Midterm Madness Gives Way to Monterey

I never thought a midterm could be so intense like what I have just been through! The competitiveness here is a burden, but also an opportunity to push you to make progress. The days studying in Moffitt Library have already left a strong impression on me and will be an important memory of my study abroad experience for years to come. Studying at the library until 1 a.m. is something I have never done in my home university, even during finals week. (Berkeley offers a library, with room for resting, that you can stay all night in.) Even when I left the library, there were still many students still studying with full concentration.

What I have learned from this cruel midterm is never study alone! Keep in touch with the professor and GSI, send emails or ask questions during office hours. No matter how you do it, solve all your questions before the midterm. Start reviewing as early as possible. Full preparation is the best way to disaggregate your burden before exams. Definitely, midterm period is tough and tiring! But it’s also a good reflection for period learning, which reminds you to make adjustments for the future.

Having experienced the first midterm in Berkeley, I was feeling so tired and stressed. I urgently needed a break. A trip was definitely the best choice. Driving one hour towards south, we arrived in a very beautiful city near the Pacific Ocean—Monterey. We were so lucky that the weather that day was so great for hiking. The blue sea and sky almost melted together, looking at the scene like that. I was healed by the nature. I can’t stop praising the power of the creator and telling myself I cherish every second of my life.

~ From an SAF Student Correspondent