A deep sigh of relief… EXAMS ARE OVER! No longer will my nights be filled with revision, take-aways, coffee and panic – well, not until May at least. The exam period this January stretched over two weeks and with both of my Politics exams falling at the end of the exam period it felt like a very long month. Despite weeks of revision, the feelings of relief and freedom following that final exam made the whole experience worthwhile. The politics students now have a few more weeks to wait until we find out if those late night library sessions all paid off (fingers crossed!). A short break before lectures started and a friend’s 21st meant I was lucky enough to spend a long weekend in Berlin. This much needed break was incredible even if it does mean that I will be scraping together the pennies for bills this month!
Back from Berlin and back to reality, I am now into the routine of lectures and seminars. Second semester means three new modules for me: political philosophy, political research and political violence. So far the lectures are really interesting which is a huge feat considering they are given in three hour blocks on Monday and Tuesday mornings. Any morning isn’t good for a student let alone Monday mornings!! But second year students are able to choose 4 out of their 6 modules meaning you are unlikely to be studying something you don’t like – which makes those early mornings much easier!
So, exams are over and lectures have started and lo and behold it is mid-February. I can’t quite believe it! The next challenge (even harder than waking up before 2pm!) is finding a house to rent for my third and final year. It would appear to be a simple task but with seven people to please and rent prices ranging from £50-£90 a week it does not appear to be as easy as we all hoped. We really should start looking because without a shower and a kettle Monday mornings next year really would be verging on impossible.

Jocelyn