Expect the unexpected :D

           Hi again. :D This favorite college experience of mine occurred last year, during our first semester. I really wasn't expecting anything like this, but it was the best and the most unexpected thing that has ever happened to me during my first year in college. :D
            It's a very uneasy day for me, and for most of us as well. My hands got clammy each time I think of my first preliminary exams in Mathematics in my alma mater. As I was sitting in the train, I keep on reading my notes, troubled that I might forget the formulas and other Math terms. My mind was playing tricks on me when I got out of the train, that I might fail my first exam. Great, very helpful, Mind. I got more nervous. As I got to school, I saw everybody studying, asking questions and answering Math problems. I sat down, then opened my notes again. Some of my classmates approached me and asked some questions. Unfortunately, our professor always arrive early, so we always got less time to study or anything. He told us to fix our chairs with one seat apart. As I looked behind to see if I was lined correctly, I got flummoxed which line to follow, because it was a crooked one. Fail. I ignored it and concentrated on what was happening again. Our professor said to prepare ourselves then keep our notes. If I'm not mistaken, he also mentioned that we should pray. When he said that, I made the sign of the cross and prayed silently while he was giving out the test papers. Our professor used the wise style in test papers. He gave the two sets of exams alternately. Set A for the first column, then Set B for the second column then Set A again for the third column and so forth. In this case, cheating can be avoided. Then I prayed again once I got my hands on my test paper. I got Set B. 
            At first I told myself that it was easy, but I got over extra careful (hahaha) with the answers and my solutions. My seatmate keeps on bugging me for reasons I can't remember. Jeez. When I was finished, I keep on re-checking my answers and solutions and getting crazy and paranoid all over. Then I'm done. I sat there, in my seat, still a little troubled, having that feeling that I might fail or I have a wrong computation. I looked around to rest my mind for a while, and I was shocked to find out that everybody's still answering! Then I got this paranoia again. I can only count in my fingers who are already done, but still.. I didn't re-check anymore, I got lazy and just told myself good luck. 
            After a few minutes, the papers must be passed now. Our professor collected it by set and I still got time to check again my paper, I'm really nervous that I also thought that I might have skipped a number or something, but every item has an answer. I took a deep breath, then passed my paper as my professor asked for the next set. I let out a sigh after that.
             The following day, our professor announced the scores. That mini-heart attack. I really hate moments like this. My heart was palpitating. I don't aim for the perfect score, I only aim to pass. There were only 30 items in our exam, but it was an average one, there are easy items and hard ones. He mentioned the students in our class who got high scores and the highest ones got 29, and those students who passed, but didn't get a high score. I was waiting for my name, but there was nothing. My heart palpitated even more when I WASN'T CALLED. I wanted to go home and cry, well I actually wanted to cry at that moment, knowing that I failed, but I held myself. I can't cry in front of all these people. It's just an exam, they would say, but it means a lot to me. I never failed an exam nor perfected a Math exam before, but this moment? I hated myself for being so stupid and reckless and all that. After all those re-checking and studying in the train, I just failed. Shame. How am I going to tell my mom about this? "Mom, I failed my first exam. Sorry." Hey, I can't just do that! And it wouldn't be as easy as that either! I was choosing the right words how to tell my mom about this. I looked away, at the window to compose myself. My seatmate was chatting me, telling me her happy moments with her boyfriend, but none of her words seemed to get in my head. I just keep on nodding, but my mind was really flying. There were times that I smile at her, to show her that I'm not upset at all.
            Our professor was telling my other classmates who failed, well including me I guess, better luck next time, do our best and stuff. I didn't listen. That must have taken 5 or 10 minutes when our professor said, "The one who got the highest score is..." Those words caught my attention, then my heart was racing again. He smiled to all of us and mentioned the same words. I told myself, "Woah, who is that? Someone got a perfect score! I wonder who's that genius." I looked at my classmates, but all of their eyes are on our professor, so I just followed their gaze. 
             My professor smiled again. Could he just stop smiling and tell who that student is? Then he looked at me, and his face looks like he want to burst out laughing. He shifted his gaze fast then looked at my other classmates. But I got that one percent of hope, though I'm not assuming. After maybe 30 seconds or whatever, he mentioned the student who got the perfect score. And it was me. 
             I was too stunned to speak at first, I almost jumped in my seat and got my eyeballs wide asking myself if this is just a dream. If I'm not mistaken, I said, "What?! What's the highest score?!", forgetting that it was a perfect score. I mentioned this to my seatmate and to my professor who didn't even hear me because of all the shouts of my classmates. I can't even hear myself that well. My other seatmate was shaking me, telling me that I did great, but I was still culture shocked. My heart is still racing but I'm starting to accept that now. :D I calmed myself down, and I really felt that tinge of happiness that my classmates were still shouting for me. They, too, must have been stunned by that announcement our professor made. They weren't expecting that either. Then he called me to get my paper there in front, and my classmates shouted even more, congratulating me and telling me I was good and many more. I thanked them as I passed by. I feel like a famous actress walking on a red carpet. But I still can't believe it. :D 
           Our professor congratulated me too, and he told me I did great. I keep on thanking him even when I'm already seated down. My classmates calmed down too, but there is still that stunned look on their faces. My classmates who are near me get to see my paper. They were saying all the praises I couldn't even remember. I was so happy. :D Then the class was dismissed. Before our professor left, he told me this: "Do well on your midterms, okay? You did great today." I smiled and thanked him again. He smiles and leaves the room. 
           Those words of my professor really mean a lot to me that I still can remember that until today. :D My classmates were asking me how I did that, I told them I just got lucky, which I think it really is. From that day on, when there is really a hard item on our homework our professor gives, they ask me. But I'm not really a Math genius. In fact, when I was in high school, I always get a low grade in my quizzes, seat works and exams. I'm telling this to my classmates every time they tease me, but they wouldn't believe me, so I just stopped explaining. They won't listen. HAHAHA :)) 
          Really, this is something that I can't forget. One of my best moments. :D While I'm typing this, I still can't help but smile. :)) I'm still thinking I was back at that day, and having that mini-heart attack, about wanting to cry and go home, then change my mind all of a sudden. This experience really suits that title that I gave, "Expect the unexpected." :)))