This mistake didn’t happen last week. It happened one semester during our exam period, and honestly, I can never forget it because of how it humbled me.
Normally, I don’t write out my exam timetable. I just rely on my friends and the group chat because somebody always posts the next day’s exam there. And anytime we have two papers in one day, I follow one formula: read for the morning exam first, write it, then use the break to prepare for the afternoon one. It has always worked for me, so I never bothered to change my method.
But that semester taught me a lesson.
We had two courses that day. One was from 9–11 a.m., the other from 2–5 p.m. The problem was that I didn’t check which one came first. I just assumed. I picked up the course I thought was for the morning exam and started reading it. I read well, practiced questions, and even felt confident. In my mind, I was ready for the morning exam.
When it was time to go to the hall, I felt relaxed. But as they were talking about the course we were about to write, something didn’t sound right. They were mentioning topics from a different course entirely, the afternoon one I read.
At first, I thought they were joking. I told them, “That one is for afternoon now.” Immediately all of them turned to me and said, “No o! This is the one we’re writing this morning.”
My heart just dropped.
I can never forget that feeling. The kind of shock that makes your body weak instantly. I just stood there looking confused. It was only a few minutes to the exam. I didn’t even know where to start. I opened my note and tried to cram small things quickly, but nothing was entering. My brain was scattered.
At that moment, I just accepted that I had made a big mistake. So I walked into the exam hall with only the little knowledge I had before. Thank God the course was mostly calculations, and I had practiced some earlier before exams started. That was the only thing that helped me write anything at all. But I knew it wasn’t my best.
When the result came out, I got a D. I was not surprised, but it still pained me. The painful part was not even the grade itself, it was the fact that I could have done better if I had just checked the timetable properly. I felt so bad that day. It was like carrying regret on my chest.
But that D changed me. Since that day, I don’t assume anything again. I ask. I confirm. I even write my own timetable and paste it somewhere I can see it. If I’m not sure of something, I ask again until I’m certain. That one mistake made me more careful and serious with my planning.
If I ever find myself in that situation again, I will definitely do things differently. I will check the schedule well. I will not just depend on what I think I know. That experience affected me, but honestly, it made me a more organized and responsible person.