You know those tests where you walk out of that classroom feeling super confident because you're positive that you aced that exam? Then, a few days later, you get that test back and well, you lack self-confidence for the next week. Yeah, I can guarantee that almost all of us have experienced these traumatizing tests. In fact, it happened to me this week.
I have to admit that when I first got the test back, I was ready to quit school. It was statistics, which everyone says is supposed to be one of the easiest mathematics courses. I felt ashamed because I felt like it was something super easy that I should have been able to pass, but I didn't. As I flipped through the pages, all I could see were red marks outlining my disappointment. Each red "x" was a stab to my confidence.
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I had to turn my test over. No way was I going to look at that disaster anymore. After we went over the exam, I couldn't wait for class to end. The next half hour was excruciating, and I just wanted to curl up in my bed to cry. I've failed tests before, as I'm sure most of us have. Those were high school tests, though. Fail one test, and you can easily make it up with homework points or better grades on the next twenty tests.
This is college. You take three exams throughout the semester, and there is rarely homework to earn points back. So it's natural to be upset about these failed exams. I finally had my first breakdown, but that's how I came to terms with this awful experience.
I'm not going to lie: I cried. In high school, I had decent grades that I could be proud of. Then, I started college last year, and I started receiving lower grades. This year, my grades have nosedived. It's a new experience, and it sucks.
So after I cried, I got to thinking. I felt so stupid, but fortunately I remembered some good advice that some of my professors have mentioned in their classes. Tests do not measure your ability. Some people are great in class and can grasp the concepts easily, but when it comes to tests, they blank and do poorly. For others, it's the other way around.
Tests and exams are only a summary of the material covered in class. Each person learns in their own independent ways, so taking a test in the perspective of one person does not allow us to fully show our abilities. Besides, the test had nothing to do with my major.
So take my parting advice. Do not feel down about one test. If you're continually failing exams, yeah, be worried. Go to tutoring. If it's one or two exams, relax. They will not impact your future career. That's only one exam out of four years. I'll just study a little harder next time. Until then, I'm going to take it day by day and try to be as worry-free as possible. Stressing about the little things will only make life harder. Hang in there.
