Goodbye Forever, William?

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 Last week I sat my last ever high school English exam. 


I wonder if I'll ever read Shakespeare again. I’ve grown somewhat fond of old Bill over these past four years. He cops a lot from unenthused high school students and he's not even around to defend himself. In Year 9 it was A Midsummer Night's Dream. We dressed up with fairy wings and plastic swords and each received a part to act out. The play read to me like it was written by someone on drugs. Then it was Romeo and Juliet, which delighted my teacher who indulged in dreamy retellings of her romantic holidays in Italy. (I wasn’t sure how I felt about the Baz Luhrmann film. Definitely felt like it was made by someone on drugs). In Year 11 it was Othello, and for our senior year we read Richard III, which I really loved. We even went to see a live performance of it at the Seymour Centre which was a treat. It made me realise that the best way to approach Shakespeare is to see it performed. Hopefully, I can watch more live theatre in the future if I end up in the city (and if I can afford it). Either that or I'll just have to start acting myself. My party trick will be an intense and captivating performance of the entire opening soliloquy of Richard III. I really think I have zero propensity for the performing arts, no matter how much I wish I did.


My exams have not been enjoyable per se, but there is something exhilarating about the whole ordeal. That's my competitive side coming out. It's knowing that there are thousands of kids across the state doing the exact same thing as you at that very moment. It’s watching the clock tick down in those final moments before you are allowed to start writing. One minute to go and it's the final gulp of water down a dry throat. Thirty seconds and everyone is sitting up in their chairs, trying to find some balance between comfort and alertness. Twenty, and it's the click of lids coming off pens, the shuffling of papers. Ten seconds to go. I look to my left, I look to my right, and I can't help the big unwavering smile that comes over my face. It's hard to understand. Maybe it's because I know that for the next three hours I will be completely focused on the task at hand. I will get as close to that infamous ‘flow state’ as I ever do. I have a fond spot for any activity which puts the constant murmur of my mind to rest. 


Speaking of rest, I have three more of these exams to go, so I must get some!

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