The End is Nigh!

Hello everyone! I hope that you are all happy and well, and hopefully some of you have already decided to come and study at Bristol next year!

Spring is here and the days are getting longer, but everyone can feel the pressure as we approach our last deadlines and final examinations. I for one am thankful that I submitted my last coursework last week – this relieves a lot of pressure and allows me to finally focus exclusively on revising for my exams.

I’d like to tell you about the exams that I will have this summer, as some of you may be intending to study languages at Bristol next year, whilst others may be considering it for the future. Languages students are examined in five components for each language that they study. These are Guided Writing (using the target language to express an English text either by precise translation, résumé or other means), Translation (from the target language into English), Grammar and Composition (essay writing and grammar in the target language), Oral (a 15-minute oral presentation) and Aural (a listening exam). Because I do two languages (like many others), I will have ten language exams. I have two more exams for two other units I study (French Renaissance and Interpreting), bringing me to the grand total of twelve exams that I will have to sit during the summer examination period. In previous years, the language exams were split across the January and May/June examination periods, but in final year they are all in May/June. It’s a lot of work, since each component tests a different skill – I thought it might be useful for you to know how it all works so that you can know what exactly it is that you’ve signed up for!

We are in a time of year of mixed emotions. It’s getting warmer and we can all feel the summer coming, but many will be scrambling to meet dissertation or coursework deadlines, and many others have important exams that are little over a month away. It’s nice that we are on the home stretch; we are almost at the end of the year and graduation is just around the corner. All that we hope for is warm weather and a happy examination period.

Nayuta