Graduation Speech : High School

“I guess,” I said, mumbling under my breath once she could no longer hear me. I took my seat... it was time to take the test. The teacher handed me my test packet. I took a gulp. I don’t know this. I won’t be able to do this. I told myself, flipping open the first page. I’ll skip this and come back to it… Uggg! I might as well just skip all of them! I went through the formulas, over and over, and in what seemed like no time at all, the teacher was collecting our papers. I gave mine to her and slumped low in my chair.

A standardized test is an examination that is scored in a prearranged manner; there are two main standard tests, aptitude and achievement tests (Ascd). Aptitude tests predict how well students are likely to perform in an educational setting, and achievement tests are what the school board looks at to base schools’ success (Ascd). As these tests become more difficult and the number of test continue to increase, so does test anxiety and it’s many factors (Gotter). Stressing and worrying over performance on a test, affects students from kindergarten all the way up to PhD students (Gotter). Several components occur when testing situations are at play, such as experiencing intense fear, nervousness, and sometimes even bordering terror (Zuriff p.198). Those who have this setback sometimes consider themselves as “bad test-takers.” There are three causes for them to panic when testing

I have been going to school since I was four years old and, that means that I have been attending school twenty to twenty two years, including kindergarten, middle school, high school and now college. As every student, I had my ups and downs in school; I had some failures and some successes. One of the failures that affected me the most and that I will always remember was the time that I was in high school during my junior year. I failed almost all my classes and, I only passed two classes and with a C. In the other hand I had some really good success. The most recent one and the one that I am still happy about is getting my Family Development Credential. We learn from our mistakes and also from our successes, these two times in my life

Strolling into Sinclair Community College, keeping my fear off my face, I convinced myself I was ready to take this test. After all,

I kept fighting through my exam, clenching my cheeks with all my might. Beads of sweat began rolling down my neck. Suddenly, a loud, gurgling war cry came from my belly, and the entire class lifted their heads.

As I breezed through the multiple choice sections and on to the free response questions, I began to feel a steady sense of ease as the information seemed to be coming back to me fairly quickly. The information, for the most part, had been imprinted onto my long term memory from the previous semester. Months later, when the memory of that stressful morning, and the night leading up to it, had since faded from memory, I received my score report for the exam. I had scored a perfect 5 out of 5. All that anxiety had been for nothing and in the end, I had received the score that I would never have thought possible on the morning of the

The science test you’ve been dreading has finally come to haunt you. You walk in, and the teacher routinely reminds you of the weight of the test on your grade, 80%. The teacher hands out the test and you blankly stare at the questions that can either build up, or destroy your grade. Unconformities?! What are they? Scrolling through the pages, you finally find some questions you know. The teacher announces that there are only 5 minutes left before you must turn your answers in. In a hurry, you halfheartedly guess most of the test, hoping that you get lucky. Days pass, and you receive your final grade for the test. Next to your score you see an F in bright red. Frantically, you race to the computers to check your overall grade. You log on only to see a perfectly stable B+ plummet down to a D. On the bus home, you are tense, assured that your parents have seen the obvious drop. Walking through the door, your mom asks “How’d the test go?” Stammering, you reply with “Er--well that's a long story”. Confused she asks for the test, and you wearily hand it over. You immediately see the disappointment in your mom’s face as she flips throughout the pages. Your punishment was groundation, and after your mom lectures you, she walks out. You think for a while, and realize that you could’ve prevented all of this if you simply studied instead of playing that game for longer.

I hate writing tests! It’s as simple as that. I hate the feel of a rough pen on my soft, delicate hands, which have vanquished after putting up a hard fight. I hate my brain desperately struggling to recollect information, from the inadequate study period from the previous night. Most of all, I hate the collecting of the results of an inevitable failure, doomed to face me at the end. Looking back at this picture, of me writing that unbearable test, I remember. I remember a feeling reassembling itself to me in tiny fragments, one by one, and for a brief moment, so microscopic it cannot be measured in time, my heart skips a beat. Then, and then alone I am brought back to that room, to that desk, to that test, and all I feel is hate.

I walked into my class and sat down. Mr. Baroody announced that we were going to get our tests back, but I wasn’t worried. I knew that I did not get a 100% on the quiz, but nothing could prepare me for what was to come.

It took me a couple of days to decide what book to choose. When I finally chose and was ready to start my paper, I wasn't really sure what I was supposed to do. I think that I have a good idea of what to do, however, I wasn't positive. I wrote my paper even though I wasn't sure that I was doing it right. By the time I had even thought to contact my professor it was the night it was due. I had already wrote and proofread the assignment, however, I didn't feel that I was doing it right. Panic began to rise in my chest as j realized that I had to pass this assignment if I wanted a chance of passing the class. I had to turn it in now because the time was just after eleven forty. I clicked submit not even aware that I didn't feel the need to make sure it was the right assignment. I was really nervous to get the results back. I had to pass. When I got the email that it was graded I hesitated. When I worked up the courage to read the feedback. I felt a grin make its way onto my face. I had passed this assignment with flying

As a junior in high school, Ankur Singh had a life changing english teacher. He taught Ankur about the fundamentals of critically thinking and communicating his thought process. With his newfound love of english, he decided to sign up for the AP english course for senior year. This class was a much different experience. He trudged his way through essay after essay to prepare for a test. He was not learning, not critically thinking and enhancing his knowledge; he was preparing for a test and learning how to take this test. It was a very similar situation in his AP French class. Instead of a normal lesson from the teacher, his class spent the whole time taking a practice test. Frustrated, because this nonsense test was taking up his precious

It is a warm fall day and I’m getting ready to take the ACT’s. The time is six forty-five am and I am just waking up to get ready for the test. The very first thing I do to get ready is shower, and once I’m done I put on sweatpants and a t-shirts so that way I’m relaxed. I eat a big breakfast so that way I don’t get as hungry throughout the day. I then continue by getting in my car and drive to the school to take the test. I then proceed to check in, and they check me in a then direct me to the classroom in which I will be taking my test. I’m now in my seat waiting to be given the test and I know that I am ready for the test because I have prepared. There are many steps a person can take to successfully prepare him or herself for standardized

A few days later, I am handed back the test. Per Ms. Evans’ usual policy, there is no grade, just an assortment of checks and X’s. My eyes zoom in to find my mistakes, sure that I had approached every question from the entirely wrong angle. The more I examine it, however, the more I can tell that I actually only made a few small mistakes. Nicholas Chan, next to me, remarks “Wow, you actually did pretty well!”, the surprise in his voice unmistakable. For some reason though, the trepidation and dread do not leave my stomach. I ask myself,

I followed the other students out into the courtyard, listening to Professor Silvers’ voice as she described what the midterm exam would entail. I could feel my stomach form knots as she described the different obstacle courses that had been made, and that we must draw numbers and colours to determine which course we would follow, and in what order.

High school is supposed to be the place where you have fun and a time in your life you’re supposed to enjoy. Movies often trick you into believing that high school is an amazing time in your life and there is nothing but parties and fun. In Bring it on, they portrayed the fun and exciting part of high school cheer-leading, however they intentionally leave out the tough times high school students’ face in school and in their practices. In other popular movies, such as High School Musical the students have no pressures other than the next basketball game. In reality, this doesn 't happen. The constant pressure is affected by the grade level you are in. In high school, students can be classified based on the pressures that are faced in each grade level into the categories of freshman, sophomores/juniors, and seniors. I am here to help you make your high school experience less stressful.