Academic Equestrian: Finals Week

Haley Ruffner, the Academic Equestrian, is nearing the finish line of her first semester of college: finals week.

Today is the last day of classes before finals week, and I think I finally understand why “Finals Week” is said with much the same tone as one would say “My dog just died” or “I’m about to go skydiving with a parachute that is probably defective.”

I can’t really complain because I only have two finals and they’re several days apart, but the real reason I’m freaking out is that every professor likes to assign final projects in addition to the exams — all of which were due yesterday or today. Naturally, instead of staying on campus to double-, triple-, and quadruple- re-check every sentence of every essay I have due today, I went to the barn to ride this morning (because when my coach offers to let me ride a reiner, I can’t say no, and really, who can say no to this face?)

On the bright side, my knowledge of how to work Microsoft Word on my new computer has increased exponentially after typing what felt like 35 pages, and none of my work was lost in any saving malfunctions. I may have had too little sleep and too much coffee, but after time in the saddle I feel a little more like a real person again.

Haley Ruffner is attending Alfred University, majoring in English and minoring in Business and Equestrian Studies. She has a green Quarter Horse, At Last an Invitation “Cricket,” and he is also “enrolled” at Alfred. She rides western and hunt seat and also loves to rein and trail ride.