And now, we wait. The waiting game has never been easy. We all know that our fate is irrevocably sealed the minute the invigilator asked us to stop writing. And what follows is no longer in our control. There is nothing else to do except to wait.
As I stepped out of the exam hall, what I felt was an odd concoction of uncertainty and relief. I could possibly have been in a state of shock too for that split second. Is that it? I asked myself. After months of preparation, nights of burrowing deep into the books, it is finally over. The final verdict now rests on the innocuous looking little white booklets.
As said, there really is nothing else we could do for these two months. Dwelling over it will not help me to gain extra marks and achieve better grades. When the anxiety creeps in from time to time, I will tell myself that I have given my best effort, and that is what matters.
In my opinion, nothing is as gratifying as working towards a goal. It is pretty much like running a marathon (I know have compared studying to running in my earlier article, but I really feel there is no other fitting comparison). One step at a time, we come closer to the end point. Pacing is of utmost importance, as we do not want ourselves to burn out in the middle of the race. Finally, when we arrive at the end of it, we are not just drenched in sweat from the long toil, but with an immense sense of fulfilment that we have finally made it. That, I think, is truly incomparable to anything else.
During the period of intensive studying, end of April, the local papers in Singapore were running news of professionals with fake degrees. It became the talk of the town. Lots of fraudsters were named and shamed without mercy. Overnight, the term “degree mill” was on everyone’s lips. People holding bogus degrees and even doctorates, actually managed to get employed as professionals here in Singapore, unnoticed.
I was shocked at the news. In fact, I was appalled. Nobody likes a cheat. It is like the case of the British marathon runner who cheated by taking a bus to the finishing line.
Here some links to articles concerning fake degrees and degree mills:
It sounds easy. You graduate with a degree without any effort, without breaking sweat. Without making any sacrifices to your lifestyle, just so that you could have more time for your studying. You become a graduate within days, while others take a minimum of three years. It sure sounds easy; “instant noodles” does sound appealing sometimes.
Nevertheless, nothing beats the real thing, and I do believe that time will tell who is made of the real stuff. An athlete who puts in hours of training will acquire lean and strong muscles, a toner physique and nimbleness. Instead, a cheat who jumps on a bus in the middle of a race will lose more than the fee paid for their scam: what is truly priceless is the gratification of arriving at the finishing point by our own blood, sweat and tears.
Tiffany is studying the BA English in Singapore.
Well, there are cheats, fakes, copy cats and impersonators, all of which are trying to get to the finish line. But, as you rightly said, “nothing beats the real thing.”
Thanks, Tiffany. This was a helpful read.