Finally, freedom

I have finally completed one of the most challenging semesters I've had thus far at JMU.  Finals week was surprisingly (and thankfully) successful!  I think I did very well on my jury, and I thought I was going to sound awful and unprepared, but suddenly as I stood in front of the string faculty and played some Bach on my viola I believe I sounded just about heavenly.  First sign of relief.

Then, I spent all Tuesday studying for my music history final Wednesday morning, and after listening to five centuries worth of historically changing musical works from Léonin to Corelli, I had given up and could not care anymore about Franconian notation or motets and sonatas.  I felt very confident that I knew the material, and my confidence did not fail me.  I got a 95.89% on that final -- which is unheard of, not only for a music history final, but for a test given by DR. GIBSON?!!  Yes!!!  Now why couldn't I have done that all semester?  

My last final was on Friday (8 AM!) for my English Lit. (from Romantic to Modern) class.  I think that after a semester of stress and hard work I couldn't bring myself to reread any of the material covered in class, so I just reviewed the authors in hopes that the excerpts on the exam would reveal enough about the author.  And I was right, because I didn't struggle at all; although I did get an 86%, I was way above the class average (78%).  As much as I enjoy the works of Coleridge, Conrad, and Larkin, I think my head would quite possibly explode if I had forced myself to study anymore than I did (I gave up at 12:30 AM Thursday night).

So, all that said, I can now relax, put up Christmas decorations, bake cookies, and reread the Dharma Bums...

If only I didn't have to start working tomorrow.  =(