Exams-By V

I walked into the newly re-christened (or so I thought) Bengalooru University only to find out that the name remained the same. However, the building has indeed gone in for an upgrade. No longer was it the ramshackle structure in which I wrote my first semester exams, the building where I was more petrified about the ceiling crumbling off onto my head rather than the fact that I knew nothing in the exam. Nor was it the half built structure where I gave my second semester examinations. This is an uber-modern structure with books I'd probably love to own when I make my first million, and facilities to die for. Ahhh....heaven!!!

Yes yes, I am getting to the point....

I wasn't here to praise Bangalore University campus. I was here to write about the funny feelings that exams invoke within me. I don't mean ha ha funny..more a sort of a mixed bag. I am usually nervous, but then again who isn't? It's the semester exams, and nervousness is the only normal feeling I get.

There is also a certain longing to meet people I met during the previous times I wrote my examinations. One of them has become a really good friend of mine over the course of the years. It's kinda nice actually to be one among a sea of students all waiting anxiously for the teachers to start distributing the papers, and look around and see more people.

I also end up feeling scared, not wanting to do my usual last exam stupid things. In my first semester, I ended up mimicking my external examiner's funny accent, then looking up at my invigilator's ashen face and realizing, with sudden dread, that she was right behind me. In my second semester, the same dread was again re-kindled with the realization that she was again my external examiner, and in my haste to beat it out of the viva session as soon as I was done, I ended up trying a half-running half-skating motion leading me to miss the entrance to my classroom completely, slip in a mighty puddle, which was conveniently placed outside the room, and colliding head-first with the Head Of The Department. Again, I couldn't wait to get out of there fast enough. But, there is an upside to everything. If i didn't have these mad things happen to me all the time. I wouldn't be me. The external smiled at me on my way to my classroom, and the now former head of the department gave me a broad smile and wished me the very best of luck for a potentially tough paper, which lightened my mood instantly. What will I do this time? Well, they've only started..the final day is still ten days away...let the suspense build I say.

The final feeling completing this mixed bag is a sort of a wearied happiness....the start of the examinations means that the term is almost done....the countdown has begun....I get a break, I get some time to myself, and most importantly, I get to go home. So, a kind of nervous longingness builds itself in my heart as I remove my pad, check if my hall ticket is firmly attached, smile at my friend from another college, and walk in, once again, to sit in the seat which, as always is too small for me.

Somehow, I really don't mind. I'm going home.

Cheers

V