Hello God,
Last Thursday, the nation came into a standstill. The whole country just went silent. No, the tsunami hasn’t arrive at Haeundae. If there was one, we would be screaming our heads off already. It’s the national college entrance exam day. The most stressful day in a young person’s life (besides a first date). It is so important that:
1. Airplanes are banned from flying near the exam locations. Flights either delayed or cancelled.
2. Workday starts an hour late, to prevent traffic jams that might make students late for exam.
3. Some students can request a police escort to make it on time for the exam if they might face traffic trouble on the way to exam.
4. No car horns.
5. Parents prayed for high scores on their children's college placement exams for many days at the temple.
6. No loud conversations.
7. Some stressed students commit suicide every year from the pressure, (a high school boy from Seoul jumped off the building this year).
8. Invigilators have to observe the rule of no coughing, gum-chewing, breathing heavily or even making eye contact with exam-taking students.
9. Girls are not allowed to put on excessive makeup or perfume that might give off a distracting scent. No high heels that could go clicketyclack on the floors.
10. The best rice cakes in the land were distributed to students, consumed, and most likely thrown up in anxiety.
11. Stock market opens an hour later
12. Aggressive farmers protesting the rice market opening agreed to stop for a day.
High school juniors chanting for senior's success!
I remember how I stressed I was when I took the exam. I think my eyebrows turned grey. The pressure is so immense to the extent that many of my friends don't want to raise a kid in this country. However, accidents do happen when they don’t use protection so they end with up children anyways.
I don’t want to talk about the suicides that occur every year because of the exam. It’s too sad. Education-related stress is deadly! There a student proverb says if you sleep for four hours a night, you'll get into the college of your choice, if you sleep for five hours, you fail.
I read in the newspaper, Kim Bo-yup, someone with the Ministry of Education, said South Corea's passion for education is the highest in the world. I thought our passion is for sad, weepy Corean dramas, Super Junior and Gee gee gee!
The exam took roughly 9 hours and by next spring, the high school boys and girls will know their fate and admission to college. In the eyes of many here, the exam results determine not only which university will accept them but will also confer social standing for a lifetime (and their salary for the next 30 years). The aim is to get into the “big three” Seoul National University, Korea University and Yonsei University or SKY 스카이.
Only one test, only one day.
I saw the high school seniors running past me on the way to the exam. They seem very nervous. I was scared to move. This is the biggest day of their lives, so I have to stand perfectly still or I risk distracting them.
Good thing I passed my exams 2 years ago!
Kamsahamnida haneunim! o(∩_∩)o
