What I feel before, after and while writing my ACT exam …
It’s almost time; it’s almost time...
The trickling of my sweat from my forehead; my big green
watery eyes, the chapped lips and the dry throat. Almost feeling like I had
gulped down pickled juice and wanted to throw up. Typical signs of nervousness before entering
the ACT/SAT exam room. I felt suffocated being with so many students out there
in that room. I kept on clamping my sweaty palms, my stomach rumbled with
hunger and for some reason my feet were shaking. I had never felt like this before,
I am not like this! I am quite chilled out about exams and tests however the
pressure of achieving a high score in ACT/SAT was overpowering my calm and cool
attitude. The same thing repeated in my forehead- ‘NEED TO GET GOOD GRADES
OTHERWISE NO COLLEGE!’ I tried to calm myself down however all I could think
was about the paper.
All my five senses were highly alert and I could fell, hear
everything detail in the spacious room. I could fell my heart pumping, I sense
my anxiety increasing I could hear the chit- chat of the people in the other
corner. I was a mess however I had to
fight that feeling! I entered the room and removed all my stationary out that I
required; I rechecked my calculator twice just to make sure that it was working
properly. I saw that all my pencils were sharp and I filled the form carefully
avoiding making a single mistake. Typical signs of being nervous! The invigilator came and handed out the
papers. Oh and that wait for the paper! That wait was terrible to start the
paper. I could feel the smooth white paper, which would change my life forever!
The paper was about to start at 9 and as the clock ticked to 8:59 everyone
glared at the watch. That moment was frozen…everyone was nervous and that one-minute
almost felt like an hour. As soon as it turned 9 we all rushed and started solving
the paper. It felt like a mini marathon happening within my brain. I was
overloaded with information and apparently this paper was a way to prove my
intelligence! The paper went on for 3 long hours each second counted. I could
fell the competition and the heat in the room, everyone wanted the highest
marks and wanted to beat the other person.
After the paper was over I felt relieved. I felt
overjoyed and I really didn’t care about what I will get because I gave my 100%
and I am pretty sure that my hard work will pay off. It felt like a burden was lifted off my
shoulders. The anxiety had settled down. I thought everyone must have felt the
same way in the room however as I stepped out of the room all I saw was people
discussing their papers and crying over mistakes they made! This made me
reflect upon the human behavior. Is our life only based on grades? Universities will see your marks but marks
wont define your intelligence and it surely isn’t a way of judging your
personality or potential. There is more to life than grades. Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t
to work hard. People worry too much however life is too short to worry.
Competition is good but for me I am my biggest competitor and I work hard to
make myself better than yesterday. I compete to be better than what I was yesterday
and that’s my Mantra !
