Have a pancake before you take an exam

This is what Christmas trees look like at Agnes Scott

Happy December everyone!

The time of a semester has finally came for all the Scotties to finish up our work, take all the exams and leave for the well-deserved Winter Break. Exams start tomorrow and they finish in exactly one week. Before I tell you a little bit about them, have a look at the pictures from the Pancake Jam- a party that Agnes Scott hosts for students every semester before the exam period begins. After days of preparations, it is simply fantastic to have some pancakes and other breakfast food while relaxing with friends, playing games, enjoying music and dancing. My absolute favorite thing about the Pancake Jam is that it takes place in the middle of the night, giving us a chance to really clear our minds and enjoy each other's company before we leave for the Winter Break. Take a look at this year's event: 

Friends, coloring books, pyjamas, nothing better to prepare for the exams.

Line to maybe the most expected event of this time of the year.

True Scottie spirit is seen through the type of pyjamas you wear.

Age doesn't matter. Creativity does indeed.

Imagine a breakfast like this in the middle of the night...

...served by an amazing staff like this. The hats look good on them, right?

They surely know their steps.

 

Bubbles made some Scotties really happy.

Although it rarely snows in Atlanta, some people imagined what their snowmen would look like if it did.

Such a crowd shows that the event was a big success.

I am already looking forward to our next Pancake Jam in the Spring Semester. Hopefully, next year we'll get to celebrate it together? 

Nothing cozier than preparing for the finals at Agnes Scott. Photo credits: Claire Kirchharr '16

I would like to give you a short overview of the exam procedure at Agnes Scott. It is somewhat uncommon in comparison with the other colleges. Students here take their final exams in several different forms, depending on their classes. Some professors asses our work throughout the entire semester and don't require an additional exam in the end. Others assign final homework or projects, for example research papers. However, the majority of the classes have final exams that students take in the very last week, this time starting tomorrow. Here come another two types of the final exams: scheduled and self-scheduled. Some professors prefer to have the entire class take their exam together in one classroom- these are scheduled exams. It is usually for classes like Art History or Music where extra material has to be displayed. The self-scheduled option serves for the majority of classes. A week before the exam starts, students purchase big envelopes from the on-campus bookstore and hand them in to the professors who later put the final exams inside. There is one building where students can take these exams during certain times. This procedure represents the importance of the Honor Code for all the Scotties. The members of our community trust each other so that we can live in a safe and no-cheating environment. If your values seem to match ours, I am positive that you will feel very comfortable as a student here.

I hope this short description gives you an idea of what the final period of each semester at Agnes looks like. Feel free to ask me questions if you are curious about anything else. 

I want to wish those of you who celebrate Christmas a wonderful holiday, filled with joy and positive energy. Happy Dongzhi Festival for those who celebrate it in China. Enjoy the Kwanzaa celebration, everyone. Have I missed any other festival? What do you celebrate this time of the year? Feel free to leave a comment under the post or e-mail me directly. Finally, I wish you all the best for the 2014 New Year. May all your aspirations and dreams come true. I will see you back here - and hopefully on campus - next year.

Karolina Klimczak '16

Office of Admission International Fellow

141 E. College Ave

Decatur GA 30030

globaladmission@agnesscott.edu