There’s something not so joyful about midterms week, which this time around isn’t all that well defined. I mean, this week is technically “midterms week,” as denoted by our school calendar, but it carries into next week, and from what I heard, some people even had midterms starting last week. So, should we just call it midterm month?

All that is to say, I really wasn’t feeling it. I was hardly in the mood for anything. Compounded with lab reports, readings, and other assignments I simply had to do and research lectures and teaching demonstrations I felt some obligation to go to, it was as if the gods had decided to condemn me to a week of un-delight.

As the pouring rain and howling winds further dampened my mood, I prayed that this dreadful week would slowly, but surely, pass me by.

I was leaving the final research presentation for the third and final candidate being considered for the biology department when I ran into two older classmates. They jokingly pointed out my lateness—I had walked into the presentation 15 minutes late. Despite being notified of the time change to 3:45 just this morning (a forward shift of 15 minutes), I had forgotten. Sadly, it wasn’t the first time I was late; the presentations had been rescheduled multiple times, and I had never managed to arrive on time.

To all the presenters and candidates, I apologize.

Joining these two friends, we waited for the elevator to arrive before making our way to the first floor of a building I no longer spelled "SCIDI" (for those who don’t know, refer to Oh, Nope! It’s me!). Upon finding an open table, my other friend and I attempted to collectively troubleshoot an issue that had come up in conversation. My friend Polly was having a tech issue, more specifically a graphing concern, with Excel, something I could relate to given my own struggles with it. It really led me to wonder why we use such things. Given my general inability to solve anything tech-related, I effectively played the role of emotional support unit, nodding along like a bobblehead as if I understood anything that was being said.

Cookies! Cache! Duo security! I only know how to open and close my laptop and pray.

After a thunderstorm of Duo Security verifications, Excel was finally reinstalled. My tech-savvy classmate headed out (thank you! ), but not before saying a fair goodbye. I waited with Polly as Excel slowly booted up, taking its sweet time, feeling relieved that our efforts weren’t in vain. 

Imagine having to redownload again!

Doing all I could to help expedite the process, we successfully graphed the data, and she pasted the screenshot onto her lab report before we headed to Benson for dinner. On our way, we admired the clouds.

Those clouds sure are something.

The “sharing” of clouds brought us joy and a great sense of delight, but with the sun setting and the rain starting to drizzle, we hastened our way into Benson. Faced with the all-too-common question, “What do we eat?” we settled on something simple. Chicken and rice. We migrated a few times before settling down. It was then and there that the thought of asking my friend crossed my mind. Ever tried a London fog?

I couldn’t believe I was promoting anything related to Mission Bakery, but with the London fog being a priceless drink (literally, the damn app doesn’t display its price), we indulged. On a wacky week like this, there’s nothing more lovely than sharing a London fog with a friend in sweet company.

Put simply, there’s nothing like sharing and spending time with a friend.