My brain is dead. I just finished writing a two hour American Literature exam. I have never taken such a hard test. It's not that the information was difficult; I didn't even study that much. Probably only a couple hours, and that was in front of the TV, during commercials. The simple process of recalling all of the information was not difficult in the least. Rather, writing two full length essays and six shorter essays drained my mind of all useful processing and synthesizing skills. I'm devoid of the ability to write essays on William Faulkner or Tennessee Williams. There is relief on the horizon, though. Now that I've written this test (all six pages front and back) I'm done with American lit. until I have to teach it myself one day. Don't get me wrong- I actually loved all of the pieces we read in that class. We read My Antonia, The Sound and the Fury, A Streetcar Named Desire, Kate Chopin, e.e. cummings, Robert Frost, Sarah Orne Jewett--- some of my favorite authors. But my professor is tough. She expects a lot, which is also good. It is also exhausting. I think I'm going to pack for a little while and maybe take a nap. I still have two more tests to prepare for. And then I will say goodbye to studying for a short while. An abbreviated rest.