Final Exams

My daughter is taking final exams for the first time this year, and a few nights ago we spoke about her English final. She was concerned about using a computer during the exam and writing a full essay in a limited amount of time. My response to her was “If you get stuck, remember Maybe.  Just because you don’t have an idea or can’t form your thoughts in one moment, it can still come to you if you stay calm and believe it is possible.â€

This is the story that my daughter told me after that final yesterday. I asked her to write it down and here is what she wrote.

I was working on my essay during my exam, and the teacher announced that we had used up fifty percent of our time, yet I was not done with the first paragraph. I was suddenly panic-stricken. I did not know if I would be able to finish my essay on time. I wanted more than anything to excel in my exams, but I did not know what was going to happen. I luckily remembered what my mother has always told me: breathe Maybe. I took a long deep breath and thought Maybe I WILL finish on time. This cleared my head of my worry and I began to feel that it was still possible to finish on time. A little later, I became stuck on a different section of the essay, but only for a short time because I again took a Maybe breath. This time, I said Maybe I will think of something to write, and consequently, three long seconds later, I did! I finished my whole essay, and I even had time to proofread. Thanks to Maybe!!!!- not only Maybe, my brain as well… but Maybe helped!

My daughter’s experience is such a great example of the power of Maybe.  It is an effective tool to remind our children that even though they feel stuck, they aren’t, and there are always other possibilities than the one that is causing them fear and worry. It is especially helpful during exams when time is limited, and their minds easily can get stuck if they panic and lose focus.

Consider having a talk with them this week about final exams. Maybe it will make a difference!