The Stress That Comes With Exam Results

It can be almost painful, waiting around for fate to be good to you. You worked hard, but you can never be so sure of what went on in that test. Maybe you slogged off and now you regret it, you hope for luck to be on your side. Maybe you are a genius at that subject, however you still have your doubts when it comes to the result. It's natural. No one can help getting anxious about grades. The world has made it so that grades are seen almost as if they are some holy entity. Anyone is bound to get that adrenaline rush minutes before a result is announced. In a highly competitive and narrow-minded world, nervousness is the norm.

I had a close friend in middle school and I remember her confessing about the state of trauma her mind in was about exam results. Her brain was wreaking havoc and she was in a chaotic place. She was freaked out about her middle school grades. Let me repeat that, MIDDLE SCHOOL grades. She was terrified of what her parents would say if she failed. She never really liked to study, although she was very talented in numerous other things. I wrote this poem for her once, she always kept it close to her heart.

Tick tock, tick tock,

Agonisingly slow goes the clock.

Each tick seems to mock,

My 24/7 mental block.

If I don’t get good grades,

The tears will run down as my dignity fades.

What will I say to the society as a whole?

It’ll be discouraging, frustration has taken it's toll.

But I know I must ignore people’s rants,

Because their words are as worthless as they think I am.

Not everyone’s strong point is to write and rote each historical date,

I must believe in my strengths and rise above the hate.

I live to see the day those hateful comments will wither,

I’ll live because I’m determined to not make myself weak as a feather.

“Friends” think their comments have discouraged me,

But they actually just made a stronger girl out of me.

Like my close friend, there are millions of students everywhere scared to perform terribly at something they find no interest in and forced to focus away from what they actually like. Everyone around them is excelling at the speed of light and they are still trying to figure out why they must compete at something they are no good at. There is this immense pressure to work harder or be left behind. Society judges those who do bad and expects too much from those who do good. Society lets neither party live in peace. Exams are tough and tiring, yes. Results seem to have a greater impact, though. Results are unpredictable. Results may be important. Results can be scary. Results might put you down for a while. Remember however, that results cannot make or break you. Only you can do that.