Nowadays

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So, today I finished my first week in school and have pretty much figured out how things work. I take four classes, three literature classes and a grammar class. Initially I was sign up for five but I decided to drop the essay/advanced writing class. All classes I take require lot of work, so I was afraid I would not be able to handle a fifth one. Maybe next semester when I am more used to the routines it will not be a problem but right now I have my hands full with the four.

To some extent school is pretty much the same here as at home. I think students from e.g. Asian countries find it more difficult to adjust than I do, but there are a few differences also for me. The first thing all teachers do in a new class is handing out the syllabus. That is both a complete schedule with all homework, assignments and tests as well as a detailed description of what the teacher expects of the students regarding behavior, preparation, participation, attitude etc. All that is different from teacher to teacher, but since it is always in the handout there are no questions about it. The syllabus also lists the teacher's course requirements and grading system. For example in my Folklore and literature class the professor writes that the result on the Mid semester exam will answer for 25% of the final grade, the Final exam 25%, the Semester project 25%, Quizzes/exercises 15% and participation 15%. That is a lot different from home where you sometimes don't know what the grade depends on.
  
I'm in school five days a week, although I have afternoons off. My schedule is as follows;

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