Let’s be clear: there is always more I could do. There is always more. I could have skipped the two birthday parties I went to this weekend and studied instead. But I cannot spend ten hours a day studying, or even eight. I’m not reading new material, which I could do all day every day; I am reviewing and trying to make sure I understand things I’ve already read and discussed and in many cases written papers on. In the US we would have, what two weeks MAX after the end of term and before finals? I have not had class since March 18. This is brutal. I have adjusted to a this new system to a degree, but at the same time I am just holding out until 1PM GMT+1 on June 14, when the exam portion will all be over. It will be so exciting. And a huge relief.

I’m also working on my thesis, hoping to have a fairly strong draft before my sister comes to visit a couple of days after my last exam. I spent some time on that today, working out of a small library at the British Museum, which added something different to the experience. But I have my limits, and so this afternoon I came home and spent two hours cleaning. Vacuuming, dusting, polishing, scrubbing. I cleaned off the runner boards along the bottom of the walls. I cleaned a windowsill that I don’t even see. And I’m coughing like mad. But I have to say it’s pretty nice to be in such a clean apartment considering that for the next two weeks I’ll be spending even more time here.

Other things I’ve managed to do while rationalizing my study habits:

– Finally invested the cash that I’d rolled over from an old 401K

– Applied for two jobs

– Learned about British History (check this book out – it is outstanding: An Utterly Impartial History of Britain)

– Watched all three seasons of Private Practice