I fought through "The pressures of math"
________________
This is a continuation of one of my previous blogs called "The pressures of Math." If you haven't already read that, I suggest you do or else this blog may not make a lot of sense.
A few days before the final exam everybody took a mock final and I got about 44%. I was literally about to piss myself. I was thinking "If I don't even pass the mock, how the heck am I going to pass the real final?" The same day I got my results of the mock final, we got the written portion of the real final. This is where you get 6-8 questions worth about 20 marks, and you have to show all your work. I was scared, but a little relieved because I thought that even though you get a question wrong, you may get some marks for the work. With that in mind I attempted every question the best I could.
Two days later, after a very long agonizing weekend of cramming math and doing mock final corrections I took the final part of the Grade 9 math exam. 50 multiple choice questions, only one right answer to each question and they don't look at your work. Just before that the results of the 6-8 questions were posted. Many of my peers rushed to the wall to the paper posted with our marks and student numbers. I didn't move. I didn't want to look. I figured that if I looked and saw that I failed that my confidence would sink. There was a 50 50 chance that I could have either passed or failed, but I wasn't going to take that risk. It was my math mark on the line. I knew that either way I would end up in the same place, but I wasn't going down without a fight.
Since it was a scan-tron, a slip of paper where you scratch out the letter of your choice from either A-E, they were easy to mark because all you would have to do is stick it in a machine and it does the marking for you. Anyways, during our "unofficial" 10 minute break I didn't want to hear anybody talk about the test. Thank god none of my friends did. We just tried to relax and breathe. I was glad to know I wasn't the only one worried.
I wasn't alone.
10 minutes later, we walked back into the classroom awaiting our marks. My teacher was still finishing recording the marks, so it was like everybody was still hanging off the edge. Then the moment came... He posted the marks. Just as we were about to pounce on each other to check, he made everyone sit down. He figured since we were probably going to go insane he might as well let us check the results in an ordered fashion. Row by row he let students check there marks. I'd hear a "YES!" or an "OH MY GOD!" here and there. This only made me more eager. The next thing I knew he called on my row to check. I nervously walked up to the marks as the "Jaws" song popped into my head. Dun dun.. dun dun.. DUN DUN DUN! (I'm sorry, I just had to add that in.) I followed my finger, dragging it across the sheet of paper on the wall looking to find my mark. You have no idea how relieved I was. For the first time that day it felt as if I could actually breathe.
I was in shock, but I couldn't help but feel good inside. I passed. I actually passed math 8 honors. I got a giant "Warm fuzzy." If you don't know what that is, it may sound kinky, but they're the feelings you'd get in math if you get a question right. I'll admit that I never passed the final though. I got 46%, 2% better than the mock final. Look at it this way though... that two percent helped me pass. If I never tried to study and make corrections over the weekend I probably would have just failed math in general. I'm so happy I didn't though, but man I passed by a god damn toe nail.
To tell you the truth I think I've seen a lot of change in my attitude when it comes to math. Before, for tests I would panic a lot during the test. I'd be really really nervous. Even when doing the final, I felt calmer and I was able to control a lot of my test anxiety. This really helped me a lot. Ok so 51.6 % (PRAISE THE LORD) isn't the greatest mark in the entire world, however, you have know idea how hard I worked for it. All I really hoped for was to pass and that was one of my only goals... For once I'm glad I achieved one of them.
=)
This is a continuation of one of my previous blogs called "The pressures of Math." If you haven't already read that, I suggest you do or else this blog may not make a lot of sense.
A few days before the final exam everybody took a mock final and I got about 44%. I was literally about to piss myself. I was thinking "If I don't even pass the mock, how the heck am I going to pass the real final?" The same day I got my results of the mock final, we got the written portion of the real final. This is where you get 6-8 questions worth about 20 marks, and you have to show all your work. I was scared, but a little relieved because I thought that even though you get a question wrong, you may get some marks for the work. With that in mind I attempted every question the best I could.
Two days later, after a very long agonizing weekend of cramming math and doing mock final corrections I took the final part of the Grade 9 math exam. 50 multiple choice questions, only one right answer to each question and they don't look at your work. Just before that the results of the 6-8 questions were posted. Many of my peers rushed to the wall to the paper posted with our marks and student numbers. I didn't move. I didn't want to look. I figured that if I looked and saw that I failed that my confidence would sink. There was a 50 50 chance that I could have either passed or failed, but I wasn't going to take that risk. It was my math mark on the line. I knew that either way I would end up in the same place, but I wasn't going down without a fight.
Since it was a scan-tron, a slip of paper where you scratch out the letter of your choice from either A-E, they were easy to mark because all you would have to do is stick it in a machine and it does the marking for you. Anyways, during our "unofficial" 10 minute break I didn't want to hear anybody talk about the test. Thank god none of my friends did. We just tried to relax and breathe. I was glad to know I wasn't the only one worried.
I wasn't alone.
10 minutes later, we walked back into the classroom awaiting our marks. My teacher was still finishing recording the marks, so it was like everybody was still hanging off the edge. Then the moment came... He posted the marks. Just as we were about to pounce on each other to check, he made everyone sit down. He figured since we were probably going to go insane he might as well let us check the results in an ordered fashion. Row by row he let students check there marks. I'd hear a "YES!" or an "OH MY GOD!" here and there. This only made me more eager. The next thing I knew he called on my row to check. I nervously walked up to the marks as the "Jaws" song popped into my head. Dun dun.. dun dun.. DUN DUN DUN! (I'm sorry, I just had to add that in.) I followed my finger, dragging it across the sheet of paper on the wall looking to find my mark. You have no idea how relieved I was. For the first time that day it felt as if I could actually breathe.
I was in shock, but I couldn't help but feel good inside. I passed. I actually passed math 8 honors. I got a giant "Warm fuzzy." If you don't know what that is, it may sound kinky, but they're the feelings you'd get in math if you get a question right. I'll admit that I never passed the final though. I got 46%, 2% better than the mock final. Look at it this way though... that two percent helped me pass. If I never tried to study and make corrections over the weekend I probably would have just failed math in general. I'm so happy I didn't though, but man I passed by a god damn toe nail.
To tell you the truth I think I've seen a lot of change in my attitude when it comes to math. Before, for tests I would panic a lot during the test. I'd be really really nervous. Even when doing the final, I felt calmer and I was able to control a lot of my test anxiety. This really helped me a lot. Ok so 51.6 % (PRAISE THE LORD) isn't the greatest mark in the entire world, however, you have know idea how hard I worked for it. All I really hoped for was to pass and that was one of my only goals... For once I'm glad I achieved one of them.
=)
math sucks llama balls.
we should count with penguins or apples.
ROZY-LYNN., March 14th, 2008 at 01:27:57am
=)
threeam., June 24th, 2007 at 07:55:42pm
i said it before, and ill say it again. Im proud of you! I still remember all those conversations we had about maths and our troubles with it, im glad you passed!
*hi fives*
Isabel., June 24th, 2007 at 01:54:05pm
I'm glad that you managed to pass! It's really awesome that you worked so hard for that grade, that's totally admirable! Me? I'm a total lazy-ass. It screws me over for long-term projects. But that virtue you have can get people a long way in life, good job!
Funky Platypus, June 24th, 2007 at 08:09:36am
X]] *jumps up for joy* WOOOOOOOOOOOO! TOE NAIL! XD
Rick Lava, June 24th, 2007 at 07:23:35am