The end is now in sight! After yearly examinations from the age of 10 (for various reasons: 11+, end of year exams, early A-level, early GCSE, actual GCSEs, AS-levels, A2-levels, university exams), it is with great anticipation that these exams will come and go.

And as always, it is the last set of exams which are the most significant in my life. Like people have said in the past, an education is mostly just a way to get your foot in the door - to enter a higher institution. What happens when you're in is entirely a result of what you do there. Not your past results.

This is different though. This is the last set for some time to come. Whereas it was a given that the next year would bring more examinations and that those would eclipse the current in importance, these are the last. Sure, there might be the possibility of an MBA and more exams later but a good result here is what is absolutely necessary to get your foot in the door to any job.

And that's why this pressure is so intrinsically annoying.

Most people at this point have some idea what they're doing next year but this is the final hurdle. In reality it is no harder than any other year but the mental fact that it is the last causes procrastination beyond the norm.

These last few weeks have been exactly that. I've never been good at focussing on self initiated work and this was no different. My dissertation has progressed somewhat but the project on which it is based has been stagnant for some time. Hopefully getting my mind thinking about my dissertation will help clarify my thoughts on the project. This last stretch of work is unbearably dreary and I will be glad once exams are over.

In other news, as part of my procrastination activity, I've spent a few hours here and there planning the rest of my life after university. The cost of the trip is turning out to be significant, not entirely unexpected but it means I can't do everything I wanted to. Flight tickets are surprisingly costly. At the moment my schedule post graduation is loosely as follows:
June to September - Internship in London
September - Travelling around India with The Moosra
September to early December - Volunteering with the OLPC project in India
December - Packing and training. Skiing!
January to May - Cycling Africa with the Tour D'Afrique
May - Nairobi to visit relatives, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro with Dad

After this, it really depends on how much money is left! It might be the case that I'm sick of travelling. If not, South America or Miami looks like an option!

Anyhow, it's time for bed. Good night!

P.S., I'm now on Twitter. Follow me.