In a new weekly feature, recent Her.ie recruit Mary is sharing her journey through the very grown-up world of juggling a career with further education. Looking back over her first semester and forward to a thesis, Mary is learning some lessons along the way about time management, the trials of being a born crammer, the importance of sharing the stressful moments... and the reason why "mature student" is probably an oxymoron. _________________________________________ Freedom! I’ve talked about this moment for so long, I can’t believe it’s actually here. Yes, I’m free! I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet to be honest. We finished our last exam on Tuesday evening and there was a sense of bewilderment and sheer exhaustion as we all sat looking at each other in the pub afterwards. Disbelief reigned supreme – were we actually really finished all of our exams? What on earth are we going to do with ourselves now? And yes, yes. I haven’t forgotten (as much as I’ve liked glossing over it this past while) that there’s still a long road ahead to September and handing over a bound thesis. BUT… the freedom, the sense of relief, the relaxation that comes after finishing exams is like no other feeling. I went home in a bit of a daze after, as we all bid farewell to each other and promised to meet up later in June. These people had been a part of my life, twice, three, sometimes even four times per week. And now, we were wandering our separate ways, heading back to our lives and the real world – and it all just felt a bit surreal. Arriving back to my house, notes and books were scattered everywhere. The joy at tidying them all up and shoving them in a bag in the back of my wardrobe to ‘be sorted out at a later stage’ was immeasurable. I can’t tell you how good it feels right now. My friends both in and outside of work had stopped asking me to go to things with them as I always had to refuse. Now? I’m free as a bird people. The project for the summer won’t write itself but hey, there’s no need to think of that just yet. I deserve a break. I feel like I’ve walked to hell and back and come out somewhat unscathed. So it’s the weekend and though I may be working, I can revel in the knowledge that on Monday morning when I lie in bed enjoying my day off, there will be one big thing missing from my life – guilt. And the feeling of that weight lifting off my shoulders is pretty darn amazing.