Taking my first exam really reminded me of it though. For starters, they have two weeks called exam weeks, but some classes HAVE to take their exam before exam weeks. Furthermore, the exam schedule wasn't released until the last day of classes. How can a person plan for anything ahead of time like that? I guess that is why a study week is necessary for Irish students.
Beyond that, the actual exam set-up is unlike anything I've ever experienced or heard of. They set up 200+ desks in their gym and conduct exams in there 3 times a day for two weeks. There are three of more classes taking an exam at those times, and no signs directing where you need to go[which happens to be T3 in the gym], where you should sign in[which you just have to ask], and what is allowed in the examination room[no bags or anything other than writing utensils and maybe a calculator].
Well, being the ignorant American in an Irish school, I hadn't the slightest idea how to do anything. I was really relying on the fact that I would recognize someone from my class and just follow suit. Unfortunately, when there are 60 strangers in a class with you and you've only talked to maybe 10 of them alongside the fact that there are 3 other exams going on at the same time, you're hardpressed to find a familiar face. It honestly wasn't until I was finished with my exam and walked out of the gym that I ran into someone in my class that I had actually spoken to before and recognized. To figure it all out I had to ask a handful of Irish people, all of whom I'm sure thought I was absolutely ignorant for not knowing how it all worked.
Furthermore, I went to the exam, not only with my two pencils(which you aren't allowed to use on any exam except Geography, not even Math!), two pens, and my calculator, but with my notes, my bag, and my cell phone. I was a walking illegal disaster. Not only was I only supposed to take writing utensils and a calculator in the exam (along with my student ID), but my calculator was technically illegal. They only allow scientific calculators and I have a programmable graphing calculator that I've had since freshman year of high school. Grade school was the last time I owned the type of calculator I was allowed to use. [Luckily, the Irish don't recognize the difference because graphing calculators aren't available here like they are at home, so I was able to use my calculator!] I didn't get in trouble for anything illegal I had, but half the reason I'm sure is because I stuck out like a sore thumb at the exam. [The other half is that I concealed it all pretty well and made it obvious I wasn't going to cheat! I just didn't have anywhere else to put my bag.]
Finally after I got settled into my seat, which is assigned, and got over my worries of getting my calculator, bag, and notes taken away from me, I studied a bit before the exam. You would've thought I was a circus act the way I got looked at. I guess crunch time studying before an exam in Ireland isn't something they do, unlike every American college student. After realizing I was sticking out even more, I gave up the studying, put everything in my bag, closed it all up and waited.
Prior to exams beginning, they go over the typical rules and then gave end times for all four exams that were being conducted at the same time in the same room. It turned out that every 30-5 minutes of my exam I was going to interrupted by others getting out, since mine lasted the longest. Great. Irish people are not good at being quite or discrete at appropriate times, so when an exam was over, a mass of moans, shuffles, and keys clanging filled the echoy gym. Awesome. Regardless, I got through my Abstract Algebra exam [with a low A or high B I might add] and was ready to move on to the rest of my week - a final trip to Dublin and a two day trip to Galway/Aran Islands.
I guess when I go back to take my other two exams on Wednesday and Thursday I will be better prepared for the madness that is Irish Examinations. Furthermore, I cannot wait to go back to the type of school I'm used to next semester!
Phillip and I at the Spanish Arch in Galway. We went to Galway and Dublin for the rest of the week, following my first exam.
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