I'm going to break
Is it totally sacreligious to say I've had a week from hell? It does sound sort of blasphemous so I won't say that. I'll just say it's been a very difficult week in an understatement sort of way. Needless to say, I've been under so much pressure, it wouldn't surprise me in the least that an x-ray would show compression fractures of my vertebrae. Oh wait, I've had those for 20 years. It all started last Sunday...
I had two mid-term exams this week for which I had no time to study because of other pressing assignments. So Sunday I was faced with an imminent exam to prepare for. I had already agreed to study with my favorite study partner. Another of my classmates wanted to know if I was studying with anybody. I told her I was and invited her to join us because one more person isn't a problem for me. Unfortunately, she invited 4 other classmates. Now I could have studied with any one of these people individually, but found it contraproductive to study with so many. Thus, my panic began building and building. Finally, I just excused myself and left to study far into the night on my own. I left that exam feeling like a total dunce and quite frustrated, vowing to never be so unprepared again.
Yeah right! Now I had to study for the next test. I got very little done that day due to a night class and my exhaustion. The next morning, I started studying but could hardly stay awake. I had put in for 2 1/2 hours leave from work to give myself some extra time. So I hiked off to study at the library on campus. The more I studied, the more panicked I became. This was even worse than the last test. So I called in to work and begged for the rest of the day off.
So I studied on...until I noticed that my time for the study room had expired. I dashed around packing up my stuff and hurried down to turn in my key. Alas, I had no idea that the fine was $5 per hour! Give me a break! College students aren't rich...most of them are living on borrowed money or being supported by mom and dad. What's up with that?
Finding it very hard to concentrate, I felt even less prepared for the second test. Not only did I have to deal with my own scattered, ill-prepared thoughts--I had even more distractions to deal with. First, the professor was out of the country for a funeral. My OB clinical instructor was there to proctor the exam. As we were taking the exam, the door opens and another professor dramatically tiptoes up the aisle and carries on a whispered conversation with the proctor. She leaves.
We discover that we have two number 31's on the exam which messes up our scantrons. So she tells us to just answer the first number 31. We resume.
The door opens and professor number 2 enters the room bumping into chairs and starting up the computer. She is there to prepare for the lecture to be given after the exam. Proceeds to carry on a "low-pitched" conversation with the proctor.
We discover there is no number 42 on the test. Proctor tells us to just skip 42 on the scantron. Professor number 2 overhears. Wants to know what is going on. Oh no, we can't be short 2 questions on the test. We must go back and erase all answers and answer the second number 31 as number 32 and so on until we get to number 42 which is number 41 on the test and we'll be caught up. We protest. We already know we have 60 questions on this test unlike the 50 we normally have. We're running short on time, and erasing answers on scantrons and filling in those tiny blocks are time-consuming. Can't we just put the answer to second 31 on 42? Ok....that's fine. Professor number 2 interrupts us several more times to ensure we all understand how we are supposed to answer these on the scantron. (by this time I've completely lost any semblance of concentration).
Professor number 2 decides to test DVD to be shown during lecture because this system has been known to have problems. DVD starts up....no sound. Calls techincal department. Explains problem. Tries to test different things. 3 phone conversations later it is decided the techincal department will make a visit.
I read and re-read a question about preeclampsia of which 3 answers were certainly wrong and the 5th option was to "access weight, vital signs....and urine for protection" or something like that. I wrestled and wrestled with that question until it dawned on me that what the professor had meant to write was to "assess" .... and urine for "proteinuria." Oh, and the professor couldn't understand how the numbering had been overlooked because the test was proofread 3 times!
I discover with 15 minutes remaining that the last 5 questions on the test involve analyzing 6 different case studies with different signs & symptoms, lab results, and vital signs. I had to answer a question then give the rationale behind my answer. IN 15 MINUTES???? Oh yeah--that was actually 15 EXTRA minutes because professor number 2 thought we might need a few extra minutes because of all the misnumbering.
Well, I managed to rush through the test before time was called; however, some of my classmates were not so fortunate. There have been major rumblings of angst since that test. I haven't heard how I did, but judging from how I did on the previous one, I shall wait in fear and trembling.
