I think it is a natural reaction. We’ve all experienced test anxiety, whether at 16 for our driver’s license test or at 30 when defending our doctoral thesis. I’ve been “academically oriented” all my life, so testing has been a continual, and anxious, part of my entire life.
Yesterday, I was hit squarely with an irrational anxiety. I decided to take an Arabic course during the summer, and had to take and ORAL PLACEMENT TEST!!! I’ve had a semester of private tutoring (during which I was not a very dedicated student) and a semester of evening class (where I was a better student, but still not all that dedicated), and I LIVE in Cairo. Why am I so worried about a placement test?
Pride.
I’ve been here for a year, managing as best I can with the language. I really don’t want to be placed in Egyptian Arabic Level 1 AGAIN. Two semesters of it is enough – even if I wasn’t a very studious student.
To my great pleasure (far greater than the accomplishment merited) I placed into Level 2 Arabic class!!! Major anxiety passed, I felt giddy! 🙂
Now I begin classes, 3 hours per day, 5 days per week, 3 weeks. If I don’t learn a LOT of Egyptian Arabic during this time, it is my own failing.
Congrats!
(and you can always blame your lazy-good-for-nothing husband for distracting you from homework if you don’t learn “enough”)
way to go! and.. of course you are in level two….duh! Will you be able to swear at Jack in Arabic soon? Hope so.
(avoiding my own version of test anxiety by checking out your blog and NOT working on my thesis….back to work I go, now!).
WendyR