Exams Are Coming! #EMBA 27

Friday 25^th March 2022, while still in the Management Communication class with Dr. Atinuke, our class received a mail that changed our countenance. Even the facilitator noticed the sudden change in tone and participation in class to a point that she inquired for an explanation on what the issue was. During the break, the usual bustling class WhatsApp group went silent. This was not an unexpected email. It was not anything out of the ordinary- surely, we all knew it would come. It was simply the realization that we were finally here. The mail came from our coordinator, and it was simply titled: The EMBA 27 Mode of Exam.

The Inevitability.

All of us in the class must have gone through several examinations in the past. A good number of exams from secondary school days or University should have made us accustomed to this experience. Post university first degree, a lot of us would have still taken a couple of exams to get more certification as we rose in our careers. Even when we registered for the current EMBA, we knew that we had to take the semester examinations. So, it was simply inevitable- We knew it would happen. It was going to come anyway as long as we were students.

With this certainty and experience, one would have thought we had warmed our way to examinations. However, far was the case. It was like we knew it was coming for sure, but hoped it would not, a sheer contradiction. Maybe that deceitful contradiction played out in our minds that Friday as the mail hit our inboxes mid-class.

The Anxiety

Was it the anxiety of getting such important information during a class session?. Were they thinking about it all this while or they just decided to send the mail while we were in class? Were they trying to know how we would react or trying to disrupt the fun of the class (well, for this later one, they surely succeeded)? In fact, at a point, the current facilitator had to call for an early break time and asked that we should all go but come back more composed.

We surely went for the break, which included 15min of silence on the WhatsApp group, but did not come back any better. I guess the shock effect had not worn off.

24 hours later.

The next day was for Saturday classes. Stepping into the room, I noticed that the shock had slowly worn off. The moody expressions were also gone. My cheerful and chatty colleagues were back. We had accepted our position. I believe it was the thought over the night of the coming exams that must have made it better. Having some time to digest the information was the panacea we needed. A couple of groups were hurdled here and there during classes discussing the exam timetable. I felt a wave of refreshment knowing that we are back as EMBA 27.

We are Ready.

Please do not get me wrong in any way- we were all getting very prepared for the exams. Most of us had participated actively in class to learn. A couple of us had even engaged in extra tutorial classes to get more acquainted with some of the unfamiliar courses. I know colleagues who had even burnt the late-night candles just to ensure they understood the various teaching for the semester. So, there was no question about our preparedness for the examinations. Be that as it may- exams would always be an unsettling idea for so many out there. The EMBA 27 class members are no exception.