the effect of finals / day one

The last set of school examinations at Norwegian International School started June 19th, so I’m a day late, but I can recall my feelings as if it was just this morning. I’m a pretty good student (A*average), so exams don’t generally bring me stress. I do study, often a quick review the night or two before, and it was no different for today’s exam (Physics).

Except it was. I didn’t study at all for this one.





Well, I wouldn’t say at all, as I studied the thirty minutes I had before the exam started, but is that really studying? Is that even a quick review? It wasn’t anything, so yes, I didn’t study. My class just had a review the day before in class.

The exam was split up into multiple choice (30 marks) and theory (70 marks) papers (the theory part compromising of theory theory and practical), and I finished both in one hour. Ten minutes later I got my marked multiple choice paper, and looked through it: I had missed four questions. One I didn’t read the table properly, for two questions I didn’t get it because I hadn’t a good grasp on the topic. Three marks lost that I could have easily gotten.

The last one, I really thought my answer was right. I wasn’t alone, as my friend thought so too (great minds think alike and all that). I really beat myself up for those three questions. I got angry that I didn’t read. Why didn’t I read? I really have no good excuse. Now for me to get an A* average in this subject, I'll need a near perfect score for theory.

I told my parents and they weren’t happy about it (but really, that in itself doesn’t bother me, I get my grades for myself) and my mom went on and said, well I don’t remember what she said, but I can tell you it pissed me off.

The lesson here is not to tell your parents your grades. Also, make yourself study.