Things Students Know All About Exams But Little of the World
Do I need a passport to go to Florida? What does a busker look like? Is Gotham City real? These questions have been asked by your coursemates, and some are pursuing double degrees. It annoys you because it reveals their lack of exposure to the wider world. Then again, you wondered if you've been guilty of the same thing. Did the quarantine force you to imagine the new normal?
You were lucky that you have the resources to take time away from the coursework. And your buddies were green with envy. You told them, more than once, that you read short stories during your free time, and it won't take half an hour to finish one. These stories took you to a new world and delivered you safely back to the university. Some tales never quite leave you, though. You may have forgotten who wrote them, but it would haunt the places in your mind that you rarely ever visited. For instance, you have literary aspirations, which you've been nurturing after reading a short story about a struggling author who became an overnight celebrity after the first appearance of a black cat on his porch. Did this feline creature bring good luck? Your coursemate guessed that Edgar Allan Poe penned it, but you weren't quite sure. You knew that a white elephant would bring good fortune. (You learned about this interesting fact during your ascent to the highest peak in Thailand. And your friends didn't believe that you didn't bring any mountaineering gear.) You expected this lack of exposure to affect courses like geography, but even in literature, the impact was huge. (You didn't understand "Lord Jim" until your father brought you to the verdant land in Borneo. You insisted on Langkawi, but you were glad that you were proven wrong.) You became aware that this lack of exposure could be a barrier to hurdle the examinations, and a poem about swans could baffle anyone. (Your cousin didn't think so. You pointed out that she, a Londoner, frequented St. James Park.) It might seem that it won"t be for you, but it's not. This dawned on you after reading Stephen King's later works; you didn't finish it, which made you wondered if a car accident had something to do with it. But your professor didn't fancy it for an essay paper topic.
5 Things Students Are Missing On
You didn't have the time to experience farms, football matches, and universities. So you watch some TV shows, which would be good at the moment. But you must plan it. Your state might enter a new normal later this summer, and one of your friends might hail from a town that has eerie similarities with Smallville. Don't think about a cultural tour in Europe (after reading a Dan Brown novel). Yet. You must explore your own backyard. First.
You can handle the pressure of examinations, but you don't have a clue about (the science behind) happiness. The University of Bristol offers a course on happiness (or the science of happiness). Students were delighted to find out that they don't have to write about the tediousness of assignment writing or why real life couldn't be as exhilarating as fiction. This must not prompt you to approach your professors and request an extension of the deadlines of your upcoming assignments. The pandemic should have forced you to focus on what would make you happy during this challenging time. Aside from reading short stories, you would listen to your favorite tunes. You spend more time with your family, but you confess that your folks could drive you crazy. You might not have found a common topic, which won't trigger them (or you). How about daydreaming? Ray Bradbury picked tales from his collection (of short stories) he thought readers would like, and he published them as "R Is for Rocket" and "S Is for Science". How about "A Is for Adventure"? What about "E Is for Explore"? It might be a good title for your next essay paper but ask your tutor (for a second opinion).
You didn't leave your hometown until you were offered a place (in your university of choice). It reminded you of a fellow freshman, presumably from another department, during Freshers Week. You didn't have a good impression of him after you learned about his skewed views about urban life. You haven't run to each other after that first meeting, but you weren't hoping that you don't want to talk to him (again). You've been fortunate to live in the city, but it doesn't mean that you're better. (Your admissions tutor asked you if you like classical music.) The university encourages an open mind, which you won't learn during lecture hours.
When did school days were the best of your life? Your folks have lots to tell, which didn't interest you at all. Perhaps you're jealous of them. (On the other hand, they didn't like the snags in your state's vaccine appointment finder site. You're thinking too much about how to manage the coursework after the spring break, though.) You should have realized that the quarantine has its upside, as there's no place like home. However, you wished that the (university) library is not far from where you live. (More on this one later.) And you miss your front yard. You're about to enter spring on a hopeful note.
Do you want to play the blame game? Your professors are anxious and pressured to deliver the results, but you didn't notice it. The pandemic would make it difficult, if not impossible, to check on each of you. They might be worried about how long they must wait before they become eligible to start signing up to receive the coronavirus vaccine. You won't blame them for bad beer (or not experiencing it).
Stepping In: A Do List for This Year
You would do a virtual visit to the world's biggest cities, and this list must include New York, Chicago, and Atlanta. You're also preparing for a quick tour of the woodlands. And you won't miss the beach. Your parents have reminded you that you were lucky not to deal with the bedroom tax and universal credit cut, but you told them about your career options. You want to have your first-hand experience in the real world soon. It might take longer than getting to the beating heart of a poem, but you won't put up with another student's argument on whether a mule is a mythical creature.
