Day 12: Whatever tickles your fancy
Saturday, May 15, 2010 @ 6:50 pm.
After reading Jean's blog-post (from which I am stealing the format; sorry), I think it's time for me to do a general summary of Mid-Years, so I can either feel confident, or incite myself to work harder for the next three papers...
1. English Paper 1
I've posted about this before, haven't I? Anyway, I was actually pretty happy with my compo after I wrote it, though I'm not so sure about it now. I hope I get at least 25; that's my minimum, at least. Still trying to beat my sister's record of 27.
2. Chem SPA
Not bad either, mostly like the first practice we were given, so it wasn't that bad. I have a tendency during SPAs to write everything that comes to mind after I finish. So I hope that doesn't screw me over.
3. HCL Paper 1
Marks the first time I've ever done
baozhangbaodao in examination. No comments about that, but since it was
gean I feel better about it, because for some reason I always do better in gean cases...
But HCL is pretty much a guaranteed failure/below-average mark for me, so no expectations here.
4. Physics SPA
I was expecting it to be much worse, but this wasn't exactly a walk in the park either. Again, afflicted by the write-as-much-as-you-can bug.
5. English Paper 2
Paper 1 was better.
English Expectations: A1. Nothing less.
Last year, I had to rely on oral marks to pull my mark up to an A1, and even then I still got second to Minerva. This year, I don't have oral, and my comprehension fluctuates. But as long as I don't screw up, say, situational writing like many of us seemed to have done last year, I should be okay.
6. Biology SPA
Not sure about whether I can post details of the SPA, though I wish I could. Found out after the test that my method, thoug we've done it before, wasn't done by pretty much everyone, so I was freaking out until Zhi and Steph Cheong came along and decided that it should be okay.
Steph gave me a hug <3 Thank you~
7. Chinese Paper 2
Eh, not much I can say about it. But I always finish my summaries really quickly, and I either do very well or very badly in them. Ah well.
Chinese Expectations: What can I say? Chinese is pretty much on a whole different level to me. I can rank other subjects in terms of easy or hard, but for Chinese, it's just one standard; Chinese. So. I have no expectations.
8. Social Studies
Did the Bonding Singapore paper; I decided that Venice was too risky because the second question for that looked too confusing upon the first read. I'm not sure whether my arguments were sound or not but all I can do is to hope for the best.
I really don't know how well I'm going to do for this paper.
9. Literature Paper 1
Chose the dystopia topic; I wrote down one point for Mildred and her friends and realised I didn't have anything else. Although when I think about it, I probably could have written about Mildred and friends okay...
Unseen was a poem we've done before but it presented no advantage since a) I had forgotten everything and b) it's still hard anyway. I chose poem on instinct (Miss Tan always said to do poetry, so I wasn't even planning to look at the prose) but I contemplated switching to prose multiple times, in the end deciding that I wouldn't be able to unpack everything.
I'm not confident at all.
10. E Math Paper 1
Easy. Frankly, not worth studying for.
11. History
Did the Cold War question, something which I was sure that I would never do. Although when we got back to class I learned that Felicia's conclusions were completely different from mine... so I might be in danger there.
Combined Humanities: Okay, let me get this straight - I never know how well I'm going to do for Humanities papers. Sometimes I feel like I screwed up but end up doing really well, and sometimes I feel like I nailed it and end up crashing and burning instead. But at the moment, I feel better for this than Literature.
12. Chemistry Paper 1
Don't remember much about this, and I'd prefer not to.
13. Chemistry Paper 2
I was lucky that I had done the TYS in the morning or I wouldn't have known the dense white fumes question. Thought the QA was okay, but couldn't figure the halogen question (meaning, what on earth the black solid was)
Chemistry Expectations: I'm counting on pretty much all my Sciences for an A1; I don't think I've done anything to majorly screw up my chances, however slim they might be.
14. A Math Paper 1
Probably the hardest A Math paper I have ever done, and probably the hardest paper for the whole of Midyears, although Paper 2 and Physics have the potential to claim that title. Li Cheng could hear me freaking out behind her. She was doing the same thing. Though probably more silently. Ugh. Thank God at the end I only had two part-questions left undone.
My mother was threatening me with tuition after I told her about this until I told her that pretty much everyone was in the same boat. Then she said "GOOD!" and let me off. My father doesn't care about other people and wants to send me for tuition anyway. I think Maths will probably be the only subject I can stand getting tuition for at the moment, because I don't have the discipline to practice myself.
15. Biology Paper 1
I counted and had seven questions left that I wasn't sure of, so I was really pissed at myself. I had to ask Miss Lau about the size-comparing genetic molecules question. I mean, if DNA is short for deoxyribonucleic acid. IT DOES NOT HAVE A SIZE.
16. Biology Paper 2
I was happy with this paper because I got to draw a diagram of a reflex arc. I love drawing diagrams. And I love drawing reflex arcs. And I love drawing eyes. So this was good. Hence I forgot how the rest of the paper was.
Biology Expectations: Trying not to think about it, holding on to the hope that I'll get my A1.
17. E Math Paper 2
Also pretty simple, except that I didn't have much time and took forever reading some questions.
E Math: Not feeling like I screwed anything up, so I'd call this one a safe.
18. Literature Paper 2
Before the test I was trying to study Hill and Travers because I had marked in my book that they'd test till the Ken v. Travers scene. But they only tested Act One, so I wasted most of my morning time. Luckily Audrey had lent me her senior's essay on John (THANKS AUDREY) so I did that. I briefly contemplated going with the free will question but again decided against it.
I think I misinterpreted part (i) of the PBQ. That's an understatement.
Literature Expectations: I can't help but get the feeling that I screwed up really bad, but I'm still holding on to the fact that I never know what I get for Humanities, so...
Up Next:
MONDAY
19. A Math Paper 2
A lot of people are deeming A Math as a lost cause because of Paper 1. I'm tempted to as well, but... I can't. Especially if Mrs Poh sets this paper too.
TUESDAY
20. Physics Paper 1
21. Physics Paper 2
I've heard people say that Physics is probably going to kill us all. I'm inclined to believe that too, unfortunately.
--
I'm not used to not doing well for exams. The first time I got a Band 2 in Primary 4, I cried. When I failed Lit in Term 2 last year, I had to call Ms Tan (she told me to keep my chin up). It doesn't matter if the exam doesn't matter, I just have to, and I won't be able to stand the mark on my report card, and I won't be able to stand the look on Miss Lau's face when she gives out those report cards.
I feel like I'm not going to do well for this exam, more than I've felt this way for every other exam in my Secondary school life.
Oh God help me.