One Year Down.....

It was with a sigh of relief that I set down my pen yesterday. For weeks I have been making constant trips to the library, burying myself amongst the dusty tomes on the third floor. Any time I didn't spend in the library was time wasted, unless spent in the company of my own books. For the time being that is all behind me now. My last first-year exam has been taken.

Our University regulations dictate that we are not to leave our exams within the last half an hour of the allotted time. This has not been a problem for me during the examinations. Many people take it upon themselves to leave around the first hour of two hour exams, but I prefer to stay and use the time we have been given.

Yesterday's exam was different. The two sections of the exam were of equal marks and therefore required an hour each of my time. I finished the first section well before the first hour. I had myself in a slight predicament. I knew that having finished the first section somewhat early I would not be working until my two hours was up. I also knew however that the time it would take to finish the section would run over into the last half an hour of the exam, thereby precluding my escape. I am not particuarly keen on sitting around at the end of exams waiting for them to finish, the time seems to drag on purpose.

To save all the bother I was mentally causing myself I stared at the ceiling for a few minutes to kill some time before I began the second section. Ten minutes before the end of the exam a girl was allowed to leave after claiming she was unwell. I hung my head in shame.

I had been outwitted.