The Trials and Tribulations of Take Home Exams (Kat)

Here’s one for all my fellow humanities students…

So, you’ve got a take home exam. Ok, you think. I can do this. I’ve got plenty of time to write these four research reports each worth 50% of my overall grades. No sweat!

SWOTVAC (study without teaching vacation) starts and you’re feeling good; you’ve chosen topics, started your research and about 50 tabs are now open on your MacBook Air. After all this strenuous study, a little Netflix wouldn’t hurt surely?

BAM…three days and thirteen episodes of Riverdale later, you start to perspire a little. The time has come to make some plans and maybe, just maybe… start writing? Although, you are feeling a little hungry and you could really use some coffee…

Ok. It’s reallyyyy time to focus now. Laptop open, desk clean, snacks beside you, mug of coffee…wait, how did you end up on ASOS? Focus! Due dates are creeping closer, your STEM friends are finishing up with their exams and you’ve got a long way to go.

You start to set goals, a certain amount of words per day. Bit by bit, you’re getting there, you can do this! Euphoria flows through you as you read your final draft for the last time, you’ve finally done it. Fingers poised over the submit button, you think about the amount of hours you spent on this and the progress you’ve made. And you know, that despite all the procrastination and the difficulty – you’d rather do this than an engineering exam any day!

Good luck to all you incredible humanities and non-humanities students alike, may you procrastinate a lot less than me and have a really wonderful winter break!