So I just finished what was probably the longest and most challenging test that I’ve taken in the past few years. Literally, like ten minutes ago. In fact, I’m writing this as I’m sitting down in a computer lab at my school. Why was it so long? Because it was 1 hour and 15 minutes long. “That’s actually a reasonable amount of time” you might be telling yourself. And for the most part, an hour and 15 minutes is actually enough time for an average college test. But the problem is that it was an economics test… Yup… That class that combines math with logic as well as reading with incredible precision each question.
So what happened in this test that made me write this blog post at school when my next class is about to start? The fact that a (approximately) 40 year old woman started crying because ten minutes before the test was over she still had around 30 multiple choice questions to go. And don’t think for one second that she was the only one. I had 20 multiple choice questions (that somehow I managed to rush) left for the last ten minutes. Keep in mind again that this is an ECONOMICS test. You can’t just read the question and pick the best option that looks good in your head. You have to literally read and analyze thoroughly each question.
I honestly didn’t have time to feel bad for her since I was struggling to finish off the test myself, but it did catch me (and probably the rest of the class) a little bit by surprise. In fact, you could even tell that the professor himself felt a little bit uncomfortable with the situation.
I honestly don’t feel bad anymore when I do poorly on an exam. Experience tells me that it’s never the end of the world. There’s more to come and worse problems to solve. As soon as I was done with the test, I turned it in and there were still quite a lot of people working on it even though time ran up. The professor kindly (and probably forced by the situation) gave everyone a few extra minutes since, again, a lot of people weren’t finished yet.
I’m not sure how the story ended since all I wanted was to leave that class after taking such an intense exam. I guess I’ll find out next week. However, the point of this post is to share with you guys my experience, which is probably the main purpose of this blog too. I guess I was just never expecting someone that mature to get so upset about something that isn’t really that important. It’s a test. It’s not your mom’s health or your sister’s divorce.
And just to wrap up my thoughts on this idea… If you’re an adult or are in college right now, take a look back at high school. Remember all those tests that you screwed up? How did they change your course of life? Did they negatively impact your life? I’m 99% sure the answer is no.
And by the way, I’m not saying you shouldn’t study or take tests and exams seriously. I’m just saying… A bad test won’t change your life. A bad attitude on the other hand, will.
Author: Tony Lewis
Marketing nerd, blockchain enthusiast and part-time planet Earth explorer. I like building (and acquiring) long-lasting assets.