So I have been hearing that finals week always sucks, but since this is my first finals week, I wasn't sure what to expect. Some of my finals are really going to suck but others won't be that bad.
For Anthropology I have a 10 page paper to write that is supposed to incorporate everything we have learned so far. All the movies, books, articles, and other assignments we have done. That is going to be a beast. It's worth 20% of my overall grade and I'm not too optimistic about it. We don't have anything scheduled because we just have to turn the paper in.
Geology is going to be another monster. We have moved really quickly through the last bit of material and I don't think I'll do that well. There are two review sessions scheduled, one with the teacher and another with the TA, plus the extra studying I'll be doing on my own. I'm also not very confident about this one. It is scheduled for Wednesday at 11 and is about 75 questions.
History is pretty much the only thing I am confident about. I understand things pretty well and I think it will go over well. On the midterm my score was higher than the class average and I got a really good score on the term paper we had to write. That one isn't scheduled until Friday afternoon. This really sucks because we were originally told that we would be able to go take it whenever we wanted and now we have to wait. So instead of going home on Wednesday night like I planned, I have to stay here until Friday evening then go home. Not happy.
My final for Book of Mormon is not going to be pretty. I really don't like the teaching style that the teacher has. He flies through the material so fast that no one knows what's going on. He spends the first half of class on the scriptures that we are tested on. He spends the second half on a "focus text" that our assignments are on. I would rather they were on the same thing but no. The tests really aren't on the scriptures either. While teaching, he will highlight a phrase in a verse and pull up a quote or a cross reference to that scripture. We are tested on the cross references and quotes. Not things like "Nephi was commanded to do x so he said y" but more like "Elder x said y about z verses" and you have to pick the right parts of the quote that relates to the scripture. The quote won't even mention the part in the scriptures, but it will focus on a principle that is mentioned and a general authority had a thought on it. So frustrating.
Writing 150 won't be hard. For our final we have a group project to do. Ever heard of TED talks? I hate them but we have to make one and deliver it to the class. Stupid. He didn't even give us a direction, just said "make a TED talk". On my issues paper that I recently turned in, things didn't go so well. I spent over 2 weeks on that paper, had about 8 people go over it and review it, emailed several drafts to the teacher, followed his comments and made the changes he wanted and continued to send him the drafts, but it didn't matter. I got a 240/300. That is the lowest grade in the class. On my Rhetorical Analysis paper, I also got the lowest grade in the class. I'm ready to wring his skinny little neck. He is a graduate student, not an actual teacher. BYU thought it would be a good idea to have the graduate students teach the writing classes. Classes that we are required to take. I just don't know how to win with this guy. He gives me a prompt, I clear everything I want to do with him, check in with him constantly and he says I'm doing great, but rips my paper to pieces. I think he just does't like me. I had tons of people review both papers and they all said it was very well written. Today I went back to a few of those people and asked that if they had graded what they would have given me. Most said a B+ or A-. Not a B-, the lowest grade in the class. Oh that one assignment was worth 30% of my grade by the way. I'm not freaking out all, I certainly don't want to freak out on my teacher and ask him what his problem is, I would never... not even going to finish that... Let's just say I hate him.
Yeah so those are my finals. Super exciting right?
I have a bunch of friends out on missions right now. Darick is in southern California and has about 7 months left. I really miss him. He'll come back in July and hopefully get to come to BYU. Two of my best friends, Jordan and Jessica are also just out. Jordan went to Canada speaking Mandarin and left about 5 months ago. Jordan and I email back and forth a lot on Mondays and it's great hearing from him. My other friend, Jessica, left for Rancagua, Chile almost 2 months ago. She's been running a blog and is so happy. I haven't emailed her much. I know she has a ton of people sending her emails so I will just write letters. I miss all my missionaries. Jessica has been a close friend of mine for about 5 years now. Jordan and I have been really good friends for about 3 years. Darick and I dated for a really long time and will start dating again when he gets back. I miss them. They are all doing well but could always do with some extra prayers.
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