It’s the end of midterms week here at CUK. Yes, midterms. While all my friends in America are prepping for finals and the beginning of summer, we’re only halfway done! I get jealous when I consider that, but then I remember my winter break was almost three months long and I feel a little better.

I got lucky this semester in terms of my workload. I only had one real exam, and a couple writing assignments due later. But over the past few days, with most students studying for four or more exams, the general vibes of productivity rubbed off on me–sort of.

I’ve always considered myself a pretty hard worker when it comes to academic stuff. In high school, I’d study for a math test days in advance (though usually it didn’t help that much). I’ve never really had a problem spending a few mornings in a row working on an essay. When I finish, I always feel accomplished and studious and basically like a genius.

However, everything I’ve ever done for school is nothing compared to how I’ve seen a lot of the students here prepare for their tests.

My roommate has this habit of working from late afternoon until midnight, going to bed, getting up at 4 in the morning, and working until 10 or 11 a.m. Then she takes a short nap, wakes up, and works again. And I don’t mean like, half-working half-Facebooking. I’m talking 100% multiple-textbooks pencil-and-paper kind of work. At first I thought it was just an anomaly, or that my roommate was in MENSA or something. Then I started asking around, and it turns out this is a pretty common practice.

I am simultaneously repulsed and impressed.

I mean… Seriously? The only time I ever heard of classmates in the U.S. having that kind of sleep schedule was the night before a big project was due. And even then, it was almost always the product of extreme procrastination and a flair for the dramatic (“Oh my gosh, I am SO sleep deprived! I stayed up ALL night writing this! Coffee is my LIFE!!!”). But from what I’ve seen my roommates doing, and what I’ve heard from other students, often it’s literally the only way to finish the work and adequately prepare for the exam. Even the thought of this exhausts me and makes me thankful my classes weren’t nearly that intense this semester. Or ever.

Even though I didn’t have much to do to prepare for exam week, I sort of took advantage of the quiet, low-key feeling permeating the campus. I gave myself license to spend a few days doing what I like to call “fake work.” Fake work usually involves taking it easy in my room, or at one of my favorite coffee shops, reading or writing or catching up on TV shows. Things that are always on my mental agenda, but which usually take a back seat to real work I might have.

At first I felt sort of guilty, because I wasn’t using every bit of free time to run around all over Seoul having grand subway adventures. But I’ve found there’s a certain satisfaction in being comfortable enough somewhere to enjoy a favorite restaurant or café. I love being able to just chill out and relax in a foreign country. My lazy days here have been some of the best.

But now that exams are over, it’ll be nice to see the campus become a little more lively again. With the weather warming up and the cherry blossoms making everything unreasonably picturesque, there are plenty of adventures to be had. I will have them.