At work tonight, the trend continued. I had to soothe ruffled feathers of plant managers and assure them I would get their mail back to them. And then the system problems began. At one point, I thought I may have lost 100 thousand pieces of mail, but I got them all back. Ok...so I got my one break of the day.
I had two mid-term exams this week for which I had no time to study because of other pressing assignments. So Sunday I was faced with an imminent exam to prepare for. I had already agreed to study with my favorite study partner. Another of my classmates wanted to know if I was studying with anybody. I told her I was and invited her to join us because one more person isn't a problem for me. Unfortunately, she invited 4 other classmates. Now I could have studied with any one of these people individually, but found it contraproductive to study with so many. Thus, my panic began building and building. Finally, I just excused myself and left to study far into the night on my own. I left that exam feeling like a total dunce and quite frustrated, vowing to never be so unprepared again.
Yeah right! Now I had to study for the next test. I got very little done that day due to a night class and my exhaustion. The next morning, I started studying but could hardly stay awake. I had put in for 2 1/2 hours leave from work to give myself some extra time. So I hiked off to study at the library on campus. The more I studied, the more panicked I became. This was even worse than the last test. So I called in to work and begged for the rest of the day off.
So I studied on...until I noticed that my time for the study room had expired. I dashed around packing up my stuff and hurried down to turn in my key. Alas, I had no idea that the fine was $5 per hour! Give me a break! College students aren't rich...most of them are living on borrowed money or being supported by mom and dad. What's up with that?
Finding it very hard to concentrate, I felt even less prepared for the second test. Not only did I have to deal with my own scattered, ill-prepared thoughts--I had even more distractions to deal with. First, the professor was out of the country for a funeral. My OB clinical instructor was there to proctor the exam. As we were taking the exam, the door opens and another professor dramatically tiptoes up the aisle and carries on a whispered conversation with the proctor. She leaves.
We discover that we have two number 31's on the exam which messes up our scantrons. So she tells us to just answer the first number 31. We resume.
The door opens and professor number 2 enters the room bumping into chairs and starting up the computer. She is there to prepare for the lecture to be given after the exam. Proceeds to carry on a "low-pitched" conversation with the proctor.
We discover there is no number 42 on the test. Proctor tells us to just skip 42 on the scantron. Professor number 2 overhears. Wants to know what is going on. Oh no, we can't be short 2 questions on the test. We must go back and erase all answers and answer the second number 31 as number 32 and so on until we get to number 42 which is number 41 on the test and we'll be caught up. We protest. We already know we have 60 questions on this test unlike the 50 we normally have. We're running short on time, and erasing answers on scantrons and filling in those tiny blocks are time-consuming. Can't we just put the answer to second 31 on 42? Ok....that's fine. Professor number 2 interrupts us several more times to ensure we all understand how we are supposed to answer these on the scantron. (by this time I've completely lost any semblance of concentration).
Professor number 2 decides to test DVD to be shown during lecture because this system has been known to have problems. DVD starts up....no sound. Calls techincal department. Explains problem. Tries to test different things. 3 phone conversations later it is decided the techincal department will make a visit.
I read and re-read a question about preeclampsia of which 3 answers were certainly wrong and the 5th option was to "access weight, vital signs....and urine for protection" or something like that. I wrestled and wrestled with that question until it dawned on me that what the professor had meant to write was to "assess" .... and urine for "proteinuria." Oh, and the professor couldn't understand how the numbering had been overlooked because the test was proofread 3 times!
I discover with 15 minutes remaining that the last 5 questions on the test involve analyzing 6 different case studies with different signs & symptoms, lab results, and vital signs. I had to answer a question then give the rationale behind my answer. IN 15 MINUTES???? Oh yeah--that was actually 15 EXTRA minutes because professor number 2 thought we might need a few extra minutes because of all the misnumbering.
Well, I managed to rush through the test before time was called; however, some of my classmates were not so fortunate. There have been major rumblings of angst since that test. I haven't heard how I did, but judging from how I did on the previous one, I shall wait in fear and trembling.
At work tonight, the trend continued. I had to soothe ruffled feathers of plant managers and assure them I would get their mail back to them. And then the system problems began. At one point, I thought I may have lost 100 thousand pieces of mail, but I got them all back. Ok...so I got my one break of the day.
posted by Sara | 3:35 AM
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