I’ve always needed my wristwatch if I really wanted to manage my time, but I learned the hard way in the university.
I was on the third line of the queue into the examination hall. Already, my heart was beating fast as I fell among those who will do two papers in that examination.
All of you should keep your wristwatches inside your bags. Do not bring them into the hall, Mr Clement, the exam invigilator with the baritone voice yelled.
Sir, I don’t have a smartwatch. I have an analog watch and I’m writing two courses. A failed course and my regular one, I said to him. No one dares talk back at Mr Clement but I had to speak from myself.
In that minute, so many people stared at me to know who I was. Also, they gazed at Mr Clement to know what he was going to do to me. Maybe, he wouldn’t let me in the hall.
I said what I said. No one should bring any wristwatch into this hall, I gave up on hope.
Right there, I regretted ever failing Mrs Chukwu’s course. I should have taken it seriously from the onset.
I entered the hall and sat at the middle. The two courses I’m having were bulky. The failed course was a literature course I failed the previous year and it’s clashing with my regular course. If I didn’t fail the course, I wouldn’t have to write two papers.
I folded my hands and pleaded with my friends to teach me and not ignore me whenever I ask them any question. I had my two close friends next to me and when the examiners got in, they changed our seats. Then, I started getting more scared. If care isn’t taken, I’ll fail the course again and this time, it may be the two courses.
Lady, go to the front, I was angry here. I wondered why the man told me to go to the front.
Immediately, Mr Clement got in and said, your exam starts now.
I hadn’t even gotten my question paper yet. I started raising my hands with some other people to indicate that we’ve not gotten our question papers. I think Mr Clement just wanted to be wicked but I wasn’t shocked, that’s his normal lifestyle.
Right after I got my question paper, I read them one by one but while reading, it felt like the answers were leaving my brain. I was blank for some minutes. I looked to my left and right but couldn’t find any of my friends nor course mates.
I rested my brain for some minutes and started answering the questions. I tried my best to be calm while answering the questions. I knew I had two papers but wanted to take my time.
Out of five questions, I was done with four when I heard the baritone voice again.
You people have thirty minutes more, then, the real race began. How do I write a paper and a half in thirty minutes?. The mission felt impossible.
Also, I’m the type who never wants to leave a page blank or a question not answered but I did the impossible. Immediately, I rushed to the front table where the examiner was sitting.
Are you done? Go back, my friend! he yelled at me. At first, I turned my back and started crying but I remembered that there was a course I needed to do.
Please sir, I failed a course last year and I want to do the little I can within the thirty minutes left, I said to him.
Lecturers can be so annoying. He looked at me with disdain. I didn’t mind. I just wanted the papers. Intentionally, he wasted five minutes of my time but I didn’t mind as well. There’s a timeframe and I just had to meet up.
I got the question papers and answer sheets. The questions were difficult. Even difficult than that of the previous years.
Look here and write fast, a guy said to me.
I watched closely the exam invigilators. Their eyes were not on me. I didn’t even know the guy but I knew we would talk about it later.
He opened down his answer sheet and I wrote almost exactly all that he wrote.
I was about writing the last answer when the baritone voice interrupted again.
Pens up! If you jot anything down again, I won’t collect your script, I didn’t even argue. If he doesn’t collect my script, it’s an extra year for me at the university.
I submitted and went outside the hall with the guy who helped me. I thanked him casually for the help.
Then, when the results were released, I had to thank him more. I had an A in the course and for the second course, I had a B.
I didn’t know how I was able to manage my time but all thanks to the man with the baritone voice for letting us know how many minutes we had left.
