assessment week, first year diploma edition

Ah, assessment week. This time was nowhere near as nerve-wracking as last year: I knew the drill and didn't have to worry about panel assessments.

The whole week went really well--except for the fact that I got sick with a cold on Monday. Now why the heck does this sound familiar (and if I'm sick this time next year I'll scream so loud that my friends in Nova Scotia will be able to hear me)?? But it wasn't as bad as the one that I got this time last year (that time I was really sick and went home for the weekend), and this time I had no choice but to get up and go to class.

However, assessment week isn't over yet: a couple of classes won't have assessments until this week.

Highlights: my Creativity in Photography assessment, which was more or less a critique of my work with Peter. Simply put, I'm on the way up and I'm improving. For this assessment I needed to develop an 11" x 14" print beforehand. Up to that point I'd just been developing 8" x 10" prints. I'm really happy with how the 11" x 14" turned out.

Photoshop: Tools and Techniques: this one was a class, though Drew handed out mark sheets (I have yet to get a mark sheet from anyone else). I hadn't handed in the last assignment yet (I'd had problems with part of it and wanted to go over it with him), but my mark so far is (hold onto your seat for this one) an A. Yes, really. An A. That's my first.

Yesterday was Panel Assessment Day for the FVAs. When the info about panel assessments appeared about a week ago I couldn't resist reading it--and seeing where Adam and his group would be (he was in one of the mobile office units in front of the school). I wished most of the FVAs that I met "good luck" because as I've said before, I haven't forgotten last year and I sympathize with the FVAs. I remember how nervous I was before my first panel assessment: no matter how many times I was told that I didn't have to be nervous and that it wasn't a big deal, I was still nervous.

Now they can say that they have it over with and that it really isn't a big deal.

To any FVAs who may read this: Congratulations! You survived (more or less)! Now when you go for your next panel assessment (which I'm assuming will be in December--it was last year) you'll be able to really relax because you'll know what the heck you're getting yourself into.

PS Although I'd been told that stop bath stinks like you wouldn't believe, I didn't know how bad it was until I had to mix up a new batch yesterday when I was developing a couple rolls of 120 film. Let's just say that if your throat is feeling as crappy as mine is right now and you have to mix up a new batch, you should try to get someone else to do it if you can because when it's undiluted it not only stinks (like vinegar but a thousand times stronger) but it burns. Ouch. Not good if you have a sore throat.