Exams are very stressful.
I understand the need to evaluate someone's intellectual performance to ensure that our degrees MEAN something... But... Do they have to be so stressful?
I, as a normal, sane person (it's a whole other argument if you want to disagree with me already!) don't deal well with stress. I freak out. There are times when I have it under control... Then I start to think about the material and how much I DON'T know. The key is to think of the material that I DO know.
I've learned a lot this year. I dissected a mouse and studied his intestinal tissues under a microscope with a slide that I made. I put things in perspective about evolution and speciation. I learned about the different transcription-initiation factors and gene repressors that control the things that make the things that make us who we are (yikes!). I've read more Nader than ever. I've argued political situations that I didn't used to know even existed. I've been reading SEX FOR DUMMIES. All in all, I've been doing quite a bit of studying this semester... And I don't feel like I should have to be stressed for any exam.
ALAS, here we are... It's the eve of the opening ceremonies. The first final is always the hardest. After the first, you can look back and say "at least it's over." At least I'll have finished THAT course. And it's not like I'm going to fail: I can get a 50% tomorrow and score a B- in the course. That's always good news.
So take that ANXIETY. Biology 215: Introduction to Ecology and Evolution... You've met your match. Give me your worst. Ask me that hardest most obscure shit that you can come up with. Give me the most UNFAIR exam ever created. I don't care anymore. I've crammed as hard as I can. I've studied as much as a person should have to study. Hell, I even went to the classes.
So I'm declaring my freedom from exam stress. And on Tuesday THIS week, I'll be declaring my freedom from exams.
