The supervising examiner got up to announce that there were only five minutes remaining for the biology exam to end. Those of us who had
already finished kept maintaining a close check on the time just waiting for the clock to strike one. I too had finished my exam and glanced around my block to pass those last five minutes. some were
going through their answers one last time to make sure they didn’t skip out on anything while some frantically jotted down their last words ensuring they wouldn’t run out of time.
And then it happened…the examiner asked us to put down our pens and wait for the invigilators to collect our answer sheets. Everyone let out a sign of relief as the teachers went around to collect the
papers. Shortly, the examiner instructed us to open the doors and evacuate the area. All of us just got up and let out cheers of happiness. We ran out of the hall to assemble on the ground floor to
collect our bags. But we didn’t really know if we should be jolly or devastated. Years of hard work and dedication had led up to this moment, the moment we could cheerfully proclaim that we were done. So why didn’t it feel so good?
I felt it and I was quite certain that others did too. We just didn’t know what to do next. We honestly didn’t want to walk out those doors anymore. It somehow didn’t seem right. We should have been rushing out those doors to celebrate our freedom but instead we looked around and met each other’s glances. I guess we weren’t ready to let go yet.
There was an influx of feelings right then and there. We realized what the past 13 years had molded us into. We just stood there, looking at
the gates that opened into the world of infinite possibility.
The world that would now be ours to own. But we couldn’t step out yet. It was surreal. We had been prepared for 13 years to just learn when to
hold on and when to let go and now we didn’t know what to hold on to and what to let go of. Some of us just burst out crying. Our teachers
comforted us and wiped our tear stained visages. They were our mothers too, they had grown to be.
Explaining what we felt in those few moments is hard. It’s still a blur but when we finally walked out those doors everything became vivid again. It was as if sight had been granted to the blind. What
our purpose was just dawned on us and gave us that feeling of realization and satisfaction. We walked out confident, having faith in the people we had become. Ready to conquer the world. 13 years had taught us a lot. We’d learned to love, share, cherish and grow.
It wasn’t the easiest ride but we sure held on tight. It shook us at times, brought us down and tortured us but in the end it also left us wanting more. Cause now we knew better, better than we ever thought we could. Not knowing what happens next is petrifying. I guess we just venture forth into every dark realm of the world, trying to illuminate
it with our hope. These 13 years have given me more than I could have ever wanted and I will forever be grateful for them. It’s our time
now…our time to divide and rule. Leaving school is the hardest thing i’ve had to do so far and it only just marked the beginning, the beginning of the end. Goodbyes are never going to be easy. But they
are necessary. All we can do is hold on to the memories and take the chance to make many more…
