The exams, or more specifically, the shock they gave me.

Recently, I had to sit for my 10th grade exams which I thought would be the same as normal exams (excluding the fact that they were common exam and arguably the most important exams I had to sit for).

I studied hard, going through both my syllabus and the question pattern. I was sure that I would definitely ace the exams (boy, was I in for a shock).

So I walked into the exam hall, sat down and started setting up my desk -by which, I mean taking out my pens and pencils- while beaming with confidence.

The fact that my first exam was English only fueled my self-esteem.

But that all changed when I read the contents of the paper.

“Was English always this hard?”

“Did we even study this?”

“There’s no way I’m reading this right.”

Such thoughts raced through my mind as I tried to grasp the situation. The way the questions were framed was completely new, the content was unfamiliar and the answers seemed to be non-existent.

“What in the world is going on?” I wondered, or more accurately, obsessed over.

What I was taught and what I was used to was all thrown out the window and I hadn’t even heard the glass shatter.

My “normal” had been twisted into something new. And I was not ready for it.

Looking back, I should have anticipated the change with the start of the New Normal Curriculum and promise of more competency based questions, but I didn’t.

The idea that the exams would test our understanding instead of memory had flown over my head.

So I berated myself for not seeing this sooner. The signs were all there and the dots were waiting to be connected.

“I should have known,” I thought while very aggressively pulling off the cap of my pen.

However, the show must go on.

So, I put my complaints and got through that paper with the best of my abilities.

I was determined to not let this unexpected development faze me. I was going to do well no matter what.

I left the exam hall feeling like I did my best that day.

Then I experienced the cycle of surprise, annoyance, depression, acceptance and motivation ten more times.

The exams left me with a lot of negative feelings at first but now all I feel is excitement for the future.

The education system which I had hated with a passion would no longer be the same. I had wished and prayed and hoped for change and it was finally happening.

And so, I got to close my 10th grade experience on a good note.

*P.S – Instead of a chair I got to sit on a bench during my exams. It was rather odd but made for a good story-especially since it gave me back pain. I wasn’t used to it and it took me a week to adjust, after which, I was no longer plagued with back pain. It also got me into yoga so I think I earned more than I lost.