Expectation vs Reality: After Exam Plans
Aww, look at you scribbling down names of exotic places to visit and listing down movies you're going to watch when vacation starts, beside your inaccurate math calculations. That's real cute. Here's how it's really going to go down.
Expectation: Bye bye O Level books, all-nighter biology preps and all sort of studies, till school commences again.
Reality: Hello AS books, new coaching centres my mother fooled me into enrolling, three more home tutors and zero hours of slumber.
Expectation: "Now that you're done with your O Levels, we can go tour Singapore or Malaysia and have a proper vacation as a reward for all your hard work," said Ammu.
Reality: "Thik moto porashona koro, bhalo chakri pao, tarpor nijer takay desh-bidesh ghuro. Ekhon jao notun math book ta khule dekho," said Ammu.
Expectation: Gather all friends and do something epic. Like a road trip or a huge party. Or both.
Reality: Sarah has chikungunya, Tanya has to go visit her sick grandmother, Raju is grounded for failing Chemistry, Abrar seen-zones all your messages, Maisha is busy preparing for SAT and Naila's mother doesn't trust your friend circle. At the end of the day only you and your ex-boyfriend show up for said gathering.
Expectation: Wake up at 2. Video games at 4. Meet up with friends at 6. Movie night out with cousins at 8. Dinner date at 10. Start watching Game of Thrones at midnight. Still watching Game of Thrones at 3 in the morning. Good night the next morning.
Reality: "WAKE UP YOU BUFFOON" at 8. Bangla tutor (too bad, you missed breakfast), also at 8. Economics coaching for next year at 11. Chemistry coaching for next year at 3. Better catch up on some university level mathematics at 6. Parents casually ask you about future plans at 8. Casual inquiry turned into lecture about your ignorance towards education, irresponsibility and how rap music is the root of all your problems at 10. Good night at midnight *WiFi turned off*.
Expectation: Stay home all day under the warmth of your comforter hugging your kolbalish. Not socialise with anybody.
Reality: Since you can't hide your "un-sociality" under the excuse of "exam shamne" anymore, you must attend every random family dawaat. That means at least 15 in two months' time.
Expectation: [first day of vacation] "Oh yes, two and a half months of sheer freedom. Enough time for me to party, catch up on some sophisticated, insightful movies and compensate for the last 365 days of sleep I've missed."
Reality: [night before school reopens, while watching the 45th consecutive episode of Keeping Up with The Kardashians] "Wait, what?"
Happy vacation peeps.
Samin Sabah Islam believes there are very few problems in life, if any, that a good nap can't fix. If she isn't asleep, your queries may be answered at sabahsamin11@gmail.com