First Semester: Check.

We're officially (and finally) done with Semester 1. That's right folks, exams are over! We had our last one yesterday. Save the worst for last? It was alright, but unfortunately we all seemed to go into it feeling like our heads were empty from trying to cram so much into them, and walked out feeling even emptier. Our brains felt so mushy afterward that some of us weren't even up for celebrating in the pubs! Well, not for too long anyway.

Today, Dan and I buckled down to get a whooooole lot of things done towards our dissertation project. Considering our intentions to start running trials at the start of Semester 2, we had been supposed to get our ethics approval submitted around Christmas time. We ran into some snags there though in that as masters students (as opposed to professors or PhD students) we were unable to open our own application online. So we had to get in touch with the appropriate person in the department to do that for us, and then we finally got access to the application a few days ago. In the middle of exam time. So despite our mush brains just wanting to relax, Dan and I went to it, working on the application itself as well as all the supporting documents that we have to provide along with it (Participant Information, Consent Form, Debriefing form, and all questionnaires and scales to be used). It was a lot to get through but we were super productive... eventually.

It's really good we got so much done, because tomorrow I'm off on a mini vacation with Cat! Semester 2 doesn't start til Monday, so we're taking a few days to get out of Bangor. She lives in a village outside of Cambridge (http://www.guildenmorden.gov.uk/ adorable, right?), and she's taking me home with her for a few days to spend some time in Cambridge and London. It should be a really fun few days. I plan on taking lots of pictures, especially given my amazing Christmas present of a DSLR! I'm not too great at using it yet, so we'll see how they turn out, but it's a great opportunity to practice! Be prepared for next week's blog to be pretty long and picture-ful.

I don't have a whole lot to say this week which I'd say is a pretty accurate reflection of the past chunk of my life. I've pretty much been hunkered down studying or procrastinating studying since I got back here. Not a whole lot of activity.

See you next week with reports of the more metropolitan side of the UK!