Question about ように I'm confused in in the following sentence. Maybe it connects to or maybe means "in order to" ? I'm not sure about it here. Some sort of translation: "Conversations in this period of time means, that _they are_ taking the opportunity to clear the gloom from exams studying, the fact that it sounds a bit unnatural maybe is my imagination." >

I believe it is a split apart (sounds like ~ / sounds as if ~).

is modified twice, once by the clause ending in , and once again by .

> The(se things called) conversations around this period, I wonder if it is my imagination that they sound unnaturally shrill, and **like/as if** they are an attempt to eagerly snatch at the opportunity to clear up the gloom of studying for exams.