today we had our first exam in this doctoral cancer physiology class. i’m sitting there taking this exam with seven other “future leaders of science” and when your answering twenty essay questions about all things cancer you can’t help but be ultra-sensitive about every detail of your testing environment. Whether it’s the temperature of the room or the lack of ergonomics of your desk, i become intimately aware of my surroundings and was once again reminded of how everyone has their own style of test-taking.
for instance, there’s heavy-sighing guy who upon reading each question let’s out a sigh that let’s you know he’s not happy with the question staring him in the face. There’s shifty-chair guy, sniffly-nose girl, and talks-to-himself guy. oh and i can’t leave out bone-popping girl, who before each question finds it necessary to pop her back, her neck or her fingers.
so how about me? well, i’m noisy-pencil-guy. my preference for old-school #2 ticonderogas lends itself to that cool, dull pencil on paper sound. when i’m sitting there writing away, i feed off the audible feedback that i get when i hit my stride and become increasingly confident as the noise becomes more and more rhythmic.
why am i telling you all of this? i have no clue. did i mention i just came out of a three hour cancer phys exam?
