Day in the Life #5 (Exam Day)

A typical day in my life - #5

It was day 1 of my first semester, first year exams. I woke up, brushed my teeth, made some oatmeal and was now ready to concentrate on some early morning revision. I had 5 exams over a 2-week period and today was Mathematics 1. I had been revising all break for these modules and felt prepared for all of them, but today’s exam felt the hardest, and not to mention the longest: 2 hours and 30 minutes to complete 4 out of 5 questions of my choosing. Anyway, it was time to cram. So that’s exactly what I did for about 1 hour before I get a knock on my room door.

It was J, my roommate asking me if I had a spare pen and pencil as he lost all his. (Don’t ask me how) So I go to my desk, get a pen and pencil and lend it to him. I tell him I have an exam today. He says, ‘good luck, go ace it’. I say ‘hopefully, ha-ha’. Anyway, the conversation ended in an instant and we both got back to what we were doing. I think he may have had an exam that day. I was too focused on my work to really care about asking him.

Next: got back to cramming. I still had about 2 hours to go. I lived on-campus, so the walk to the exam hall would’ve only taken be about 5 minutes. Anyway, I went to the kitchen to see if I had any Redbulls to boost my concentration. To my luck I had 2 in the fridge. I took both and rushed back to my room. I cracked them both open and kept them side-by-side while memorising proofs and looking over example questions. Back then the Redbull would stimulate me enough to actually help me enjoy revision.

I revised and revised, and by the time the Redbulls were finished it was time to go, but not before I needed the toilet. So, after using the toilet I headed straight to my exam hall. I was seat number D26.

Everyone was pin drop silent slowly walking to their designated seats. There was a sense of tense-calmness if I can put it that way. Anyway, I was ready, and ready to ace it.

I walk to my seat, sit down and realise I need the toilet again. I run to the toilet and run back. The Redbulls must be doing their magic. Anyway, I was ready to take on the world at this point with the biggest grin of confidence on my face.

Exam’s done, and I still have the biggest grin of confidence on my face. I felt like I smashed it. It was re-assuring to feel like smashing an exam after revising for it for so long.  I looked around to see confused, disappointed, accomplished, relieved and a whole host of ‘other’ faces.

We walked out as slowly and calmly as we walked in.

I can’t reiterate how relived I was. It was like 1 of 5 giant boulders being taken of my back.

In my head I’m thinking weather to relax and have fun tonight or to start cracking on with exam number 2 which was in 2 days’ time. As the thought finished I heard my maths-buddy ‘I’ talking about answers to specific questions. A friend ‘H’ wanted nothing to do with that and ran away. A bunch of us were now stood around bouncing answers of each other to specific questions. Picture 4 or 5 maths geeks doing this, and now picture the exact opposite. Yep, that was us. The complete opposite of the norm. Anyway, once that had finished we decided to head (without any thought) to ‘Charco’s’, (dare I say it) a fancier Nando’s.

So Charco’s ended up being little eating and more talking about exam questions.

After Charco’s ended we all split up going our own way. The thought as I walked back to the flat was ‘did I really smash that exam?’ Anyway, time would tell.

I got back to the flat and the first thing I did was jump in my bed and think about what I would do tonight. None of the flat was in. They must’ve still been at University. I was calm, still focused and ready to just get a bit more revision done for now.

So, I revised. I put my headphones on and cracked on for about 2 hours before I decided to give up and take the rest of the night off.

I went into the kitchen to see if anyone was in. E, K and N were in. All three of them had exams that day. K was studying English Lit while E and N were practicing for Dentistry. Everyone said it was a great day and that the exams couldn’t have gone any better. I told them I felt like that as I finished the exam, but after discussing the questions with a friend, I may have overestimated my abilities in acing the exam.

The night then panned out quite nice. It was just us chilling in the kitchen talking and having fun. We talked about potentially planning a movie night after one of the exams. I invited S and V over from the other flats and we then continued to just talk, talk and talk. It was amazing how much time we could kill just by being around each other and initiating conversation.

The day was nearly over and the girls (K, N and E) decided to go revise some more for up-coming exams. I said I would do the same and went off to my room. V and S also went back to their flats.

So I revised more. It wasn’t going to be a fun night after all. It was a productive one though and that was good enough.

As I laid in bed I thought about all the pressure of exams and what it could mean after I left all these amazing people and went off into the real world to go and get a job or do something I loved.

I just didn’t know this early.

Day done.