In Which Rayla Learns About Castle Architecture In Art History

So I was sitting in Art History today, and it's the period before lunch so we're all dying of hunger and generally antsy, but JP (our art history teacher) was teaching castle architecture today (in preparation for our trip to the Loire Valley) and it was actually really intense and interesting. The best thing is, he puts pictures of beautiful castles up on the screen and then points out all the different military purposes of all the parts, and then says stuff like, "Oh, and we'll go and see this next week."

Seriously. It's totally intense. Like, we're learning all these terms and the evolution of the castle and characteristics, and it's all for a purpose - to take a trip and see if for real. Our trip to the Loire Valley is less than two weeks away, and it's so hard to believe that in about ten days we'll be looking at medieval castles in REAL LIFE instead of just looking at pictures on the screen. It's just so cool! I can't wait to go on the Loire Valley trip, castles are so amazing. Plus, it just makes art history seem so important to learn it and then live it. Seriously. I heard on the SYA videos how students say that they learn about stuff and then go out and see it for real, but I didn't realize how unbelievably cool that is until I actually got hear and JP started saying "look at the draw bridge over the moat...très utile! And we'll be able to see this in person next week!"

In other news, SYA France will be taking the PSAT/NMSQT tomorrow at 8:00 am! On Wednesday! Gasp! The cool thing is that all our classes have been canceled on account of the test, so afterwards everyone is free! It doesn't seem like anyone is really stressing about the test though; I'm surely not. Mr. Pratt told us (in a funny, college counselor advice type of way) that we better not blow off our homework for our real classes to practice for a practice test. It's true though. The practice test for the PSAT is kind of a funny concept. It's a practice test for a Practice SAT...a practice test.

Loire Valley! Oh my gosh! Our first school trip! Next Friday!