(Home)work or die.

 As I have just finished writing my reaction paper for tomorrow, I am more inclined to write about the differences in terms of homework between Middlebury College and my university. Having to read one hundred pages of paramount interest about the causes of the English revolution (1529-1642) to then write a reaction paper is definitely tricky. Although I technically had two days to do that, you have to take into account that I have other school-related things to do and that I am not used to having to work every single day. Curious about why? Continue reading!

Very comfy seats, perfect for arduous readings...

 The French university system, where the workload is quite light, has always enabled me not to burden myself with homework. As a very good and serious student, I have always managed to ace my exams. Doesn’t it sound contradictory and paradoxical? What I mean is that at my home university, you do not have to revise your lesson every day so as to be able to follow the class, even though it is obviously advised. The ideal thing would be to work regularly so as to acquire knowledge progressively so that when the exams arrive, you only have to revise. Something that a studious student like me did…not. Every time, I would do last-minute revisions, i.e a week before (after a semester consisting in chilling out and playing video games) so as to pass my exams.  This entailed me spending hours and hours on intense and exhausting revisions (or learning…) till late at night (or very early in the morning). Of course, every time I would tell myself that I learned from that bitter lesson and that therefore next time, it would not be like that. Naturally, I was wrong! But the good thing is that I have always done well in my studies.

Quite the view, eh?

 Nevertheless, asserting that doing so at Middlebury College and succeeding would be regarded as a joke that everyone would laugh at. It did not come as a surprise for I already knew what to expect, but still, it is not easy. Here, if I were to spend all my nights playing Plants VS Zombies (one of the few games that can be run on my netbook) and merely leaf through my expensive-as-hell books, I would end up drowning in a sea full of issues ready to take me down. So far, I do not think I have ever worked that much on a daily-basis and unfortunately, this is only the beginning, folks. Far are the times when I came back home and spent my evening catching up with my boyfriend via Skype and playing Left 4 Dead 1 & 2 and Borderlands with him. I am not saying that chilling out is out of the question but doing so way too much is definitely not affordable. Moreover, as I am completely immersed in a English-speaking environment, I have to work more because of the language barrier (fortunately, my English is fluent but still, it does require more work compared to an American student).

I have noticed that learning is very different here. I have always been used to learning from the teachers through their lectures. People passively attend the classes and write down what is being said, whereas here, active participation is a must. You cannot just hide in class. To be able to take part in discussions, you must have knowledge. Where does it come from? In my opinion, not so much from the teacher, but mostly from the books you have to read. Then every student has to discuss topics and issues raised in their readings. Then again, it depends on the course, for the lectures given in my accounting classes do bring knowledge but for the most part, you have to go and seek it.