SWOT Vac and Exam Time!

This Facebook page is hilarious and this post sums up my life, along with heaps of other college students out there (Yeah, I'm talking about you!). Because let's be real, it's hard enough paying attention and learning in your own country, let alone when you study abroad! Geez, how am I supposed to focus on derivative securities and financial institutions during the semester when I'm busy learning how to communicate through the Australian language barrier and enjoying all that Melbourne has to offer?!?!?

---

Anyway, the last day of class was October 24th. SWOT Vac was last week. The purpose of SWOT Vac is to use the week to study or in other cases, to learn all the material that should've been learned during the semester. Lucky me, I came down with tonsillitis (I've never EVER had any issue with my tonsils or throat, so of course this would happen in Australia) the day after class ended and spent 5 days in Ballarat  on antibiotics and recovering. I felt like death. Zac's family was great and staying there instead of the small rooms at RMIT Village definitely helped me get better sooner. His mom is a nurse and instead of waiting in Melbourne to see a doctor on Monday, she was able to get me in to see a doctor that Saturday so I didn't have to wait to start antibiotics. While I was sick, Zac and I watched quite a few movies. I finally watched the Bourne trilogy and we watched Out of Africa. I've been meaning to see that ever since I got back from Kenya. It was such a sad movie, but the scenery was beautiful and brought me back to Kenya. I also got Zac to watch P.S. I Love You with me. Gerard Butler, mmmmmmm!!! He was dreading watching it, but since there was music by Flogging Molly and the Pogues, the movie was redeemed.

I took this picture before we left Ballarat. It's the train station! It was such a pretty building, so I had to take a picture - even though we had about 4 minutes until our train was due to leave and we still had to get tickets. We made it on the train just in time though!

---

We got back to Melbourne on Wednesday and I was finally feeling healthy again. So we went to Turf for their $0.50 hot wing night! I've never really been a fan of wings, but the wings are soooo good, especially the hot ones! Probably not the best thing I should've eaten after barely getting over tonsillitis, but no regrets!!

And to further my procrastination of studying/learning, we spent some time Friday in the park lounging out in the sun! Spring in Melbourne is so insane - 60 degrees one day then 80 degrees the next. So I have to enjoy the sun while it's out!

---

Then on Friday night, I went for a much needed run! My throat started hurting in early October, so I hadn't gone for a run since then. I honestly love Royal Park and I got to watch the sunset while I ran!

---

That's how I spent my SWOT Vac. Honestly, I would prefer to not have the week to prepare and have exams end a week early, but I guess I'm just used to having a day for "reading" at NYU and then having exams start. I feel like this is just way too much time, and I don't need that much! My exams are November 11th, November 14th and November 19th. If I started studying during SWOT Vac, I'd surely just forget everything!! Usually I just need a couple of days to study for each exam! Cramming for the win!