Dead week

[Bananagator]

Have you ever been sick while taking a final? I have two today - one in an hour - and feel like I can't breathe, literally. It's not a panic attack but a lung infection. I am starting to feel very panicky, though, because I am worried I won't be able to retrieve all the information I put into my brain. I feel like I have glass in my lungs and a vice on my head.

I felt fine this morning! Idk what to do. I'm scared other students will hate me if I cough all through the finals. I am already taking exams I was supposed to have done on Monday on Saturday during a make-up session.

Not a final, but I was sick during a very long and important midterm back in October. I was hacking up all kinds of unpleasantness

I realize this is now after the fact, but I hope everything turned out well for you. Try to get well soon

 

[Butterfly99]

How did your exams go Ella? Hope you were feeling better in them! How many more do you have?

 

[Ada Lovelace]

I'm sorry you feel horrible. Hope you feel better soon!

I once turned in a final term paper for my Master's while suffering from strep throat. I didn't go to the last class, but I did make a trip to campus to turn it in to the professor in her office (was still febrile). This was back when it still wasn't acceptable to turn in things in a designated on-line dropbox or via e-mail. I was docked an entire letter grade for it. She even had originally given me a higher grade and then crossed it out with her little comment explaining why. My illness was no excuse.

I would be devastated if I was docked an entire letter grade for a paper due to an illness. I'm sorry that happened to you.

Fortunately I'd completed the majority of my papers before I became really ill, so I only had polishing up to do last week. My professors, TAs, and adminstrators have been compassionate and accommodating. They'd offered to extend the deadlines, but I was at peace with turning them in. I get obsessive sometimes and would be neurotic about reworking them if I had the extra time. I went ahead and took the two finals today, and they set me up in a private room with a proctor so I wouldn't disturb anyone with my coughing. That helped me to not stress out about stressing out others. I still have three finals to go, and my fever is back with a vengeance. Ugh...... Ready for next week when everything is finished for this quarter.

Anyways, thanks for the well wishes Seashale, GoingBananas, and Butterfly.

 

[Ada Lovelace]

How did your exams go Ella? Hope you were feeling better in them! How many more do you have?

I felt like my lungs were made of shards of glass and like a vice was around my head, but I made it through each final. As I mentioned above, I was in a private room with just a proctor because I was sick, and it definitely helped me. It was very peaceful and I didn't have to worry that my coughing would stress anyone else out.

I just got my grades for the fall quarter. All A's. I'm elated.

 

[Butterfly99]

That's great, Ella! Congrats.

 

[Saricharity]

Doesn't she remind you of sunshine, Ella? She's for you. Filled with glorious healing sunshine.
I'm so sorry you are ill, sweetie. Sending you healing hugs.
xo

 

[Ada Lovelace]

View attachment 167455

Doesn't she remind you of sunshine, Ella? She's for you. Filled with glorious healing sunshine.
I'm so sorry you are ill, sweetie. Sending you healing hugs.
xo

He's splendiferous. Thank you.

 

[Ada Lovelace]

Is anyone else here taking finals this week? I'm feeling like haha. They're going very well thus far, though. If you have finals I wish you all the best! Spring break is within sight.

 

[blackribbon]

I think my kids are coming up to midterms....finals aren't until the end of April and first week of May.

 

[Ada Lovelace]

I think my kids are coming up to midterms....finals aren't until the end of April and first week of May.

We're on the quarter system so we started in early January, had midterms last month, and now are taking finals. The spring quarter then begins at the end of March and extends into June. I'm deliberating taking a leave of absence next quarter because of an opportunity that conflicts with our schedule. Gah. Trying to sort that out this week in addition to everything else. Anyhoooo.

I hope your kids do well on their midterms!

 

[Bananagator]

Oh wow, you take finals at the end of every quarter? That seems like a lot of testing!
So how does that work? Do you have new classes every quarter or is it just how grading goes? I had quarters back in high school but my college operates on semesters

I hope it all goes well for you!

