The Starting Line

A great many things which in times of lesser knowledge we imagined to be superstitious or useless, prove today on examination to have been of immense value to mankind. - Lafcadio Hearn 

Today is the day before my Chinese 'O' Level Examinations. I have had minor anxiety attacks these few days, even nightmares of chinese vocabulary. To put it simply, I'm worried. Worried that the paper will make things difficult for me to achieve my A1 grade. Worried that many others like me will score as high or even higher than me (I was top in Chinese in my school, it's just pressure from mostly myself to do better than most if not all of my classmates.). Worried that I might screw up the paper, missing my A1 target and having the re-take the exam during the November period. Before every 'important' exam, I would feel this way. Nervous, worried, scared, imagining the worst, and so on. I'm pretty sure every one else feels almost the same. I've been through the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE), and that feeling I had back then still can't be compared to this. I am trying to relax myself and keep my cool. But I'm not sure whether I can keep myself cool and able to think properly during the exam itself that will happen in about ten and a half hours. I can already see myself dressed in the usual school uniform, wearing my school shoes and taking in a deep breath before I step out of the house early tomorrow. I always do that during examinations. This is it. All the hard work, the homework torture, the teacher's care and support and the education we received these four years will be put to the test soon. This is what we have gone through it all for. And this will be the first in the many others to come. I must not fail (not literally 'fail' an exam, but 'fail' to achieve my target). Wish me luck.