What exams do not test what students carry forward

Life lessons from exams

During exam season, certain things repeat themselves in almost every home. A student sitting at the dining table late into the night. A cup of tea gone cold. Notes spread out, not always being read. A parent hovering nearby, unsure whether to speak or stay silent.

From the outside, it looks like stress. From the inside, it feels like learning something that no textbook ever names. During this time, students often answer the same question again and again.

“How are you?”

“I’m fine.”

It is said while tying shoelaces in a hurry, while eating without much appetite, or while stepping out of the exam hall and avoiding eye contact. Often, “I’m fine” means I’m managing.

Exams do not only test what students know. They slowly train students to stay with effort. To sit with discomfort without walking away. To return to the same chapter even when confidence dips and motivation feels thin.