Messed up my exam

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Vickyb83
New member - welcome them!
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2015 11:07 am

Messed up my exam

Post by Vickyb83 »

Last year I decided that I would go back to college to get my maths and English GCSE after not getting c's I school. I figured I was older and would've able to cope better. I really enjoyed going to class however I realised I was having the same issues I'd had at school. I asked for help and I was finally diagnosed with dyspraxia. They tested me for dyslexia and dyscalculia as well but my results didn't come in time so I'm still waiting for those which means I didn't get help in my exams.

I've always panicked in exams to the point of having a panic attack and sleepless nights. I felt more positive this time round and was quite relieved on Tuesday when I did my English exam. I didn't finish one of the questions but I did the best I could and I'm positive. The maths however went a little different. I found the exam on Thursday so hard I thought I'd failed but I went to class on Thursday night and my tutor had the paper and I told him my answers and he said I'd done enough for a C as long I did okay in yesterday's so I came away with a load of revision and feeling confident.

Since about last Wednesday I'd been having issues with my left side of my mouth and my teeth really hurting. I ended up phoning the dentist but they couldn't fit me in until yesterday afternoon. By Sunday I was on co-codamol and nurofen 2 hours apart. The chemist said I likely had an abcess.
Well yesterday came and I was in agony. I have never felt pain like it. Not entirely sure how I made it to college but I was still feeling confident because I'd done the non calculator. I told the invigilator what was happening. I did some of the exam and the pain started becoming unbearable. The only thing that was reliving the pain was cold water and I'd drunk a whole bottle within the first hour of the exam. The invigilator was great and let me go to the bathroom and refill my water but when I came back I was in agony and I couldn't cope and the invigilator came over and I burst into tears and he let me leave. I took some more tablets and the college let me take it in another room but I was in so much pain I couldn't concentrate so I'm pretty sure I have failed that half because I couldn't remember anything I needed to do and mixed up questions.

The college have been amazing and have said in special circumstances with a letter from the dentist they will give me special consideration or if I messed it up totally I can re sit in November.

I went to the dentist and there was nothing wrong with my teeth however I'd been so stressed out I've been grinding my teeth in my sleep and put the whole left side of my face in a a muscle spasm and I'm now on even stronger medication and I have to stick to a soft diet for a couple of weeks. The dentist said that I wouldn't have been able to do an exam in that condition so she gave me the letter. Also if it doesn't go away I need to go get a teeth guard fitted to sleep with

As anyone else got that stressed out in exams before. If they let me resit in November I'm scared it will happen all over again but I don't want to give in. I also keep thinking if they do give me the grade C I was hoping for, was it earned properly.

Anyway sorry for the long post I just can't believe i messed it up that badly.
Vimes
Getting settled in
Posts: 22
Joined: Mon Mar 30, 2015 9:44 am

Re: Messed up my exam

Post by Vimes »

Don't be so hard on yourself. You didn't mess up anything. Most people would not have even attempted to sit an exam in such pain.

I always struggled in maths at school. I would have said the only thing worse than having to sit a maths exam would be suffering from severe tooth ache, so my sympathies for having to put up with the two together!

Don't worry about "not earning" special consideration. They don't just give those things out. If they give you special consideration, it's because you deserve it (and it sounds like you have earned it btw). And if it comes to it and you have to resit, by then you will know the full diagnosis and will likely have had further help.

I think that no matter what happens you should be proud of yourself. You've shown admirable character just going back to college to try and get your GCSE's, to do while fighting through the pain barrier is impressive. Kudos to you =D>
Tomtom
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Posts: 50
Joined: Wed Jun 10, 2015 9:30 pm

Re: Messed up my exam

Post by Tomtom »

Exams are stressful, especially if you haven't done any in years; don't get yourself so down over it. You should be proud of the fact that you've gone back instead. I would recommend finding a few calming techniques, for example, when feeling calm; lie down and visualise a peaceful location, try and think about how you are feeling at the time. Then ,when you feel stressed later (for example when taking the exam), take a couple of seconds to think about your calm place, and how calm and at peace you were feeling at the time.
Breathing techniques also help to some extent, breathe slowly for a few seconds, and breathe out more than you breathe in (e.g 10s out, 6s in a few times). It helps the body feel more at rest.
I hope these help and good luck :D
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