[Back to the beginning of the midterm exam preparation.]
Once our papers had been collected, I was able to breathe a sigh of relief upon discovering that I had answered the majority of the questions correctly. Although the outcome of the quiz had no bearing on my overall performance, it was still a source of comfort to have performed somewhat well.
"Uh, yeah thanks, everyone. Don't slack off because the quiz was easy, uh.. the midterm is not like this quiz. You can't compare both of them."
Following the completion of the quiz, the atmosphere in the classroom transformed into one of palpable air of trepidation settled over the class as students began to engage in hushed discussions regarding the midterm. The coming threat of failure, with the dire consequence of expulsion, loomed large over the minds of the students, creating a real tension that was discernible in the air.
I'm not different, but I didn't express it much to my face as my classmates did.
