Testing Center

Dec 3, 2013 by misa33

The following was an observation exercise for my Writing for Communications Class, I chose a place on campus and observed that location for a while. I did not reveal my subject in this piece: 

Nervous tapping. Re-adjusting. No Eye contact. No words. Although the minds of each and every individual is anxiously screaming out for help. Thoughts like, “I should have studied more” or “This was never taught in class” are racing through the room.

No one can look up in fear that they may be asked to leave. Eye-glances are directed toward the feet. I think to myself, “oh cute boots” but this would be an inappropriate time to make such a compliment.

I’ve been here over an hour, from what I can tell from foot-glancing so has just about everyone around me. The lack of verbal communication is overwhelming, papers shuffle, if a worker speaks to us we flinch. Just 20 more 15, 10, and 8 more questions, counts each individual loudly in their mind.

Erasers vigorously scraping across the page, pencils drawing in a repetitive circular motion, sighs, sniffles, and other noises you would never hear in a place where words are allowed.

Finally, one more question, one more decision is made and then it’s time to make your big exit. You pick up your coat, place your card in your back pocket, put on your backpack and collect your assortment of papers. You walk as quietly as you possibly can out the door, however a footstep is hardly a subtle moment in this area. You see the others in the exact same position you were about an hour ago, silently you wish them well.

You open the door, throw away a page of notes and give the rest of your papers to the nice lady at the desk. She smiles and says, “Thank you have a nice night.” I say, “You too.” smiling back.

After I walk out of the next set of doors, the moment of truth is revealed. A screen of numbers is displayed in front of you, the girl in front of you sighed in disappointment before she left. You see your numbers displayed upon the screen, “Yes!” I think to myself “I didn’t fail” this was the best thing that happened to me all day.