The Stages of Taking Difficult Exams as Told by Spongebob Squarepants

College life can be stressful, especially if you struggle in a specific class with exceptionally terrifying exams. Sometimes, no matter how much you study, exams can still be extremely difficult. Spongebob Squarepants is here to illustrate the anxiety levels when preparing for and taking these harsh tests.

1. Noticing you have an exam in a week and promptly get to work

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You assure yourself that you will be good this time around. You will study a little bit every day and ace this exam.

2. “Oh I studied a few hours yesterday, I’ll be fine”

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One of the most common lies you tell yourself. You most certainly will not be fine, but you happily tell yourself it will be okay as an excuse to do anything other than study.

3. Realizing it’s the day before the exam and cramming like crazy

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You spend hours on end staring at notes, doing practice problems, and Googling information. You may even attempt to pull an all-nighter with plenty of energy drinks and cups of coffee.

4. Realizing you still feel incredibly unprepared

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You cram every minute you can squeeze in before the exam and it still doesn’t feel like enough time.

5. Panicking through the beginning of the exam

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Anxiety levels skyrocket as you are handed the stressful exam that just arrived straight from Hell.

6. Staring at the exam for twenty minutes before you calm down

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Freezing up in realization that you cannot recall the information you need.

7. Relaxing just enough to answer the easy questions

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Very few of these easy questions are on the test, but at least you know something.

8. Panicking more

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It’s been thirty-five minutes and you only finished 25% of the exam. You are running out of time and the majority of the questions remain unanswered. You need to figure it out in the next 15 minutes for this is the one test you absolutely cannot fail.

9. Figuring everything out last minute

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Whether something clicks in this moment or a light bulb turns on in your head, somehow enough crammed information catches up with you to successfully BS the rest of the answers.

10. Turning in the test with mixed emotions

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You survived and completed the entire exam, but you are now mentally drained and realize that most of the test was BSed. You cannot tell whether you aced it or failed it or somewhere in between. You're far to drained of all life and energy to care.