It was my final year in the university. I can remember vividly that very day because it was filled with panics, everyone was looking anxious because no one knows exactly the question to expect. It was not an handout type of exam where everyone reads, this exam was purely drawing so it requires more time and practice. That very morning, the sun was already rising, even before most of us arrived at the architectural drawing studio for one of our last and dreadful examโArchitectural Detailing. It was purely straight eight hours of precision, pure pressure, concentration, minding your business, sweat, and the silent thought in our minds that any mistake and failure in this course will result into an extra year which no one wants.
As some of my mates back then called that very day, "judgment day" of architecture. There was nothing like a second chance, no notes or handouts. Just you, your table, drawing instruments, brain and being time conscious because even with that eight hours, it is like you don't finish if you are not fast and doesn't know what to do or knowns how to interpret the question.
The exam hall was silent because at that very moment, everyone was in survival mode. Nobody wants to fail.
By the third hour, the studio was totally silent when I looked around, everyone was focused. Only the rustling of the tracing paper, movement of the drawing instruments (T-square, set square, scale rule) and scratching of the pencils filled the air. As one of the fastest in the studio and due to my ability to decode the questions and know the exact question to answer, it was already the fifth hour and I was already deep into the second section of my drawing which was the last phase before going over it again to see if I made any mistakes, but I guess not because I already sketched everything I needed after I was given the question paper which I was using for the real drawing. But along the ways, I noticed a mate of mine( we weren't that close because he was a senior, but we talk when we see) who sat at my back, freezed up, his hands were just on his drawing papers, they weren't moving. The look on his face said it all. I checked his paper, he was halfway done with the section A which carried a lesser mark. Even though we had less than three hours to go, I thought to myself, what can I do to help,
Like I said earlier, myself and Ridwan were not best of friends, but in a way, I knew about him. That was his second year of repeating that course. He was supporting and financing himself academically, and with the look of things, he might not be able to afford another year, both financially and emotionally.
Even though my heart started racing, I paused and turned to him, whispering, "bro, abeg, time is going already why are you not drawing."
He looked at me and said, "David, I don't really understand where to align this joint section of this section A".
Luckily for him, he was doing the same section A that I did because the question was in six section, but you just have to choose any of the two sections that you know best.
I checked my work, and showed him the second A of my own with a bit of explanation that I whispered again to him. My sheet was well titled and everything was clear enough for him to see.
Before I finished with my section B, which was the last one, he had already complimented his section A, now unto the section B which I have already told him what to do, but to make his work more faster and easier, I had to give him the sketch of my section B which was well detailed and explanatory enough even though at that time, we had exactly two hours left.
Even though while doing all these, my mind racing because If I got caught helping him, I will be booked and that means exam cancellation and facing the school panels which might result to expulsion. But knowing his story, I was willing to take the risk and help him out.
Should I say that he was not being lazy but drowning at what life was throwing at him?. Maybe yes.
So I took that wild chance. Just a silent human decision.
Few weeks after, we had all left the university environment, defended our final projects, and waiting for our final results. The very evening that the results were out, I checked mine and passed all. That very night I got a phone call from Ridwan, there was this excitement and warmth in his voice.
He said to me, "I passed, David, I passed. That very day in the studio, you saved me. I'm really grateful."
He called the second day again to show his appreciation.
We both passed that exam and that is the joy for me.
According to the rules and conducts of writing exams in my school back then, helping one another was not part of the rules because of the punishment if being caught. That that very day, I chose empathy over fear not minding the consequences. Because to me, I was the wrong thing that I did for the right reason. And there is a saying that says, "break the rules for the right reason."
And honestly speaking if you ask me. I'd do it again.
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