The ACTs/SATs are horrible. I am a firm believer that standardized testing is one of the worst things a student can experience throughout the course of their education. Chances are if you hate these types of tests as much as I do, you've had similar feelings during test day.
This exam better start at 8:00 a.m. so I can get out of here on time.
My ticket says 8:00 a.m. and I expect it to start not a second later.
When it's 8:30 a.m. and the proctor hasn't even sat everyone yet.
I could actually feel the information escaping my brain as the lead proctor sat at the desk like a flight attendant checking the tickets and pointing to their assistant proctor who waved each and every student into their desk like an air taxi.
How you see the proctor as they read the directions to the test.
This is especially true if you have taken it three times like myself.
How you feel when your proctor repeatedly announces that the use of electronic devices are prohibited and must be turned off.
I understand that people might be tempted to cheat by using their phones but the manual can do without making our proctor repeat it seven times.
When you start the test and are absolutely killing.
Not even 20 questions in you are imagining surpassing the score you need and your acceptance letter to Yale.
But you feel like this by the end of the first section.
Thats when you start to think to yourself: can I really do three more sections of this?
And you realize the school you are in doesn't have air conditioner.
Honestly my test scores should be given bonus points for having taken that entire test in the sweltering heat.
How you feel when the Math section is over and it is time for your break.
When people ask you during the break how you are feeling about the first half.
When you are halfway through the Reading section and you can feel yourself quickly losing morale.
How you feel when you are reviewing your answers.
When your proctor tries to give you a hard time for leaving to use the bathroom.
I promise you the Pythagorean Theorem is not hiding in the bathroom and you've reminded me so many times to shut off my phone that I wouldn't dare take it out. Let me go.
When you look at the clock and realize you have 5 more minutes for 30 questions
When you look around the room in despair and you make eye contact with one of the proctors.
I'm not cheating. I just cannot stand to stare at this test booklet any longer.
When it is time for the writing section.
When you start writing your essay and realize they did not give you enough time.
How do you expect me to write a well crafted essay in 40 minutes?
What your handwriting looks like by the time the proctor tells you to stop.
The beginning of my essay looked like Times New Roman, I swear.
When they collect your booklet and you are dismissed.
You might not be happy about your performance but there is nothing you can do now.
When people ask you how it went.
When you really have no idea how you did so you have to keep people posted until the scores are out.
