Tuesday, September 7, 2010 @ 11:10 AM
I woke up early in the morning, fresh and ready to go. It was about an hour more till my exam started. I was suppose to be there at 8.30 a.m., half an hour earlier than my exam started. As I was worried that I might be late, I hurried my mum to get going. In the car, I screened through the remaining terms that I've not memorized and the open strings for the string instruments. I was quite sure of myself. We reached there on time and started finding the classroom where I was supposed to take my exam in. Grade 6, 7 and 8 candidates are having exams in the same classroom.
There were a few pieces of paper stuck on the noticeboard and I looked at the names of candidates taking the same exam as me. Whoa, quite a number of Grade 8 candidates this year! I found my classroom and settled into my seat, taking out the purple book to do some last minute revision. It was already 8.45 a.m. and yet the classroom was still quite empty. I took out my manuscript book to memorize the ornaments my teacher had drawn for me earlier, but alas! I brought the wrong manuscript book! I prayed hard that they won't test us on ornaments - I suck at those stuff.
Yes, this purple book.
Many students started filing in the classroom. I knew Kai Ying was taking the same exam as me in the same venue but she was nowhere to be seen. I spotted my sister's friend and two other Kwang Hua people - Xin Jin and a Form 2 boy from CU - who were taking the same grade as me. There were two teachers - one started giving out rough paper and the other explained the rules. At 9.00 a.m. sharp, pencils started scribbling. I was not an exception.
I drew my key chart and interval chart confidently and started. Just as I was about to finish drawing, Kai Ying came bursting in. She was late! *sharp intake of breath* Anyway, let's proceed. At first, Question 1 was quite easy as there were a few sequences I could copy (I don't think you know what I mean) but as I reached the middle part, I couldn't find the correct key so I dwelt on that for about 40 minutes. My teacher said the most I should spent on Question 1 was 20 minutes, that means I was way behind time. I looked at my right where the Form 2 boy was and he had started on Question 2. OMG, FAST!
I flipped the page and scanned Question 2. Like before, I got stuck again in the middle part and the key could not be found so I skipped. I looked at the given melody in Question 3 and thought, What the heck? I'll do this last. And I went straight to Question 4. I know I'm not organized at all and by then, it was already 10 a.m. plus. The first question was an Italian term : meno p. I remembered reading meno so I penned down confidently : slow, soft. The next one was a comma, yes a freaking
and I had no idea what that meant. I remembered my teacher telling me it was the start of a new phrase but I was doubtful and instead wrote : pause a while then continue. == That's just plain noob. The last one was the sign of an arpeggiation, but sad to say I didn't know the definition for it so bye bye, marks! ='(The rest was quite easy and off I went to Question 5. When I'd finished Question 5, it was already 11.15 a.m. CRAP, NO TIME TO FINISH QUESTIONS 1, 2 and 3!!! My hands started shivering and my heart was racing. I tried to calm down but I couldn't. I kept praying and praying and told myself to work fast. Honestly, I simply scribbled a few notes in Question 2 and finished up Question 1. I had only 20 minutes left to construct a melody in Question 3! God, have mercy on me! I prayed so hard I was about to cry.
I looked around and saw everyone was relaxing already. Some even got up to leave! NOOO! I was the only one scribbling furiously and erasing till my whole desk shook. A few turned and glanced at me but I was too stress to bother. Question 3 carries 20 marks, and I had prepared myself to bid farewell to them. By the time I'd finished "composing" Question 3, there were just a few more candidates left behind. The teacher started collecting our rough paper. When she reached my table, I told her I still need it. At the last 10 minutes, I add in my sharps and flats to my Questions 1, 2 and 3 and started erasing the chords and keys I'd written (they're kinda like a guide for me) vigorously.
Then, I heard the teacher announced, "Times up, pencils down." I quickly skimmed and scanned through my whole test paper, just to make sure I'd not left anything out (like that'd matter, since I'm just going to flunk this whole test). Just as I'm done checking Question 5, the teacher picked up my paper with a swift of a hand. Now, let me talk about this teacher for a minute. During the exam, another teacher came to our class to chat with this teacher. LOUDLY. WTHECK, SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST TOO STUPID. I COULDN'T CONCENTRATE AT ALL - THEY WERE TOO LOUD. Like I'd mentioned in my previous post, EMPTY VESSELS MAKE THE MOST NOISE. I was cursing them silently in my heart and turned to glare at them. They kept quiet for a second and then started again. Screw them. They're absolutely not fit to be teachers! NO, NOT AT ALL.
As I collected my pencils and eraser I saw my mum waiting outside the classroom. I almost cried when I saw her - this is what I call a nervous breakdown. She was smiling at first but when she saw my expression, her face fell. On my way back, she gave me a long lecture and surprisingly, I didn't make a sound (normally, if she nags at me, I'd "defend" myself) because I know this time it's true. I'm sure to fail this exam. I could constantly hear my heart break every time I thought about meno p 'cause meno means less, not slow. I prayed silently in my heart the whole way back.
God, please, I just want to pass. No need any Distinctions and Merits, to pass is all I ask.
I'd been hit by a brick many times but this time I've been knocked hard. I've learnt my lesson very well and if God wants to punish me, He has the right to do it. If I have to retake the theory exam for my final grade again, I'll work doubly hard. Honest. But I hope God gives me a miracle. Please, Amen.
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Whisk me away