The Wellesley ravens, unexpectedly stopping by their old nest outside the lab to check out their reflections in the glass/ unintentionally brighten a rough midterm week
I’m not going to lie: I had to ask for the coffee machine in Pom to be refilled yesterday. It was 7:00…pm.
This was the week of three midterms, and it was a daunting lineup: Evolution, Chemistry, and Economics, and a full scientific paper to top it off. Not exactly a walk in the park, or in the spirit of midterms, not exactly a walk in the recreational reading section of the library. A part of me kept waiting for the inevitable moment of panic to arrive, you know, the moment the night before when you can’t sleep because you’re thinking about how much sleep you need to get, or the moment when you turn back the first page of the exam and it could be in Greek or something, for all you understand in the first fifteen seconds. But that moment never really came.
Let’s talk about my Chem midterm. In high school, Chemistry to me was more like a Chem-mystery. I felt lost on the material nearly the whole year, felt my stomach drop getting each test back. There was always the voice in the back of my mind: “How on earth are you supposed to succeed in science if you still can’t really grasp what a mole even is?” I avoided taking Chemistry all during my first year, because I was afraid Wellesley would be the same way, relentless, confusing, and overall anxiety-ridden experience.
But this hasn’t been the case at all. I walked out of my Chem midterm calm, confident, and with the unfamiliar sensation that I may have actually gotten a problem or two completely right. Part of it has to do with my amazing professor, Dr.V, who not only explained Chemistry in a way I somewhat understand, but also insisted that those last few hours of studying the night before should be tossed away in favor of a good night’s sleep. And part of it has to do with me, finding ways to take care of myself and make the midterm grind a little more manageable.
One of the reasons I chose Wellesley was because of the strong emphasis on self-care on campus. It’s okay to take a break from doing nuclear binding energy calculations, drink tea, and buy $20 student tickets see the Boston Symphony play Shostakovich 5. We all recognize that Wellesley can be a stressful place at times, but we also recognize that it’s necessary and brave to put your physical and mental health before grades and work.
Somehow a visit to the lake can anyone feel less stressed
It’s a stressful time of the year for you too, high school seniors, and I really hope you too can remember to take some time and take care of yourself.
Until next time and ever lovely yours,
Eleanor