The Journey from 6th Grade to Passing the National Exam

"It was the year I filled in more mark sheets than at any other time in my life."

I started studying for the National Dental Practitioner Examination in earnest around Golden Week of my 6th year. Every day, I just focused on solving past exam questions, repeating the process of timing myself just like in the actual exam. I marked the questions I got wrong and repeatedly solved only those parts again✏️

At my alma mater, there are three graduation exams, and if you don't pass them, you cannot take the national exam. Every day was a desperate struggle as I balanced preparation for both the graduation exams and the national exam💦

Then, the day of the national exam arrived. The exam was a long haul, spanning two days from morning until evening. On the day, I focused only on not catching a cold, and telling myself, "I've done this much, so it will be fine✨," I headed to the venue (probably Meiji Gakuin University)🚃

After the exam ended, some students collapsed because their tension had snapped😵‍💫 I think that shows just how many people had given their all for this day.

It's not that I didn't have any anxiety. But the fact that I studied enough to feel that I had "done everything I could" still gives me confidence today😊✨