Lessons from a Forgotten ID: A Stressful Exam Day Experience

Being forgetful happens to all of us, even when we’re being extra careful. For me, it’s cost time, energy, and even money on more than one occasion. But there’s one incident during my second year in university that I’ll never forget because of how stressful it was.

It was exam period, and like everyone else, I was fully in study mode. My exam was scheduled for 8 a.m., so I made sure to prepare everything the night before to avoid any last-minute rush. I ironed my clothes, polished my shoes, and even picked out a tie to match my outfit. I wanted to look sharp and ready for the exam.

At my school, you couldn’t write an exam without two things: your bursary clearance, which proved you’d paid your fees, and your ID card. The night before, I found both, set them on my table, and felt good about how organized I was. I was sure I had everything under control and was fully prepared for the exam.

The next morning, I woke up early, freshened up, dressed quickly, and headed out. I even got to the exam hall by 7:30 a.m., with plenty of time before the exam. I was feeling confident, so before it was time i opened my notes to do some last-minute revision while waiting for us to be called inside.

Eventually, we were asked to line up and present our bursary clearance and ID card before entering. That’s when everything went downhill. I reached into my pocket and found my clearance, but my ID card was nowhere to be found. My heart started racing. I checked my pocket severally, checked my bag, and even searched the ground around me, hoping I somehow dropped it. But it was nowhere to be found.

That was when it hit me that i must have forgot it in my room during the morning rush. I began panicking and without wasting time, I turned around and rushed back to my hostel which was a bit far away. My mind was running faster than my legs. What if I couldn’t find it? What if they didn’t let me into the exam hall? Would i have to sit for this exam again the following year? This were the things on my mind as i was running.

When I got to my room, I opened my locker, and there it was—the ID card was sitting exactly where i left it. Immediately, i felt a sense of relief but I just couldn’t relax. Time was ticking, and I still had to make it back to the hall. I grabbed the card and ran as fast as I could. By the time I got back, the doors had already been closed, and everyone was seated inside.

I had to plead with the invigilators to let me in. They weren’t having it at first and made me wait outside while they lectured me on being careless. It felt like forever, but after wasting about 15 minutes of my time, they finally let me in. By then, I was breathing heavily that it took me a while to calm down and focus. Thankfully, I managed to finish the exam and submit on time, but the whole experience left me drained.

That day taught me a lesson I’ll never forget. Since then, I’ve made it a rule to always put my ID card around my neck or safely tuck it into my wallet first before packing anything else for any exam. The stress and embarrassment I went through that day weren’t worth it, but at least it ensured I never repeated the same mistake.

images are from meta ai