Jermissia Mack

The City College of New York

English 21003

Professor Hunter

 

 

 

So, it all began March 2002 the year all students of St. Finbars Girl’s School, standard 5 class, had to

take the S.E.A (Secondary School Assessment) Exam. This test ultimately facilitates the placement of

students in Secondary School throughout Trinidad and Tobago. Now you would think after being in

school for so many years that I would have been ready for this test, well I was but I didn’t quite think

I had to prepare myself much because I figured it was everything we were thought in school.

 

The day came were we all had been put in a room, two persons to a desk far apart. The examiners

came in the room and dropped a booklet in front of each student and we all were told not to touch the

paper unless they said start. Nerve wrecking, this was, that I felt like my entire life was about to flash

before my eyes. I started to sweat profusely, legs shaking, I started biting my nails, your typical

anxiety, I wanted to make a run for it. Then I heard that words coming from one of the examiners:

“Everyone please get out you pencils and erasers and begin your exam”

 

Good lord I felt my heart drop as I opened what I had thought was simply so easy. I asked

 

“May I have some water please” far as my heart beat was racing I needed it to relax.

Page 1, was your simply Math problems, so of course I was excited because I panicked for nothing and

told myself this would be a breeze. Now, what didn’t go through my head at the time was that this exam

was timed. So, to my amazement I completed it before the bell went off, even by checking it twice like

they would say Santa checks his list twice (hahaha). Granting that everything else would be as simple as

my math came the other 2 sections,which consisted of Creative Writing and Language Arts.

 

Oh no, I started with the comprehension first knowing all you had to do was just read and answer

questions. Well, so I thought. The words like a Germany language from the sky gods. I scratched my

 

head and looked at the girl next to me. She shrugged her shoulders.  I turned the page just to get an

insight of what was about to hit me next. I slammed my head in the table in disbelieve for I didn’t know

the exam was going to be like this. I didn’t revise anything I was thought.

 

I completed all my comprehension hoping the answers were correct. I proceeded to the next page

with caution. We had to write an essay based one of the topics in the booklet. You would think these

were simple topics to write about, but it wasn’t. As I sat there spaced out trying to figure out how to

even start, an idea popped in my head and I began to write, unsure if what I wrote made any sense I was

so over it. The bell went off and I handed in my paper.

 

We all ran out the room, telling each other what we put for certain answers and was guaranteed we all passed for a school of our choice.

 

Months passed by and the results were in. As excited as we all were, at the pit of my stomach I knew

this wasn’t going to end of well. Names were called, and I saw girls running out crying because they

didn’t get what they wanted and got put into a school, that we would stay wasn’t a school for intelligent

kids. I then heard I voice shouting out the third classroom.

 

“Jermissia Mack” Ms. peters shouted. I walked towards her while she called two others. She looked and me and said

“You got accepted into Fiver Rivers Secondary School”. I almost fainted for what I thought was good

news was yet the worst words I heard her say. I couldn’t move and found myself in tears steaming down

my cheeks. I opened the paper she gave me to find I failed in both Language Arts and Creative Writing.

 

As years went by, starting high school wasn’t easy. I had to get help from one of the greatest teachers

I had to help me to understand different techniques in writing and how to get keys points from reading a

passage to answer questions. I realized how valuable it is to read and understand what is being read.

“Reading helps enhance your vocabulary and your writing skills” she said. Those words stick with me to

this day, how important that day was when that booklet was dropped in front of me. I could have done

better only if I studied over everything we learned.

 

 

 

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in excitement in doing things and run off track. The key is to stay

focused and make sense out of everything.