they end up sitting in the classroom all by themselves because they didn't know no one else was going to be there, they'll get a bit mad at you because, you know, they would have liked to go to the swimming pool as well.

Mental note taken. I promise to do better next time, at least regarding the second point. :)

Tuesday, 28 June 2011

It was the last time I was going to meet up with "my" girls before summer break, and we decided to meet up with a few girls from another school for a barbecue. Only one girl from my school actually showed up, though. But we had a fantastic afternoon (I had taken a few hours off from college) with amazing home-made salads, grilled vegetables and vegan ice cream.

Monday, 27 June 2011

He's such an inspiring, beautiful person.

I can't believe today was his last lecture for this semester. He's taught me so much about myself... and about others. About humans in general. I've learned many things and I was made aware of a lot of things I hadn't thought about much before.

He's been a ray of light in this otherwise rather colorless world called college. And I told him so. And again, his reaction was so beautiful. Again, he told me how much it means to him.

New lectures will come, new problems - no; new challenges - will arise. And I will meet them. I will have the courage to do so because he's taught me what it means to be on fire for what you believe in.

Sunday, 26 June 2011

The sermon this morning was about the very same Psalm I stumbled upon a week ago. (Psalm 139)

It's amazing how sometimes I read a bit of scripture somewhere, and it keeps coming back to me when I'm about to forget about it again.

No matter what I do, no matter where I am, He is always there. I make mistakes, I stumble, I fall. But it's my wish to be filled completely with the certainty that He will never forsake me. And with the strength I have in Him, I will always be able to get back up again.


A thousand times I've failed
Still Your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
Still I'm caught in Your grace

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame

(Hillsong - From The Inside Out)

Saturday, 25 June 2011

We had drama practice today. I wasn't feeling that well. I was a bit sick and not really satisfied with my work. But at the end of the practice, when we were talking for a bit, our stage director came up to me and thanked me for being there. I jokingly said: Thanks for what? For not being on time... again?

But he had no idea how much it meant to me, how these few kind words made my day.

Friday, 24 June 2011

Today I realized how much progress I've made in this semester. I was really frightened, of Latin metrics especially, at the beginning of the semester. And now it's almost over and I have learned quite a bit.



And I spent the night at the (in)famous gym of my former school, where we have drama practice each Saturday. Our fifth graders had their "reading night", a tradition that has formed over the past two or three years. A couple teachers, two former students and a bunch of kids... We had lots of fun... And sleeping is overrated anyway. ;-)

Thursday, 23 June 2011

I was feeling kind of sick, but I still had a great day.

The seminar in the morning was awesome (it usually is) and I made it through the lecture I had afterwards alive! I spent the afternoon with "my" girls at school and the evening with a friend.

Wednesday, 22 June 2011

An ordinary Wednesday, and I'm running out of ordinary things to write about my ordinary Wednesdays. But at least, if it was ordinary, it means it wasn't horrible or anything. :D