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Somebody said it rightly, “The biggest problem in life is the image in our heads of how it should be”. It appears that our expectations can distract us into thinking that our goals will bring us more than they do, so we usually pursue the opposite goals.Research canes up this idea that we may not fully understand what we have when we are expecting more or comparing what we have to what we could have. One study discovered that participants who were exposed to a subliminal reminder of wealth spent less time enjoying a chocolate bar and exhibited less enjoyment of the experience than other subjects who weren't recalled of wealth.
This is an engaging study that can remind us all to try to appreciate our chocolate (and lives) more, and perhaps to try not to remind ourselves of what we don't have. This study can also suggest to us, of how easy it is to colour our possessions through thoughts of what we have.
Completing final exams in college is a bittersweet experience. Never again will I have to stay up the whole night storing knowledge into the brain. Neither will I again have such a fun-packed surrounding with all friends, laughs, gossip and non-stop travel planning. But these exams did not turn out as expected. COVID has ruined all the plans and has created a huge gap between expectation and reality.
The expectations were very different with last semester and limited time, this was the last few months to do our best in studies as well as spend some memorable time with friends, in the college campus and many other plans but as the saying goes, "The more you will expect the more disappointed you will be."
Final exams, the exams about which every student has dreamt of at least once in his/her life. I had also expected a lot about the preparations, the probable centre of the exam, the after exam parties and the last college travel plans. Our expectation and the reality this time was poles apart a glance of those are as described.
Expectations and The Reality
The Preparation
The preparation has been the most exciting part of any exam but only before we start preparing, once we start preparing, it seems to be the longest and boring process which in turns motivates us to procrastinate and do everything else than to prepare. I planned about preparing well, one last time. I thought of making my notes and reading those bulky library books for ones and one last time in the college tenure. And also to go to all the labs and do all the practicals before actually just jotting them down from the internet. Clearing my doubts in various subjects and concerning teachers for the final project etc. And getting good grades to earn an honours degree with my bachelors. But these sweet dreamy expectations didn't hit the ground even for a while.
Reality: Few days before the final exams I was wishing that Google could just sit beside me in the exams although this does come true as we had an open book exam from our homes due to COVID but this did not prove much useful. All the planning concerning teachers and final year project, reading library books and attending regular classes never really happened. The enthusiasm for attending the regular classes vanished as it was more about going to college, the same classes sounded boring from home. I think I'll be able to bag an honours degree but all the fun associated with the preparations like attending classes with friends, doing experiments in labs were all absent.
The exam centre
Expectation: I and my friends expected the exam centre to be one of the most famous colleges under our university where our seniors went for their final exams. We planned everything from the voting between choosing public transport to booking a cab, the snacks that we'll carry for eating on the way to the centre and back, the famous places to visit that were on the way, trying out various restaurants and taking pictures in the exam centre after the exam, everything was planned perfectly.
Reality: I found myself sitting at my desk staring at the paper and notes all over my desk, (gratitude to the open book exams). My desk at home was my exam centre. All the plans, the snacks, the voting everything was just a waste of time and now leads to a loss of enthusiasm. That expected college never invited us, we were not even allowed to visit our own college and I was sitting at the same boring place since last many weeks and the worst part was I even gave my final exams there and with google and those bulky books as my exam partner.
The party after the last exam
Expectation: More than any exam we all were extremely excited about our celebration plans, the night of the last exam. We had already decided on our favorite venue and had expected a crowd of around 40-50 college mates to collect there. Hanging out with friends after a tiresome week and loads of studies was the real wait.
Reality: After giving the exam with my partners, google and some books, I had a sandwich and took a long nap. I woke up in the evening. I called up my friends to discuss the joke," party" which was planned for that night. The planning we were doing and the party we were expecting will become the loudest joke of the year for us.
The farewell
Expected: We even planned the farewell, the gifts that we will give each other, the speeches, the dresses, performances and whatnot.
Reality: We don't even know even if we'll get to meet again or not as most of my friends are in their home town and getting back together at the same place, the same time will not be easy now.
Anyways, expectations and imaginations are what keeps us hopeful and enthusiastic throughout this journey of life. So, I still expect to meet all of my college friends again, party again, eat again and gossip again. Although many expectations like studying and giving exams together will never be able to turn into reality but hoping to expect more and fulfill even more.
