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Original poster

The 2017 Exams thread.

432 replies

WankersHacksandThieves · 17/03/2017 09:04

I think we all found the thread last year useful and supportive so I've set this one up for us all to share our woe, angst and (hopefully) joy for the 2017 exam season. I'm also trying to have something on Scotsnet that isn't politics. I'm trying to avoid that tbh as it just all makes me too angry...

Anyway, I have two going through it this year, DS1 in 5th year sitting 5 Highers and DS2 in 4th year sitting 7 Nat5s.

Studying has been underway since the prelims ended. They are doing 3 x 25 minute Pomodoro sessions on weekdays and 4 sessions each day at the weekend. To be honest it's mainly been used for the coursework up until now but the last piece is due in today for DS1 and DS2s is all in now so proper study can commence.

How is everyone feeling?

OP posts:
Groovee · 04/05/2017 13:13

Dd feels remarkably calm. She's a bit wary of feeling like this lol

weegiemum · 04/05/2017 14:23

Dd2 had Nat 5 music this morning, she says she thinks she got "most of it" right. Its her only exam as she's S2.

Otherwise its History on Tues, Graphics on Wed and English on Thurs, all highers, for Dd1.

Noofly · 04/05/2017 15:55

Not real exams because he's only S3, but DS' school has had them sitting mock Nat 5 exams over the past week and a half. He's sitting the last (Spanish reading and Maths calculator section) today. He's done well so far which hopefully means a better parent/teacher conference in June compared to the godawful one in October!

celtiethree · 04/05/2017 18:54

Good luck to everyone's DC who have maths tomorrow. Think nerves are finally kicking in for my DS1 who is sitting higher maths.

SwiftAnchor · 04/05/2017 19:10

DD seems to think her exam went well today. 1 down 4 to go!

Good luck to everyone doing maths tomorrow Smile

IndigoApple · 04/05/2017 19:15

Same here with DD, celtie! I feel nervous too. Not going to let DD see that though!

prettybird · 04/05/2017 19:24

Glad your dd thought the exam went well SwiftAnchor Smile

Nerves seem to be hitting ds too now. It's not that he thinks he's going to fail it but because he wants so much to get an A. He says he'll be ok if he gets Bs for his Chemistry and English, but he knows he needs As for his Physics and Maths for his university application (he considers that his A for Geography is in the bag as it's just memory. hope he's right) So, as far as he's concerned, the "pass mark" for him is 75%. Shock

He went off and voted at about 12. There and back on his bike in 10 minutes Shock. He seems to have thought through his choices and ranking though even listened to us for one of his rankings Wink

Original poster
WankersHacksandThieves · 04/05/2017 19:43

Glad to hear that the exams so far have been okay :)

DS1 not fazed about Higher Maths tomorrow. I asked if he was feeling that he'd done enough - he replied that he thought he'd done enough before he started... Hmm

He's helped Ds2 with some stuff today for his Nat 5 in the afternoon - it's his worst subject by far but hopefully Ds1's help will get him through.

Just been and bought the mid exam snacks and stocked the fridge with water. I also took DS1 with me to do his first vote. Don't think he has a clue or an interest tbh but maybe my even-handed description has steered him in the appropriate direction.... :o

OP posts:
weegiemum · 04/05/2017 20:12

Good luck for everybody's maths tomorrow!

We're having a maths free year - dd1 failed nat5 last summer, but isn't doing it again until S6 - when ds will be doing it in S4. What could go wrong??

Groovee · 04/05/2017 20:22

Think dd's nerves have kicked in. She's eating lots of chocolate and has gone out for a walk.

LittleRedFrog · 04/05/2017 22:35

Good luck to everyone sitting maths tomorrow! DS has shown a few nerves tonight, but has seemed pretty calm up until now. I can't decide if I'm nervous or just relieved that it's all starting at last - the build-up seems to have been going on for a long time in some ways!

Original poster
WankersHacksandThieves · 04/05/2017 22:38

First 2 of 12 in our house tomorrow - it's going to be a long few weeks...

Good luck all.

OP posts:
prettybird · 04/05/2017 22:56

Ds was relaxed enough to watch new Big Bang Theory, last week's Brooklyn 99 and then this week's Brooklyn 99 and then off to bed early.

He's pissed off at me for insisting he drop off his absence letter (for Tuesday & Wednesday) into the school office.

Original poster
WankersHacksandThieves · 04/05/2017 23:10

Mine have been ironing shirts. They didn't bother at the weekend as there was no school this week, forgetting of course that they need one for the exams :)

OP posts:
IndigoApple · 05/05/2017 12:23

DD found paper 1 of Higher maths OK but thought paper 2 was awful. Sad Interested to hear any other feedback.

celtiethree · 05/05/2017 12:32

Likewise for paper two. Some in tears.

prettybird · 05/05/2017 12:41

Ds is most inconsiderately going for a haircut on the way home from his exam so it'll be a while before I get feedback.

wigglybeezer · 05/05/2017 12:56

Good luck to all the Maths candidates, it's a nice feeling not having a Maths exam in this house this year! however, DS1 has just informed me he is on a tier 2 warning halfway through his Naval basic training, it means he can't have any more slip ups or he will be back classed, things are never straightforward with him. DS2 has his first Higher on Tuesday and is quite cool calm and collected so far...

musicteacheriz · 05/05/2017 12:57

My DD was in tears in paper 1 but seems to have found paper 2 better. Time will tell!

Groovee · 05/05/2017 13:07

Dd was adamant she wasn't going to school! Had to drive her there myself to ensure she went. She'll be 7 minutes in now.

Original poster
WankersHacksandThieves · 05/05/2017 13:10

DS1 said higher exam was fine and that bot papers were about equal. He's not feeling he has 100% which he thought he had a good chance of getting when he did the Nat5 (he got 98%).

DS2 gone for his Nat5 now and thinks he may have a chance of passing. He's had to remind himself that he really only needs 50%+ not 70 or 80, he just needs/wants to pass!

OP posts:
prettybird · 05/05/2017 13:26

Ds was the other way around: said Paper 1 was ok but he found Paper 2 tough.

He says that the big mark questions in Paper 2 were split up and there was one (to do with circles and radii) that he spent too much on, so he didn't have time to go back and check his other answers. He made sure to show all his workings though.

He's still relatively confident that he should get an A - but not as much as he was beforehand.

Groovee · 05/05/2017 15:59

Dd struggled again 😢. She thinks she'll be lucky to scrape a B. She got an A in prelims.

IndigoApple · 05/05/2017 16:13

Sorry to hear others had bad experiences today.

prettybird DD said the same as your DS. 'There were none of the big questions I'm good at', and she said the circles were a nightmare too.

Chemistry next.

user1487194234 · 05/05/2017 16:23

DD said Nat 5 paper 1 was hard Paper 2 better

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