I still study one university subject a semester for my Diploma of Chinese. I sat down at the exam yesterday. At the announcement of reading time, I opened the exam paper and quickly scanned the entire document.

Gee. This looks a bit short. I don’t know if it’s much longer than the one-hour class tests. I guess that means I’ll take my time and make sure I polish everything up.

Steady working.

Fifty minutes later.

I’ve finished! What’s the time? It’s only been 50 minutes? Really? I still have more than an hour. I have done every page, right? Let’s see. Page one, two, three… seven. I guess so.

I’ll… check over my work again.

Three minor changes later.

Well. I’ve killed fifteen minutes.

What’s everyone else doing? Still working.

I can’t leave yet, there’s no point. Damjan’s meeting me at 5 PM. That’s ages away. I guess… I guess I’ll just sit here. It’s warm and quiet, better than the cold outside.

Five minutes later.

This is boring. Why hasn’t anyone else left yet? I’m usually one of the last to leave. I want to leave now… but where can I go? What can I do?

…Hey! I can buy food! Yeah.

Uh oh. I’ll probably end up buying something bad like chocolate or cake or fried chicken. I’ll regret it then. Bad idea, Joan. Better stay here, for the good of your hips.

After ten minutes of staring into the pink ceiling, I bolt up in my chair.

I can buy a smoothie!

Happily, I gathered up my stationary and dictionary, pushed everything into my two bags, put on my (new) black woollen coat, and skipped out of the exam room.