It was early October, school still filled your mind, and the upcoming national examination haunted you daily. However, it was a celebatory day — it was the last day of school. Despite national examinations being just around the corner, joy & nostalgia filled the school compound as everyone rushed to take photos with friends & teachers. It was surreal, that after 3 years, you were finally taking the last step towards the end of your national examinations, and onto freedom, at least for the next few months.
Remember this moment, because you won’t feel it ever again. It’ll be your last day with a proper timetable in a uniform, waking up at ungodly hours to travel to school. In fact, it’ll be the last time for many things.
The next two months may seem like a long time, but these two months will be pretty much the shortest two months you’ve ever experienced. You didn’t do well for the preliminary examinations, so this was the time for you to buck up. You’ll feel nights of despair, and days of absolute laziness, but remember — this is about you, it’s about the life you will live in the future.
However, don’t force yourself too. You’re human, and all of us need breaks sometimes. Let loose sometimes, and make sure you don’t burn out. Remember the simple joys in life, and let that reinvigorate you to keep on pushing towards the eventual examination.
That said, make sure you don’t lose your momentum too. You might be tempted to spend longer than you need to rest. Distractions will be the bane of your study sessions, and they need to be tuned out. Remember your end goal. Don’t be daunted by it, but instead use it to push yourself to work even harder.
Also, too much caffeine is unhealthy. Just saying.
When it comes time to face your first written paper, remember to walk into the examination hall with a big smile. You will feel nervous, but remember that you’ve done the best preparation that you could’ve done. You will do just fine.
The next few days and weeks go by in a blur. Some papers may boost your morale, and others might make you question everything you’ve done the past three years, but take heart, for you have put in your mightest effort. Keep your chin up, for you have more battles ahead of you.
It’s the end of November, and you’re finally at your last paper. Take some time to reflect on the past few years. No matter what happened in the past, you’ve made it. Don’t let it distract you though, you still need to ace that final paper. Take a deep breath, and finish what you’ve started.
When the invigilator releases you after collecting your papers, you don’t feel much initially. Your brain floats to your calendar to figure out when the next paper is, and then it hits.
You’ve done it. The feeling sinks in slowly, but you slowly get it. You’re across the finish line. Graduation.
If you somehow read until here, hullo! This story is dedicated to my past self, but more importantly, my friends and juniors who just graduated today.
I got inspired to write this after I saw some of my friends’ graduation posts today, so it might be a little rough around the edges — I’m not a particularly good writer either hahaha.
But anyways, to all my friends, happy graduation! The path you’ve taken might be long, but you’re on your home run, so don’t let up! Keep pushing towards the end, and you’ll get the results you worked so hard to get :)
