A Week of Tests

Wow, I'm nervous! This week is going to be a big week for me. It's funny how I feel like I want to write, but I also don't want to be typing, but then I need to write too. Do you get it? Neither do I. So, what is happening this week? First of all, today I have the second test of my B2C course of German. I'm one course away from completing the B2 level, which would mean that my language skills (in German) should be pretty much near advanced. I don't feel it.

I had a previous test in this same course, for which I didn't study - this is what I do in order to measure how much I actually do know, under regular circumstances - and it went well, though I have no idea whatsoever how did I manage to do that. This time? Yeah, I studied. Hopefully it will go well.

However my nerves today are not entirely due to this test, but to what's in store for me on Friday: the defense of my third thesis, this time in Finance. At this point, the usual helping lines don't work for me. "Remember that you are the expert, you are the one who knows this", "You already have the largest and most difficult part done, this is just presenting it", "People hardly ever flunk their defense, that's what all the preparation and filters before hand are for". Dude, this is my THIRD thesis, I know this and I have already heard all these comforting words. That's not my concern. My concern is that I'm prone to forget things, AND I have a very limited amount of time. I have 25 minutes. What can be said in 25 minutes!? Well, I tell you what: the bare bones. 

Source: Property of Stormberry

My topic is really complicated, so I feel that in 25 minutes I'll leave the tribunal examining me more confused than even before I start (though they are supposed to have read the thesis before hand), so I don't know if they will even have an idea of what to ask. No, that's not a good thing: the thesis must be clear, and I want them to understand what I am proposing with my thesis.

The first time I made my presentation at a pre-defense, I was 10 minutes ABOVE the allowed time frame, so though the presentation itself was ok, I needed to improve that. It wasn't so bad, as only one of the other three classmate presenting was under the timeframe, and the rest were well above my surplus, with one lady going over 40 minutes. That is 40 in excess over the 25 alotted. Compared to that, I didn't do so badly, don't you think? :-)

Yesterday I did my first trial after the pre-defense, and I was again at 35 minutes total (10 minutes in excess). Considering that I had to add one slide to my presentation, I actually saw it as an improvement. What I did then was trim the presentation by scripting it, so I would give myself clear talking points, and try not to deviate from it. My thinking was: "I won't explain now. If they don't understand, they can ask me later".

Today I gave it another try. I must admit that I had to stop my temporizer several times in order to remember some parts, which I hope to have completely nailed down for Friday, and then I also was stopping at my 5 minute marks to make sure I make the notations on my slideshows so that the next time I know where am I. The result? Currently I'm only 2,5 minutes over my timeframe. :-) Hey, I'm improving! :-D

I have taken tomorrow and the two next days off, so I can prepare myself peacefully for this defense. Wish me luck! 💚🍀