WASSCE 2020: AWAKENING A NOSTALGIC FEELING

Today, I saw an article online announcing the start of the West African School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and I felt a wave of nostalgia at the thought of the time I wrote WASSCE; I was a starry-eyed young lady about to complete senior high school.

Although I was excited about the forthcoming examination, I also felt a little nervous about my preparation for the exam. My feelings towards the exam could best be described as a mixed one.

I remember during that year, one of my papers got cancelled as a result of allegations of widespread cheating and I found myself feeling distraught and uncertain about the rest of the papers. I also constantly worried about the outcome of certain papers and how I should have answered particular questions in a certain way.

Such things used to eat me up so much until I realized that I was fussing over things I had no control over. This behaviour had the potential of affecting the outcome of all my results including the papers I was yet to write. Thus, instead of obsessing over the unknown, I decided to rather focus on doing my best at acing the remaining papers.

So what did I do? I spent more time preparing for the rest of my papers by reading all notes, solving past questions and having group studies with friends. Now, it is understandable that we cannot form face to face study groups with friends as a result of the outbreak of COVID-19, but it’s possible to study on your own.

If you find the need to meet in person for a study discussion, ensure that proper social distancing protocols are strictly adhered to.

I also spent a little time de-stressing by listening to music, reading fun magazines and storybooks. It is important to rebuild energy lost by focusing on the things you enjoy doing the most even if it’s for a few minutes.

Lastly, I wish to remind all candidates not to forget to always read over their work before handing it in. Spelling mistakes and punctuations are usually missed by students. Although the task ahead may seem difficult and daunting, believe in your abilities to excel.