EXAM FEVER

They say your first university exam is a rite of passage—an initiation into the real world. For me, it felt more like a near-death experience.

Walking into my first exam hall, my heart pounded like the bass drum in a Fuji band. The cold air, the invigilator’s scrutinizing gaze, and the stack of answer booklets might as well have been my death warrant. But long before that moment, I had already survived weeks of chaos—struggling to attend lectures, cramming for continuous assessments (CAs), and questioning whether university life was just an organized scam.

At the start of the semester, I was full of hope. “I’ll never miss any lectures,” I told myself, feeling like a model student. That optimism lasted a few weeks, as 7 AM lectures became an unending battle between my mattress and I. Most times, I won. Even though my winnings were fueled by my disdain for the terrifying consequences of not having my name in the class attendance sheet, i still revelled in them.

Then came the nightmare called continuous assessment. I used to think CAs were designed to reduce exam stress. Lies! They were simply lecturers’ way of reminding us that university isn’t for the faint-hearted. Impromptu tests were handed out like party jollof - random, unexpected, and leaving students scrambling.

I still remember one traumatic morning when a lecturer walked in and casually said, “Bring out a sheet of paper.” At that moment, I knew my village people had finally caught up with me.

The Exam Season Frenzy

As exam day approached, tension spread across campus like a virus. You could tell from the way students walked, their heads buried in handouts, murmuring formulas and acronyms like incantations.

The once-lively hostel corridors became eerily quiet, only interrupted by occasional wails of “Another PDF?!” or “Which course outline is this?!” from someone realizing, however too late, that they had been reading the wrong material.

Group discussions turned into motivational therapy sessions. Someone would start explaining a concept, but within minutes, the conversation would shift into a deep analysis of Nigeria’s economy and how it was affecting our academic performances.

Then came the infamous TDB (Till Day Break) reading marathons, also known as night class. I attempted it a few times, but it barely worked for me. Most nights, I woke up with my face stuck to my notebook and absolutely no memory of what I had read. Other times, I spent the entire night on a single topic and still didn’t understand it.

On the big day, I sat in the exam hall staring at my question paper. The words were in English, but my brain processed them in Latin.

Question 1: Discuss the relationship between mass media and society.

Discuss how? Their marriage? Their family ties? What exactly does this lecturer mean by discuss?!

As I decided skip to something simpler, I saw

(1.a) Explain the historical evolution of mass media in relation to socio-political changes.
(1.b) Critically analyze the role of mass media in shaping public opinion with relevant theories.
(1.c) Provide two case studies illustrating media influence on government policies.

At this point, I knew I was finished. Where was I supposed to find case studies?!

And just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, I scrolled down to Question 2, and it begun with:

“From your answer in Question 1…”

Excuse me?! With utter disregard for whether or not I had been able to answer Question 1, the lecturer had boldly proceeded to Question 2 as if we were all moving at the same intellectual speed. It was at this moment thatI figured I was only fighting for my life. Lol

Some students flipped through their question papers aggressively, as if hoping to find an easier question hiding somewhere. Others sat frozen, looking like they had just remembered they never attended a single lecture.

And then, there were the real MVPs—those students who confidently asked for extra sheets, finished early, and submitted their papers while the rest of us were still trying to understand Question 1.

Just when I was finally making sense of my answers, the invigilator announced: “Five minutes more.” Five minutes?! It felt like I had just started! My handwriting became a messy blur, my brain switched to panic mode, and I suddenly wished I had taken my CA more seriously.

Post-Exam Trauma: The Long Wait for Results

After the exams, a new wave of anxiety set in - waiting for results. Everyone suddenly became a prayer warrior, asking for miracle scripts and divine intervention. Some students who had earlier boasted “That exam was easy”were now seen engaging in deep intercessory prayers.

When my first-semester results finally came out, I realized something profound: university exams are not just about intelligence. They’re about survival, strategy, and sometimes, pure grace.

Looking back, my first university exam taught me a valuable lesson: no matter how much you prepare, the fear never really goes away, but with time, you learn to manage it. You learn to balance lectures, CA, and exams without completely losing your mind.

So, to every fresher (or struggling senior, lol) battling exam fever, just know that you’re not alone. We’ve all been there, and trust me, you will survive.

Drop your exam experience in the comments!

…..Sweet Lilian