After my friends left I took the Saturday off to relax a bit more and gradually shift my focus back to school work. After all, I only had six days left to finish that large scale project of mine and even though my concept was finished and I knew what I had to do, there were still thousands of little things waiting to be done.

As we didn't have any classes anymore last week, we were forced to work the final stages of the project completely on our own, without feedback. Risky business for those who still weren't sure where exactly they'd be heading. Anyways, I slowly got back into the groove over the weekend and starting Monday I was working at least 12 hour shifts each day to get my stuff done. As usual, pushing all important decisions back way too far, which then resulted in having to deal with them all at once. But it worked out. Even though the last two days were maybe two of the most intense since the Meloni-panic-nights, I had to drop a couple of details due to lack of time, I actually got blisters on my fingers from cramping up too much on my pen and my lungs almost gave up to the combined forces of spraypaint, fixativ, glue fumes and a cold virus, I finished my maybe most well-structured and thought through conceptual/visual project up to this date *blingbling* (pics will also follow). Honestly, with this thing my time here at KABK has already payed off :)

The presentation on Friday morning was quite an experience. Everyone was overfatigued, tense and edgy like hell. Some almost snapped prior to their turns and several of the girls actually broke down crying after their presentation. But to be honest, it's understandable given the fact, that this showing of their work determined if they would pass the third year or if they'd have to repeat it. In addition, it is quite intimidating to present your work to a total of 7 (!) profs all at once, plus a changing number of students in the background – the quality of the work by the way varying but overall quite high.

For me it all went down relatively smoothly – despite a horrible start, skipping almost 20% of my concept and sometimes taking ages to find the right words (but hey, like everyone else I was just tired and exhausted). Still, maybe it was a little easier for me simply because I didn't have the same pressure on my shoulders as everyone else. Plus, I was already so happy with my project, I think not even a bad critique could've brought me down. Luckily that didn't happen, all the teachers really liked it (except one of the typography girls, who didn't quite get it and thought it wasn't 'serious' enough) and I got lots of good feedback. And unlike Copenhagen where everything was always 'good', it actually means something here – believe me, the dutch teachers don't spare with tough critique and harsh words if you didn't reach their standards or they think you haven't worked hard enough. And they also don't go easy on the exchangies as Cecile and Ege had to experience painfully...

After everyone was done. We had to wait for two hours for the teachers to finish the evaluations (I went home to catch an hour of desperately needed sleep) and then everyone was called to their table to get their results. Some more crying, some people getting small extra projects which they now have to finish in order to pass but also lots of smiles and sighs of relief. Again, I only got to hear good things about my stuff – the only problem now being, that I have to live up to everyone's expectations for the upcoming projects ("Looking forward to what you'll be doing next." – aaaargh!!) At about 8 in the evening it was all over and we could finally go home. Here some impressions of the work chaos I had left there.