Finally after 3 weeks of intense studying I have taken my first official oral exam under the Italian higher education system at the University of Bologna. I'm extremely pleased with the grade I received, however by no means do I support this method of examination.
My exam was at 10:00 and I was 3rd in line, I arrived a half hour early just to make sure I would be able to find my professors office, take a seat and review my notes. After waiting 2 hours I finally walk into his office and about 40 minutes later it was all over with, and only about 10 of those 40 minutes was actually spent asking me questions.
There is so much hype about exams, so much anxiety, stress, sleepless night, and time wasted for both the student and the professor I just simply don't see the logic. Even professors lament the examination process. I will admit that I was terribly nervous and had a cold sweat unsure if it was from nervousness or if I actually had a fever (since I've been sick the past week) and I would have dreams where I would finally find the answer to a question or I would wake up responding to a question I dreamt I had been asked.... I'm very thankful that I don't have to deal with this nonsense for another 3 months.
Apart from studying, the past three weeks have also been full with cooking with friends. One night we set out to make Le Lasagne Bolognese and it was quite a success, and last night my roommate's friend came over and made homemade tagliatelle with a rich flavorful traditional Bolognese ragù. Our kitchen was basking in wonderful smells and delicious outcomes.
