Well examined

The coming week should be a busy one. Depending on how you count, this will probably be my 12th major series of examinations. I wrote the chemistry provincial examination in 11th grade; the rest of my provincial examinations at the end of 12th grade, determining university admission; completed four years of normal terms at UBC, with two sets of exams per year; finished one summer term at UBC, with logic and history exams; and passed the quantitative methods exam and qualifying test for the M.Phil last year. I have also had some exams that ultimately proved essentially unimportant. I wrote the SATs when in high school and the LSAT during my first year at UBC. I also had a placement test and final exam for my French language program in the University of Montreal.

Unless I go on to a PhD, and the comprehensive exams involved therein, these may prove to be my final four such tests. By 12:30pm on Wednesday the 13th, it will all be over.

Author: Milan

In the spring of 2005, I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in International Relations and a general focus in the area of environmental politics. In the fall of 2005, I began reading for an M.Phil in IR at Wadham College, Oxford. Outside school, I am very interested in photography, writing, and the outdoors. I am writing this blog to keep in touch with friends and family around the world, provide a more personal view of graduate student life in Oxford, and pass on some lessons I've learned here.

4 thoughts on “Well examined”

  1. Interesting talks:

    “Ethics and World Poverty”
    Peter Singer, Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics University Center for Human Values, Princeton University
    Tuesday 5 June 4.30pm for 5:00pm-7:00, Martin Wood lecture theatre, Clarendon Laboratory, Parks Road
    Organiser: Socio-Legal Dimensions of Environmental Law and Regulation Seminar Series

    “Limits to international law – reflections from International Conventions on Desertification and Climate Change”
    Camilla Toulmin
    Wednesday 6th June, 12:30-2pm, Saskatchewan Room, Exeter College
    Organiser: Oxford Sustainable Development Law Seminar Series
    Please RSVP if planning to attend to Melissa.castello@law.ox.ac.uk

  2. “The White House is consistently and persistently claiming that the US is doing better than Europe in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This is false — their claim is purely based on carefully selecting the only subset of the data that supports this conclusion. When all the data are used, it is plain that European emissions have declined substantially and US emissions have grown substantially. The article, and this linked analysis, debunk the White House claims.”

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