Basket.

Examinations are the axis upon which every student's education revolves, and generations upon generations of every level have had to learn to sit in an enclosed room and complete a stipulated number of questions within a stipulated time to earn a stipulated grade in order to move on to the next stipulated level. Months, and then years, of hard work and toil, coming right down to a couple hours sweating over a paper that will probably only judge a fraction of all the candidate has ever learnt - and if he or she has chosen to learn the wrong things, then he or she is quite simply... fucked.

Yes, of course it is unfair, but then again the world is built upon unfairness, broken promises and bitter tears of regret.

I say this, of course, because examinations begin in school tommorrow, and naturally my hope is that my proteges do their best and achieve whatever they set out to achieve. My hope is also that I don't end up with a good stack of English papers to mark. Perhaps then it is expedient that I am more than used to the sound of shattered dreams and the crushing feeling of abject disappointment.

But I will resolve to have faith. All the very best to all students, especially mine. I believe you have what it takes. Believe in yourselves and do what you can.

And after you have done all you can, after you can sincerely say that you have put in everything you have got, be at peace with yourself. Do not wonder how you could have improved, do not regret what you did not do, or did. The paper will be over and there will be nothing you can anymore change. Look forward, stride on without regrets. Face up to your failings, know your limitations, and seek to change them for the future that will still beckon.

Godspeed.