Professional Exam Taker

Kendra Campbell -- This morning I took the gross anatomy Shelf Exam. I was surprised to find that it wasn’t as horrible as I thought it would be. I actually knew quite a few of the answers, and I think I might not have done too shabby. Last week I began my final exams marathon. In less than two weeks, I've had to take the Shelf Exams in histology, neuroscience, physiology, gross anatomy, and biochemistry. And the cherry on top will be the final exam, which basically covers the material from all subjects that we’ve learned in the past month.

As I was about to commence the gross anatomy exam this morning, I couldn’t help but realize that I have become sort of a professional exam taker. I mean, that’s all I have been doing lately -- taking one exam after another (and I’m not talking about short exams here). I have become quite adept at filling out my name and other identifying information on the bubble sheets, and I can bubble the answers in with the precision of a machine. I know how long to spend on each question. I know how to get a good night’s sleep beforehand, and make sure to eat a hearty breakfast in the morning. I always bring the same trusty pencils to every exam, and I never forget to carry my water bottle with me, so I don’t have to leave to get a drink. If I were being graded on my ability to sit in a cold room like a robot and bubble in little circles with a pencil, I’d definitely get an A! Okay, okay, I know this is what I signed up for, but I’m starting to dream about bubbling in little circles with my number-2 lead pencil!

At least I’m almost finished. I only have two more exams to go. And then I’ll finally get a break and will be going back to the States for a week to visit my friends and family. Oh yes, and I’ll probably be gaining some weight during my stay. You see, the food options here in Dominica are definitely much sparser than in the States. Needless to say, I’ll be chowing down on gratuitous amounts of sushi while I’m in the States. Oh yes, and I’m going to avoid performing any tasks such as going to the DMV. If I have to write my name on a form one more time, I might end up breaking the pencil into little pieces!