The exam was fair (and balanced). I wouldn't be surprised if I passed, but I also wouldn't be surprised if I failed. I wrote an answer to the first question (poetry) that was 3/4 fine and then became really lame at the end. My answer to the second question (novels) was just fine. My answer to the third question (two passages, talk about the narratives and try to place them in their period) was halfway fine because I was ok on the first passage (from Lolita) and although I talked about the right things re: the second passage, I didn't place it correctly. It was from Hard Times and it didn't scream "Dickens" to me. But such is life.

Several of us were in the range of feeling "iffy" about it, although our buddy Jim nailed the whole thing (it was his second go around). So, those of us feeling iffy also felt perfectly fine with taking it again in the spring, because we know our deficiencies. Unlike the first exam, this exam really brings one's deficiencies to light. And really, I think that's fair.

Our only real complaint about the exam was that the third question wasn't an explication of two poems and the placement of said poems in their period. We feel that's a better test of our analytical skills—and I'm saying that as a person who doesn't dig poetry.

So we'll see what happens. I don't regret for a minute going out with my friends on Friday night, because we had a good time and we rarely get to go out. It didn't affect my performance on the exam, as I got more sleep Friday night than I typically do. Only three of us went out after the exam but we stayed out for a good six hours. It was fun.