New school year

Straight on towards matriculation examinations

A new semester has begun in our high school. The seniors of FES Upper Secondary School are just now preparing themselves for the autumn’s matriculation exams. Most seniors have decided to spread their exams into both autumn and spring. This way it may be easier to concentrate on each subject and to get better results.

We talked about this autumn’s exams with a few of the seniors. Here are some of their thoughts:

 Veera, 3a

 What subject are you going to take this autumn?

- I'll take religion.

Are you feeling very nervous yet?

- Yes! I almost feel like panicking a little. I regret not starting to prepare properly already in the summer holiday. I also feel a little envious about my friend who doesn’t have to have any stress about the final exams until the spring..

Henna-Riikka, 3b

What subject will you take?

- I'll take psycholochy.

What technique have you found the best when preparing for the exams?

- Well, my ability to concentrate properly is so low that I need to schedule my reading. I need to read a little at a time and many separate times in a long period of time. I also need to underline sentences and make notes besides reading.

Are you still happy with your decision to spread your exams into autumn and spring?

- Absolutely! I knew I could do this among the other work and it has gone very well.

Are you afraid of the matriculation examinations?

- Well, maybe I’m a little afraid of forgetting everything on the spot or that I have highlighted the wrong points. But complete failing scares me the most.

Aleksi, 3a

What subject will you take?

- I'll take health education.

Do you expect the exam to be especially difficult or easy?

- Average, I guess. It depends on the assignments and questions.

If you could change your mind now, would you still take health education? Or would you prefer to leave it till the spring, too?

- I wouldn’t like to take another subject or to  leave it till the spring.

Are you going to start the preparation for the spring’s matriculation examinations right after the autumn’s  exams?

-  Well I think I should but we’ll see what happens.

What is your main feeling about the matriculation examinations right now?

- I’m just a little nervous, that’s all.

I, the other author of this post, am also going to take part in the matriculation examinations this autumn.  I am going to take only mother tongue but I have to say I regret it a little. It was really hard to realize early that this subject needs studying just as any other subject you are going to take. Shortly, this means I may not reach as high grades as I was planning.  Luckily I’ll still have a chance in the spring, but this doesn’t mean I’m going to leave the final preparation entirely this time, I just want to leave some alternatives open.

Written by 
Maiju 3A ja Janette 3B