Recreation

Like all my answer papers brevity is last on my priority list in this post.
So yes, the exam time table is out. What is the first thing that I do? PLAN!! Plan for the holiday days in between exams. Believe me it will be meticulous. As per this plan the day I finish the previous exam I will come home take some rest and start studying for the next one (I vouch, I have never done this) .And in this awesome plan I would have given myself enough time to study most of the chapters for the “first time” and guess what? I would even have time to revise those chapters (LOL).
After my superstitions hair cut before my semester I would appear for the first exam in which my performance would be nothing short of scary. Now, instead of studying for the next exam I will find myself evaluating my answer paper repeatedly wanting to believe that I will get to that magical 36 and hoping against hope that my “affectionate” staff members (who never want me to pass) would have given me 14 in internals. My plans for the evening would have already derailed. This will be the trend for the next entire day. The problem with these holidays is it is not possible to neither keep worrying about the previous exam or to forget about the tougher one coming ahead. I will be very conscious of the fact that my plans have gone up in smoke but I would not be able to help it. After a point of time I will manage to console myself that I will clear the previous one. But still studying for the next one is not ON. I still have 2 days. That cushion is always the motivating factor. Next day will just serve as example of how to waste time. Though I would have my book in my hands I wouldn’t have managed more than 2 pages. I will know that I have to study. I will take honest efforts to study. But 15 minutes is all I will take to lose concentration. After one and half days of scheduling and rescheduling it will finally strike me that the time left will not even sufficient for me to study once , never mind the revision. What do I do? Develop strategy!!! This process involves observing 5 previous question papers and guessing the pattern. Which chapters should I omit and which ones should I study? This will take half a day as it also involves sort of brain storming sessions with dear mates over the phone (only question papers will be discussed).
The other challenging part is to figure out where to start?? Which chapter should I study first? Which one is easy and which one is tough? (Only if I had read it once I will know) This is where toppers come into picture. In an attempt to instill fear and to motivate myself I will call one of these toppers. They would have already completed 4 chapters and would be scared that they haven’t read the fifth one (My God!! I haven’t reached the second one as yet). So they will advice which is tough and which one is easy. As per the usual superstition I will start off with the tougher part. Surprisingly, I will find it easy. I will wonder how come a topper found it tough. Then I will tell myself “if only God had given me the power of concentration I would have topped my class!!!!”(A typical mediocre reasoning as to why he hasn’t topped any of the exams in his life).
Half way through, two and half chapters over. Time to talk with close friends who would have completed more than me. He will tell me “machi, there are loads left, **** you better hurry up”. I will take his advice and continue studying. Now there will be other people in my group who wouldn’t have completed as much as I have (What a pity). They will need motivation, wouldn’t they?? They will call me. I am a very honest chap. I will tell them what exactly I have completed. It will definitely serve as motivation to them, but the reply??. He wouldn’t have completed even one and half. Time to feel happy and time for complacency to set it. What more that poor chap wouldn’t have a book for the next couple of chapters. Off to the Xerox store, where there will already be a long queue of engineering students. Wait for my friend to get the book Xeroxed and get back home. What a feeling?? I’ve helped my friend in times of despair. J
Finally an evening and a long night left with 2 chapters to complete. Fear will be written all over my face. No more planning, no more phone calls. Study anything and everything that meets my eyes. Get up early and REVISE (but everything will sound new).An hour prior to the exam sitting on the ground with all the class mates, superstition is to sound confident. I will never , ever tell someone that I am scared that I might fail the previous one. “Pass machi, but 40dhan varumnu ninikuren “ and what about this one?? “ idhu ok da…eppadiyum pass aayidalam” deep down I will be shivering.
In the examination hall after reciting all the prayers I will look at the question paper. Out of 5 , 16 mark questions, I will know 2 and half (40 marks). And the ten 2 marks ?? I can manage three or four (6)nothing more than that. That’s 46. God that’s not enough. With my handwriting and presentation skills it will not fetch anything more than 30 marks. But what about my ambition (Not have an history of arrears) ??? That is when it will strike.. L If only I had studied during the holidays. The problem with these holidays is that it gives you a reason to repent. If these holidays had not been there i wouldn’t have got into the comfort zone and I wouldn’t have had a reason to repent. But now… hopes are dim. Very well….let’s try” Extracurricular activities”. Pass on signals to 11(I’m 12). Get a feel of his position. Then somehow manage to attend four sixteen marks and attend all the 2 marks. HOW??? The age old method that we use (Which is the capital of India???Ans :the capital of India is in north India) hoping this will give me at least half mark. So exam is done…time to pray and time to plan for the next exam J
Why study holidays now?? Im in one such period now.. :) Only difference being I do not know what is the exam going to be on?? And when is it scheduled?? But I will not fail to plan….