About Time

Chapter 12 [Lucky]

August 2014

The first week of August featured on of the most hellish weeks of my life. It was the preliminary board examinations and I was stressed as hell. 

There was mounting pressure from wanting to gauge where I currently stand on my studies and showing the results to my parents. Granted, I was already late on the review for 2 months. Most of my peers already have the edge on me. 

For the first time in two months, I divulged almost 80% of my time on studying. My slacking days and honeymooning on the graduation are over. I still did see my friends during the free time, but since they were focused as well, I didn't want to bother them. 

On the side note, I decided to contact Marge after the exams. I didn't even bother to contact my parents during this time. I was so absorbed in my studies that I promised myself that I would totally let myself loose and unwind after the exams are over.

The morning of the exam:

I lacked sleep.

I didn't eat too much breakfast.

There was a somber mood throughout the entire dorm. I have never seen the dorm this quiet and serious before. Nobody was talking in the hallways while preparing; only the casual nodding to greet somebody.

The exams start at 8:00 AM. I was already prepped up by 7:00. As much as I wanted to light one up that morning, I wasn't in the mood to do so. Everybody was so focused to the point where it was sickening to see. I met my friends near the exam rooms by 7:30 AM. 

We talked about what we did the evening prior and it seems most of them didn't have that much sleep either.

As the exams went underway, I was blown away. I did not expect something like this when I started studying. The exam was mindbogglingly, bloody difficult. I knew it was against the rules to look around but I can't help but look at some of the people's faces. They were also having a hard time judging from what I saw.

It was only two hours in yet my head felt like mush. I couldn't get any more out from it. I was tired, sleepy and had no answers.

I just started shading random answers like I didn't give a shit anymore. As soon as I was done, I was just waiting for somebody to pass first because I didn't like the idea that people would look at me for passing first.

After the exam, I went straight into my dorm room. I was so worn out that I didn't feel like unwinding right away. I didn't notice that I had slept through the night not even taking dinner.

That morning, we didn't have classes. We were granted a week's worth of break. Some of the dormers decided to go home, so that morning was pretty busy with people packing up and leaving. The rest of them though were still asleep, as I'm guessing that they were drinking the night away last night.

I went to eat breakfast with my friends and we planned what we wanted to do that night.

"Finally, I wanted to drink and sing all our stress away tonight.", I thought to myself.

I spent the entire day at the internet cafe with my friends.

After dinner, I washed up, got clean clothes and readied myself to party the night away. I have been on review for 2 months now, however, because of time restraints due to studying, I never really explored the city. The places I knew were only limited to shopping malls. I was not keen on finding locations of KTV bars and gastropubs.

I asked my friends where are we going, and one of them just said that we are just going for a walk. I was surprised that there were bars just walking distance away from our review center. So many temptations the hook you away from studying.