Throughout my first semester at NUI Galway, I’ve noticed several discrepancies from our own educational system in the United States: university programs here are only three years in length, school spirit and athletic support is minimal, students typically don’t move far from home to attend, and greek life is non-existent. Most importantly, however, the Irish boast a unique grading scale where a 70% will land you first-class honors and a 40% is passing (hopefully my mom is more receptive to me bringing home these numbered grades now than she was when I was in high school).
As final exam season approaches, I feel the best use of my time is to reflect on my first semester exam preparation under the Irish educational system in the healthiest and least original format possible, through The Office gifs. It’s a weird time year where unlikely friendships blossom and that creepy kid in class whose name you haven’t quite learned yet, but who takes extremely extensive notes, becomes the most important person in your life for a span of 48 hours. Hats off to my classmates and the other scholars; I’ll see you on the other side. Until this time, I will be posted in the Cairnes Business Center crying internally.
Walking into a packed James Hardiman Library during study week:
Opening my notebook to the first few weeks of class material:
… Five minutes later:
Getting so overwhelmed by work I watch hours of Youtube videos instead:
Showing up to my exam the next morning after pulling an all-nighter:
When the professor begins passing out exams:
When my mom calls asking how the exams went:
…And I have to tell her:
