VACATION (16)

First Day of Exams

Mimi and Fei were startled awake by the school's siren that blared around 5:30 am. They rubbed their eyes and checked their exam schedule. They had to write the integrated science paper today, starting at 9 am. They only had half an hour to prepare and do their chores before heading to campus. They were day students, so they lived in a hostel nearby. They quickly bathed, brushed their teeth, and wore their uniforms. Mimi grabbed her backpack, and Fei took her lunch box.

They had no time for breakfast, so they ate some biscuits on the way. They ran out of the hostel and walked briskly to campus, hoping to make it for the morning assembly. They arrived at the school gate just as the bell rang for assembly. They breathed a sigh of relief and joined their classmates in the assembly hall. The headmaster gave a brief speech, wishing them good luck and reminding them of the exam rules. He then announced the exam halls for each subject and the index number.

Mimi and Fei checked their index numbers and realised they were assigned to different exam halls. They wished each other good luck and parted ways. Mimi went to Hall A, and Fei went to Hall B. They found their seats and waited for the invigilators to distribute the exam papers. At exactly 8:30 am, the invigilators handed out the papers and instructed the students to check for any errors or missing pages. They also told them not to open the papers until they were told to do so. Mimi and Fei looked at their papers nervously, hoping they had studied enough.

The clock struck 9, which signalled the start of the exam. The invigilators told them to open their papers and begin writing. Mimi and Fei flipped over their papers and scanned the questions. They felt a surge of confidence as they recognised most of the topics they had revised. Mimi wrote down her answers as fast as possible, trying to recall everything she had learned in class. She used diagrams, formulas, and examples to support her points. Mimi occasionally paused to scratch her head or check her watch. She wanted to finish early so she could review her answers.

Fei also wrote down her answers diligently but was more careful and methodical. She read each question twice before answering, ensuring she understood what was asked. Fei organised her information using bullet points, tables, and graphs. She also checked her calculations and spelling as she went along.

The exam lasted two and a half hours, but it felt like an eternity for some students. Some finished early and handed in their papers, while others struggled to complete theirs. Some looked confident and relaxed, while others looked anxious and stressed. Thirty minutes before the end of the exam, the invigilators announced that it was time to help each other out. It was a tradition in some schools where students could ask each other for help or share answers in the last minutes of the exam. Some students took advantage of this opportunity and whispered or passed notes to each other, while others preferred to work independently.

Mimi was one of those who asked for help from her friends. She had a few questions that she was not sure about or had no idea about. Mimi hoped they would give her the correct answers or point her in the right direction. She also helped others when needed. Fei was one of those who worked on her own. She had already answered all the questions she knew, guessed on those she didn't know, and helped others when asked. The clock struck 11:30 am, which marked the end of the exam.

The invigilators collected the papers from each student and counted them to ensure none was missing. They then told them they could leave the exam hall. The students filed out of the hall, feeling a mix of emotions: relief, joy, disappointment, frustration, curiosity, etc. Some went to the canteen to grab a bite or a drink, some went to the library to study for their following paper, and some returned to their dorms to rest or chat with friends.

Mimi and Fei met outside hall A and hugged each other. "So, how was the science paper?" Mimi asked Fei. "It was okay; I think I did well on most of it. I hope I get a good grade." Fei replied. "What about you?" "It was cool, too; I wrote whatever I could remember. The questions weren't hard; I did my best and left the rest to God." Mimi said. They decided to head back to their hostel.

They were hungry and tired, and they wanted to relax for a while before studying for their following paper, which was English. The English paper had three parts: literature, general knowledge of English, and letter writing. Mimi and Fei had to memorise six poems, two stories, and one play for the literature part. They also had to review grammar, vocabulary, and comprehension for the general knowledge part. They also had to practice writing different types of letters for different purposes and audiences.

The exams lasted for the whole week. According to the exam timetable, Monday was integrated science, Tuesday was English and music, Wednesday was history and Twi (Akwapim), Thursday was mathematics and literature, and Friday was PE.

(Note: Akwapim Twi is a subject studied in my country. It's part of our language studies. It's required for schools in my country to teach at least one native/local language. The Akwapim Twi happens to be one of the many local languages spoken in my country.) Mimi and Fei studied hard for each paper but also had fun.

They joked with each other, listened to music, played games, and watched movies. They also prayed together and encouraged each other. Finally, it was Friday—the last day of exams. Mimi and Fei were excited to go home.

They had already called their parents and told them they had finished their exams. Their parents said they would pick them up after the closing mass. Mimi and Fei wrote their PE paper in the morning. It was an easy paper that tested their physical fitness, sports, and health knowledge. They finished it quickly and handed it in. They then went back to their hostel and packed their bags. They checked if they had left anything behind or forgotten anything. They then said goodbye to their hostel mates and thanked them for their friendship.

They carried their bags to the assembly hall, where the closing mass was held. The mass was a thanksgiving service for the successful completion of the exams. The priest blessed the students and wished them well for their future endeavours. After the mass, the students waited outside for their parents or guardians to pick them up. Mimi saw her dad's car pull up in front of the gate.

She ran towards him and hugged him tightly. "Hi, Dad! I missed you so much!" Mimi exclaimed. "Hi, sweetheart! I missed you too! How did your exams go?" her dad asked. "They went well, Dad. I think I did well on all of them." Mimi said. "That's great, honey. I'm so proud of you." her dad said. He helped her load her bags into the car and then drove off. Fei saw her mom's car park near the gate.

She walked towards her and hugged her warmly. "Hi, Mom! I'm so happy to see you!" Fei said. "Hello, darling! I'm happy to see you too! How were your exams?" her mom asked. "They were good, Mom. I think I aced all of them." Fei said. "That's wonderful, dear. You're such a smart girl." her mom said. She helped her put her bags into the car and then drove off. Mimi and Fei waved goodbye to each other as they left the school compound.

They promised to keep in touch and see each other soon. They were both looking forward to going home and enjoying their vacation. They also couldn't wait to get their exam results and learn how they did. They both hoped they would pass with flying colours and make their parents proud.

(Word count: 1414)