Hello blog community!

I hope everyone is having a great end to their semesters abroad. I once again apologize for infrequently posting blogs and comments, my internet connection has been disappointing this semester and every time I attempt to blog it is a mystery whether or not it is going to post. However, now I am happy to post 3 blogs about my exams, and my recent trip to Munich and London!

The last time I posted it was concerning my Spring Break trip- that feels like forever ago! Now it is May 9^th and I am going home on May 29^th, so I still have about 20 days left in Ireland. I’m sure everyone can agree that the time has flown by and it feels like just yesterday I was packing my suitcase after Christmas getting ready to move to Ireland.

All day today I have been packing up one of my large suitcases in order to ship home. This way it will be easier returning home than it was coming with 3 pieces of luggage and 2 carry ons. I got home late last night so today I have had a catch up day organizing my things. It always feels good to get things out of the room, but I always shake my head at the amount of things I packed. When will I ever learn to pack lightly?

My two final weeks in April were very busy as I prepared for my final 3 exams. My exams took place during 1 week of time; each was about 3-4 days apart, so this gave me a good amount of time to prepare for each one. Overall I think I did OK- it’s hard to prepare for an exam when you have not taken an exam all semester! Let’s hope for the best and all A’s!!!!

Taking an exam at NUIG is an experience like no other. I am assuming that most students at Penn State take exams in lecture halls or the classrooms they had the class in all semester. In Ireland, you take your final exams with 1,000 PEOPLE in a gymnasium in the main campus fitness center. WHAT AN EXPERIENCE! My first exam- I was a nervous wreck not knowing what to expect. Myself and 1,000 other students filed into the halls of the fitness center, past the swimming pool, and into the gymnasium. Once entering the gymnasium, myself and along with 1,000 other students have to find your name on a single list which lists everyone’s desk assignment. When you finally find your name, you have to search up and down the rows and aisles for your desk! My exams were held at desks 723, 402, and 335. Too funny!!

Taking an exam seems more like a community event. There are hundreds of spectators and observers walking up and down the aisles constantly. I wonder where they sign up to do this? Is it advertised? Obviously, there are more than 1 exams going on at once, so one half of the room is busy typing in their calculators while the other half is writing their life away- which was the half I was usually in. It was intimidating at first and rather annoying; during the exam the observers throw a sign in sheet on your exam and check your ID while you sign your name. I was outraged!!! How dare you take my precious exam time to sign your stupid paper!!!!!

While this seems mostly like a complaint, it was actually a riot and something funny to remember. It’s only funny because I studied hard for my exams. It would be another story if I sat there in a panic! Again, I am hoping for the best. With all those people, one can only hope that the exams stay organized and get to the professor.

My last exams for ‘Law of the Sea’ ended at 11:30 on May second. SUMMER IS NOW!! It is always such a weird feeling being done with school because you work so hard and it abruptly ends. On Thursday May 2, I was excited though because I had to pack for my flight to Munich, Germany which left Friday from Dublin at 7 am!

Location: Galway, Ireland