Bad news during examination

“It's not that we spend five days looking forward to just two. It's that most people do what they enjoy most on those two days. Imagine living a life where everyday are your Saturdays and Sundays. Make everyday your weekend. Make everyday a play-day…”

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How I wish Saturdays and Sundays never finish for everyone working and going to school. They will surely spend it in a great way with friends and families. 

It's the end of the week which everyone looks forward to and start making plans for a new week. Yesterday, I was happy when I got a call from a school I went to submit my application letter to, and I was told to come for an interview next week. Though, I love working from home but I want something that will take me out and bring me back home daily, so I don't have to keep staying indoors all the time. Besides, exam period will finish next week in my school and students would want to travel home and I will be alone in the hostel, so it will be boring. If I get this Job, it will save me from feeling lonely at home. 

Have you ever experienced bad news when you are on your way for an exam or interview? How did you react? Or you have seen someone in such a situation, how did the person felt about it? 

Yesterday was a bad day for one of our mates in the house, as he was called from home that his father just died. He said his dad was still active in the morning till after 12pm until they said he fell from the chair and that was all. His sister was about to write an exam by 4pm when she was called by her sister and such news was given to her. I was inside when I heard someone crying from outside and when she entered, I even thought some people beat her up or perhaps lost something, but when she entered and went straight to her brother's room, we knew a bad news just reached her. 

The lady fell down, wailing and crying profusely because of her dad, everyone in the house kept consoling her and the brother. I was too emotional, and as tears would come out of my eyes, I went inside and cleaned my tears. I could feel her. I understood her situation and I know how it is to lose someone so close to you. 

It made me remember when my mom died, my junior sister was about to go in for her 200 level first semester examination when I broke the news to her. My elder sister had to blame me for telling her in such a moment, which I explained she begged me to give her the report. I didn't want to spill it out then, but she couldn´t stop begging and I had to tell her. When she heard it, she screamed and cut the call. Till now, I didn't ask her how she did with her exam and never had an extra year. 

It is always a pathetic and bad moment when someone receives bad news when he or she is about to write an exam. Such a person would be in a devastating situation and if the person isn't strong enough to handle it, he or she might break down. 

A lady narrated how she heard the news about her dad's death before writing her exam. During the exam, she said, she only wrote “Is it true my father is gone?” and she submitted with tears on the script, and when the result came out, she passed it and did not repeat the course. She wondered how it happened, but I must believe the lecturer marking her script at that time understood her situation and knew she got the news before her exam. He tried to help her because, if not for the news, she would have something to write. 

This lady was taken to school by her brother and other people in the hostel to the exam hall just to handle her. What will such a person write? Even if she has read, everything will just disappear and it will become blank for her. It will only take the grace of God to console and strengthen such a person. We even suggested they see the lecturer in charge of the course so as to explain the situation so that when marking, they will be considerate.

It takes a strong person to handle such a thing when it happens and this is something I don't want to experience myself because sincerely, I do not know what will happen then. It is always a bad experience for someone having to get bad news across to her and would not be stable. It may even cause psychological problems for the person. 

Yesterday´s incidence brought back memories especially when some were blaming the older sister who called this lady. According to them, she could have just asked if they weren´t writing an exam by that time. Moreover, they supposed to know they are writing and breaking such news isn´t ideal enough but the deed has been done. They have to take heart because life moves on and they need to embrace each other o find the way forward.

It made me remember the night my mom died, I was taken home to meet grandma and while we were sleeping, grandma woke me up to ask of the condition my mom was. I was told not to tell her anything yet because of her condition and it shouldn´t cause more problem to her. As at then, grandma was losing her eyes gradually, but lack of money stopped the children from going for an operation (poverty isn´t good at all). Now, the sight is gone completely which I wouldn´t blame them.

Grandma kept asking me how the situation was and I told her "her daughter is doing fine" even when she is gone. She started praying for her to recover but in my mind, I was shaking my head in pity for her and turned my back and started crying. It was after two months she was told of the death since she kept asking of the situation. For how long will they keep it from her? Even if they didn´t tell her, she would notice because when she sees them at home, not going anywhere or even hearing from my mom, she would know something has happened.

It was the agreement to keep her from it then when they knew her condition. So also, they would have let these people write their exams before breaking the news to them. It is really hard for them right now but I believe God will take care of them.

Thanks for reading

Photo by Zhivko

[March 05, 2022] (No 64 article for the year)