Tuesday, November 9, 2010

The Testing Center

I took my first of two midterms this week. Hallelujah!
I think everyone needs to experience the BYU testing center at least once in their life, but since most of you can't, I will recreate the experience for you.


The photo to the right is just a small portion of the testing center. So after hours of studying I entered the testing center. I pulled out my student ID, entered through that center door and covered my picture as much as possible (because it is the epitome of an awful school ID photo) before I handed it to the incredibly grumpy looking young man behind the counter. "English 293," I told him as he quickly scanned my card. He tossed my card back to me and pulled open one of many drawers filled with various tests. He slapped it down on the counter and told me the rules for that particular test and instructed me to grab my test cover sheet from the printer. Then I pushed open the swinging door and entered the testing room. The testing center is always busy and I always have to search for a seat. The room is about 20 or 30 yards short of a football field, though not as wide. The walls are lined with huge windows accentuated by boxes of silk orchids, in between the windows are numerous posters emphasizing "Perseverance," "Endurance," "Diligence," and "Academic Integrity." I really have no idea how BYU expects us to cheat in there because among the five hundred plus students, there is about a one in a million chance that you'll sit next to another student who is taking the same test as you. (Yes, I know it's not possible to have a one in a million chance when there are only 500 people in the room. That was merely for dramatic effect).

Since I am naturally a "people observer," the testing center is one of the most distracting places on the planet. Students are steadily filtering in and out of the room, shuffling papers, listening to opera on their iPods, sharpening pencils, and occasionally sobbing, so I try to get a seat as close to the front of the room as possible so I can look out the windows and not at all the other people in the room. I found a reasonably good spot today, the only problem was getting from the door to my seat. The aisles between desks are only a foot wide, so I minced down the aisles trying not to hit any other students in the face with my bulky backpack. I didn't hit anyone today, but I myself have been hit several times while in the testing center. I settled into my desk and rejoiced that I had found a smaller desk than the one I sat in last week. Last week I took my British Literature test and the desk I sat in was built for a giant. The back of the chair was a good two feet away from the desktop and I slouched over that particular test for three hours. When I walked out of the testing center that afternoon I was a hunchback with a crippled right hand and a twitching eye.

The bad thing about English tests is that you never know how well you did. There is never one correct answer unless you are doing a multiple choice test, which doesn't happen very often. Writing tests take hours and you can never be sure if you did well or if you failed until you get your test back the next class and it is "graffitied" with red pen, which could be a good or bad sign. The good news is, I finished my test and right now that's all I care about. Now I am going to walk home in the freezing darkness and study for tomorrow's midterm. Stay tuned for the next episode from the BYU testing center.

2 comments:

  1. Both my brother and brother-in-law never pass up a chance to describe their disdain for the testing center. They absolutely hate it. And since it I plan on going to BYU next year, I'll soon experience it for myself!

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  2. It was a nice surprise to have you post again so soon! My, my... I would not do well in the testing center. I'm glad you got a seat in the front!

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