Friday, June 17, 2005
Exams do(s) and don't(s)
I don't know if I should first take a deep breath and heave a long sigh of relief or should I hold on to it until the last day. Today I have my very first paper of the exam. It went ok, except that I think I might have been slightly too lor sor and wrote way too much. Heck it... I guess its still better to write everything down, relevant or irrelevant for that matter. After all, I don't think I will be penalised for the extra stuffs I wrote, but I will get no marks for the things that I didn't add. So... Being good at 'talking cok' actually helps, but my hand was paralysed when the person said we have to stop writing down or else... (nah, she didn't say or else..., but there was this uncle invigilator who doesn't seem very friendly).
As I was sitting down waiting for the person to say we can start our perusal, people were streaming into the giantic hall, which I have mentioned in yesterday's blog. Looking at everyone saying good luck to each other, wearing silly ornaments for good luck sake. Some had a plastic glove stuffed with tissue paper and safety-pinned it to the caps they are wearing. Another one have a big flamingo pink ribbon tied to her pony tail. I was thinking to myself, so what are the taboo items that I must give a miss and what are must have items that I make sure they go to exams with me. And I made a list:
Do(s):
- make sure that I wear something blue or purple.
- make sure I have my good luck hair clip.
- make sure that I bring all my pens, and I must use the pen that I used for revision when I attempt the qestion paper.
- Bring my water bottle.
- Wear my watch, and I sometimes leave it on my desk when I can't see the clock in the exam hall.
- PS before I go out.
- drink tea
- talk to Vin the Man the night before
- sleep with my notes, books and reading under my pillow
Don't(s):
- cut my nails
- cut my hair
- wear green
- wear my contact lens
- kill any thing, e.g. insects
- sleep less than 8 hours
- say mean things about someone
- accidentally sit or step on my notes, or text books or readings
Ridiculous to some people, but I'm sure there are things that you want to do or not do before the exam. Vin calls them superstitions, but I guess, it just makes the person feels more assured and less 'traumatised' by this whole exam thing. Exam is stressful, no doubts, thus people (like me), need to do weird stuffs and abide by weird rules to make myself less edgy. I guess this just goes to show that I am insecure and that's how I cope with my insecurities. Diverting them to silly gestures and keeping my fingers cross that they don't get the better of me.
Posted by Piglet at 2:39 PM