 

[Ada Lovelace]

Oh wow, you take finals at the end of every quarter? That seems like a lot of testing!
So how does that work? Do you have new classes every quarter or is it just how grading goes? I had quarters back in high school but my college operates on semesters

I hope it all goes well for you!

Thanks!

Yes we do, and yes it definitely is! I am in love with everything about Stanford except our quarter system. Instead of having two semesters each with a cycle of midterms and finals in an academic year, we have three quarters that are all crammed with papers, projects, midterms, and finals. The autumn quarter runs from the third week of September into mid-December, with midterm season beginning in October and finals the last week of the term. The winter and spring quarters, which are from early January to mid-March, and late March through early June respectively, have the same pattern. I also dislike that there isn't a set time period for midterms. My first one this quarter was in late January, and I had one for another class at the beginning of this month. We have three "dead weeks" and three weeks of finals every year. For many majors one or more summer quarters are mandatory. It also has midterms and finals. Our professors have the tendency to cram a semester's worth of material and expectations into a quarter term that has significantly less time to complete it all.

 

[katerinah1947]

Thanks!

Yes we do, and yes it definitely is! I am in love with everything about Stanford except our quarter system. Instead of having two semesters each with a cycle of midterms and finals in an academic year, we have three quarters that are all crammed with papers, projects, midterms, and finals. The autumn quarter runs from the third week of September into mid-December, with midterm season beginning in October and finals the last week of the term. The winter and spring quarters, which are from early January to mid-March, and late March through early June respectively, have the same pattern. I also dislike that there isn't a set time period for midterms. My first one this quarter was in late January, and I had one for another class at the beginning of this month. We have three "dead weeks" and three weeks of finals every year. For many majors one or more summer quarters are mandatory. It also has midterms and finals. Our professors have the tendency to cram a semester's worth of material and expectations into a quarter term that has significantly less time to complete it all.

Hi,

My first semester class was at San Jose state. I loved and hated it. It was a one only class. I had already graduated in Chicago on the quarter system which seemed like forced cruelty and slavery.

So this was late in life, but I needed the refresher. God decided to treat me to that large earthquake, in 1990 or so with that one.

I am a hard science type. It's all about understanding and remembering what you understand.

Because I am also ADHD, my technique was to write all my understandings down daily, and review all my understandings before each class.

Eventually at finals, I was the go to person for anyone with questions before the final started.

I was so exhausted from teaching some classmates, that occasionally their grades in exams were higher than mine.

I think though I am having a panic have attach from looking back at college.

I feel for you kiddo. I do. As far as for exams, the worse I was sure that I did, the better the actual score was.

LOVE,

 

[Bananagator]

Thanks!

Yes we do, and yes it definitely is! I am in love with everything about Stanford except our quarter system. Instead of having two semesters each with a cycle of midterms and finals in an academic year, we have three quarters that are all crammed with papers, projects, midterms, and finals. The autumn quarter runs from the third week of September into mid-December, with midterm season beginning in October and finals the last week of the term. The winter and spring quarters, which are from early January to mid-March, and late March through early June respectively, have the same pattern. I also dislike that there isn't a set time period for midterms. My first one this quarter was in late January, and I had one for another class at the beginning of this month. We have three "dead weeks" and three weeks of finals every year. For many majors one or more summer quarters are mandatory. It also has midterms and finals. Our professors have the tendency to cram a semester's worth of material and expectations into a quarter term that has significantly less time to complete it all.

Yikes. That sounds freakishly intense. Well, props to you and all others in that situation for soldiering on through all of that

 

[Dave-W]

Oh wow, you take finals at the end of every quarter? That seems like a lot of testing!
So how does that work? Do you have new classes every quarter or is it just how grading goes? I had quarters back in high school but my college operates on semesters

Back in my collegiate days we had (3) 10 week quarters rather than (2) 15 week semesters. And yes - all classes were different from quarter to quarter. Even if you had the next class with the same text book - you probably had a different prof. (even those big lecture sections that had 400-600 students)

We did not have the "quiet week" Ella talked about. It was full-tilt boogie right up to the start of finals. The only quiet time was the weekend - and if you were lucky enough to have your final at the end of the week.

