3 Unusual Things Excellent Students Do During Examination Periods

Professor Jane was in charge of our examination centre that day and it has been well-known to every student in the whole university that she always ends up catching one or two students engaging in examination malpractice. My classmates were all riled up and everyone was sitting on pins and needles because you never could tell what you would do wrong to get to the Students Disciplinary Committee. It had been rumoured in previous years that Professor Jane had caused the expulsion of a final-year medical student because she borrowed a pencil in the examination hall. 

I was not jittery like my friends and classmates were - in fact, I was so calm I had begun to think that I wasn't normal. My calmness eventually wore out when I got to the examination centre and found out that the examination had started fifteen minutes ago. My tears came spilling down without warning and I tried reasoning it out with Professor Jane…and as expected, she refused to let me in. Most of my classmates who were already in the examination hall were sympathising with me already and shaking their heads for what was to become of me and even I was sure I was doomed. However, one thing I had always remembered was an audio I had listened to titled, "You Are Valuable". I knew that there was nothing too good for me and so, I insisted on staying outside the hall, not giving up.

Some minutes later, Professor Jane walked towards the window and happened to see me standing under the scorching sun. Maybe it was a momentary motherly feeling or maybe it was because I had found favour in her sight, she beckoned to me and allowed me into the examination hall. Although she did not give me a minute extra, I was able to finish my work with speed. 

When the results came out, it was shocking when my classmates saw my name topping the class list and they all asked me what my secrets were. I refused to tell them and only wanted to share my story here, with the audiences of Gbemi Writes and the world.

1. I activated the principle of the blessing of education.

Recently, especially as the school exams started, I have heard students sigh and shout, "All of these will not matter in heaven!", "Why must we do exams? Can't our lecturers trust us?", " Only a fool will read!" and a lot of strange sentences seem to constantly fly around.

However, if I had had that type of mentality, I would have left the examination venue immediately after I was refused entry. I would have flipped my skirt, turned and entered the nearest cafeteria to soothe my broken soul but I didn't do that because I knew that whatever I had found myself doing should be done well. I knew that education is not a curse and is in fact, a blessing because when I get educated, I get equipped for innovations, more wisdom and inventive thinking. I know that getting educated implied that more souls were relying on me to help them and doing very badly in my examination will disappoint God, myself and humanity.

Having the mindset of education being a great part of the blessings we have as human beings will cause you, as a student, to do your best without getting tired. It will help you find your schoolwork interesting, tutorials sweet to attend and exams the best things to do on earth.

2. I activated the mindset of working at ease.

My professor made me come in late yet I was able to top my class. This didn't come because I was intelligent or because I had read - of course, they also played a very integral part. But, of what use is one's intelligence if one were unable to calm down in an examination setting and write properly?

I knew that fidgeting and losing my calm at that moment was not going to help me get my desired results so, the business of wisdom I was in prompted me to take a deep breath, shut out the noise around me and focus on the sheets of examination papers before me. It isn't normal to fail any exams as a student, it is not the will of God for you, not the will of your parents, not the will of your teachers and I'm very sure, not your will either so why should unexpected situations that pop up suddenly determine how well you do in an examination?

Therefore, it is only right to apply the wisdom of ease and the answer of peace to your examination. Refuse to be intimidated even when you have just a few minutes left, a real soldier does not leave the warfront until he either dies or he kills his enemies off. Likewise, you are the soldier, and the examination is your warfront, your examination papers are your enemies and you have to finish it off because you have been placed stronger and higher than any examination.

3. I didn't wait after the exams to lament.

Well, this might be a coping mechanism for most students but definitely, not for me because I would be left jittery, sad and ill at ease. So, immediately after the examination, I slipped away from my classmates some of who wanted to know why I was late, some who wanted to know if I had been able to finish my papers, some who wanted to lament about the questions, some who wanted to know which answer tallied to which question and others who were just there to fill in the crowd. I knew that the end was written and it was not best yet, I knew no matter what I had written, it was all going to be blazing glory and so, I returned to my rest because I had been dealt with bountifully.

This point should not be confused with making corrections after exams. Making corrections after an exam will not take your peace away, neither will it keep you condemned but will give you a sense of reassurance and peace. But, if you feel you would lose your peace by remaining among your classmates after an exam, just walk away with a smile - no offence. You are only protecting your inner rest and as usual, you can be sure of a blazing result like mine.