Positive

It's now week 21! After Friday, I have another three weeks before the end of term, and then starts the one month+ revision period. While I tend to find exams ok, I have to say I loathe the revision period. It's almost two months of shutting yourself away every day for hours on end, reading and re-learning everything you already know. I put myself through this hell for the grades, and thankfully it pays off. Luckily, the F1 season has started up again, so I consider these weekends to include enforced breaks while I watch the race. It saves my sanity, that's for sure!

This year, I have very few exams - only four. I'll be done on the 28th of May, and I'm not sure how I'll feel once the final exam is over. I remember feeling slightly shell-shocked once I'd finished my second year exams, although there were a lot more with not quite as long to revise in between. This year, the final exams marks not only the end to the torture of revision, but also the end of my degree. I have to say, it's been four years of ups and downs, but right now I'm definitely on an 'up' swing.

Aside from receiving my exam timetable, last week I also registered for graduation! This has been a very long time coming - I think I wanted to book my graduation at the same time as my friends last year booked theirs, so I'm so happy I finally have it sorted. I'm sure the ceremony will be incredibly boring, but at least I will have my degree officially, and it will be a celebration of sorts. Plus, I get to wear the ridiculous hat, which will be something to laugh about.

As well as the news about my graduation and my exams, I've also been very encouraged by the response to my master's degree. It's been just over a week since I received the news, and I think it's now finally sunk in. The next step is for me to raise the money to afford my tuition fees, course costs, and travel expenses to and from London each day. I need to raise around £13,000 for this (ideally more to be on the safe side with the travel), and now I'm just over the halfway mark!

Trying to raise such a large amount of money in such a short amount of time isn't easy. If I wasn't so desperate to do the degree right away, I would defer for a year in order to find a job and raise the full amount on my own. As it is, I'm working as a research assistant and a clinical study coordinator alongside my studies (makes for very busy weeks and very, very long hours), which has given me most of what I have earned so far. It's hard work, but I certainly don't shy away from this, and it will definitely be worth it when I'm up in London! I'm very lucky too that I receive a scholarship from my current university, all of which has been put towards my fees. My final bursary payment this month will also head straight to my savings account to boost the total.

As well as everything I'm doing myself, I'm also looking to charities and foundations for grants to study. While I haven't heard anything back from these places as of yet, I'm hopeful that at least one will show sympathy towards my plight and help me raise the rest of my fees! UCL also offer two scholarships for which I may be eligible, however as I won't know the outcome of my application to these until a month before I start, I'd rather not run the risk of not having the tuition covered should my applications be unsuccessful.

Perhaps the most meaningful money I have raised has been donated by some truly wonderful people on my fundraising page. I have to admit, I set the page up completely on the off-chance that someone would want to help me, and I am completely overwhelmed by the fact that so many people have helped me! I still have a way to go on the fundraiser, and so I'd be very, very grateful if you could check it out and share the link (or even donate if you can!). Even the smallest amount will go straight towards my MSc costs, and I promise to keep everyone updated as well as I can. You can find the fundraising page at the following link: http://www.youcaring.com/tuition-fundraiser/maria-s-master-s/127559

So, all in all I've had a very good week. It is certainly a big change from the past four months, where my life has been dominated by uncertainty and bad news. I'm hoping that the positive news and good feelings will continue right up until the end of my degree, and on into summer. The aims of this week include finishing my last short essay at this university, and fathoming the data analysis for my dissertation. Let's hope that these two pieces of coursework go as well as the rest.