Dec15 2007
What a week!
Posted: Dec 15th, 2007 at 8:30 am by chilumba
This one tops the stress week list.
Yesterday was exam day for one of the classes. I have been studying mad crazy for the last few days trying to kick butt for this final. So I left for class a few minutes earlier than usual – so that I can reach class some time before the exam. Half a mile before reaching the university, I get stuck in traffic. The flipping traffic this time is not moving at all! I am watching the clock and it is getting closer to exam time every second. I can literally see the building where I need to be.
Fifteen minutes past the start of exam time, I am still not moving. This time I am cursing in my car and angry as hell! What the hell is happening with Friday Bellevue traffic?
I start thinking of options–
- 1. just abandon my car on the street
- 2. Pull to the side when traffic moves a bit, and then run to the exam
- 3. Skip the exam, and come up with an excuse and hope to retake it another day
- 4. Remain in the car, and watch the clock go past exam time
My option analysis –
- 1. If I abandon the car, the police will sure impound it when traffic clears up. Since it is Friday evening, the car will probably be ready Monday plus a huge fine
- 2. If traffic starts to move, then I can I can just as well park. If I abandon the car to the side of the road, I will still be probably thinking about it in the exam. This still sounds like a good option though
- 3. If I skipped the exam, when would I take it again since I am leaving the country on Sunday? Too much crap to deal with including adjusting grades later on – if retaking exam is an option. Plus, what excuse would convince the professor for that? Think academic honesty here 
- 4. Hope for traffic to move soon, and just get into the exam late, and give it my best shot.
About 20 minutes past the time the exam started, and traffic moves a little bit. Maybe there is hope.
Traffic has moved enough for me to drive on the curb onto a driveway near the university. I squeeze through, ran through the private business parking, and come out to connect to the university entrance road which is empty. Looking through the rare view mirror, I see another set of people mimicking my maneuver. I find parking, and run out straight to class.
Everyone in the exam room who are deep into the paper stare at me weirdly. But I grab an exam, and start to panic through the exam.
“5 more minutes before the official exam end time” – the substitute professor informs the 3 of us still remaining in the exam room. So now, I just start brushing up and making sure my writing makes sense. I give in the exam, and hope for the best.
I was now officially done with my exams. It was also time to go and park for the Sunday trip.
What a stressful season.
A bunch of people have been asking me how my exam results went given I was half an hour late to the final.
No. I did not flank the class!!! I was actually really impressed. I did really well, and even got a score higher than the one I got on the mid-term.
My thoery – I must have got every single question that I answered correct. The last 5 minutes were brush up and probably some BS and maybe that is where I lost my few points. But I was actually suprised with my final grade for the class!!!!