Battling Exams

The principals voice booms over the settling students like a civil defense siren forewarning an air strike of evaluation. The rules are read out to us but whiz by me like bullets as I cling to every fact I had studied off of my course review sheet the night before. I Rush to the first page of questions with a naive battle cry and a fatalist attitude hoping it would be enough to survive the final. Unsolved questions lay scattered across the page like fallen comrades crying for an answer. Unable to believe my eyes I Look up at the giant clock that looms over the silent gymnasium and see the reflection of the unprepared look around at their fellow sleep deprived; unanimously everyone’s thoughts harmonizing in one big realization that we should have paid attention while we still had the chance. I continue to look around as my silent plea for aid to the screaming questions on my paper echoes throughout my mind. My unpreparedness for this crucial moment is seeping out of my pores in a toxic sheen that hugs my body like Kevlar. The stress of not knowing half of the topics so far and the future fear of still not knowing what’s to follow intensify my nerves as I start to tap my foot in time to my racing pulse. Wanting to just wave the white flag and surrender my chances of passing, I lay my head down and think of the grades waiting for me on the other side of this battle. They wave in excitement as cheer me on, reminding me there’s only one more page left to go. Coming out of the mirage, my blood boils as I hurl myself through the unknown. My parched throat begs for more water as I gulp down the liquid as if it were the knowledge that I need. Dodging the teachers exacting stares, I head into battle for the last time. Hardly being able to keep myself upright I continue my trek through the lead covered bubble sheets and fields of foolscap that litter my desk; unsolved questions lay scattered across the page like fallen comrades. Fully loaded clips of rapid fire multiple choice questions are the only obstacles blocking my path to freedom. The exhaustion of studying countless borrowed notes clearly noticeable on my shell shocked face. My last gust of black ink is just enough to make it through the essay questions just as the 3 hour mark is about to ring. Saluting the questions I failed to answer, I limp out of that exam in a dazed state of completion and a war torn mind.