A few years after I graduated, Mich State changed to the semester system. I can just imagine the problems that transitioning from one to the other entailed.

 

[Ada Lovelace]

I fainted this morning and was forced to go to the health center, even though I explained that I just needed to have something salty and I'd be fine. Now I have to stay here and take it during a special make-up session. The entire campus has already left for spring break. I was supposed to be flying out this afternoon. Frick my life. Sorry for the vent.

 

[Cimorene]

*Hugs* to you Ella.

 

[katerinah1947]

I fainted this morning and was forced to go to the health center, even though I explained that I just needed to have something salty and I'd be fine. Now I have to stay here and take it during a special make-up session. The entire campus has already left for spring break. I was supposed to be flying out this afternoon. Frick my life. Sorry for the vent.

Hi,

I am not sorry to listen to you. I am glad you are speaking.

LOVE,

 

[katerinah1947]

Hi,

Stanford is one of my favorite schools.

I liked everyone who has graduated from there.

Berkely grads are interesting, also. They are highly theoretical in science.

Stanford grads were an amazing mix of competence and graciousness.

They used to be the universally accepted graduates, meaning every hiring place took them willingly and honorably.

I started working in Los Altos, in 1969. We had people from all over the world, in 1969.

The field was semiconductors. I worked with Stanford Graduates, and they were perhaps my favorites of all the colleges out there, including Europe.

Yes, I am talking to you because you are stuck in Palo Alto, at the campus, just west of El Camino Real, with Page Mill Road hitting the old center of the campus.

Do they still have that fall Bon fire?
Is 280, but really Junipero Serra freeway still the western border of Stanford, or have they outgrown that?

Once I was supposed to work for Stanford, which would have been great for finishing off my degree.

Over the years all my friends told me not to, for my personality, but I have always loved that school, and think of you fondly for your attendance there.

Even fainting, is worth going through, and the horrible shift in your exam schedule for that.

LOVE,

Curtis/Mary P.... Heimberg

 

[Ada Lovelace]

Back in my collegiate days we had (3) 10 week quarters rather than (2) 15 week semesters. And yes - all classes were different from quarter to quarter. Even if you had the next class with the same text book - you probably had a different prof. (even those big lecture sections that had 400-600 students)

We did not have the "quiet week" Ella talked about. It was full-tilt boogie right up to the start of finals. The only quiet time was the weekend - and if you were lucky enough to have your final at the end of the week.

A few years after I graduated, Mich State changed to the semester system. I can just imagine the problems that transitioning from one to the other entailed.

For me the silver lining of the quarter system is taking more classes in an academic year, since we have three terms each with its own schedule rather than two. There are so many that are of interest to me, and the three quarters expands my range to fit them in. It definitely cranks up the stress levels having to complete considerable work for each class in a condensed time period every term, though.

Another negative aspect of it is that the quarter system is virtually obsolete; the majority of universities in America have been using semesters for decades now. Many summer internships, external study abroad programs (vs. ones operated by Stanford), and work opportunities are structured around the academic year calendar for the semester system. Colleges with semesters typically end in late April or early May, and begin again in August. Earlier this month I found out I landed a coveted summer internship, which I hadn't expected to get because it's so dauntingly competitive. The snag is that it begins in May, and the spring quarter ends in June. I'll need to take a leave of absence next quarter in order to be able to seize the internship opportunity. If I'd applied to intern there in the spring, it would necessitate being off campus for both the winter and spring quarters because of the schedule conflicts. I didn't apply for the fall because it would throw my schedule off kilter for next year. It's a good problem to have, but it's still one I have to figure out soon.