September 02, 2004

WPE Minutes

While entrenched in the test-taking zone of the WPEs, I managed to keep a journal of the events going on. Should the twenty of us not survive the ordeal, at least history would have something to remember us by. Well, we made it out, but I will publish the notes anyways, so that future graduate students will know that a masters degree is definitely the way to go.

11:50 A.M. - We are lined up to receive our test packets. The test administrator lets out a harrowing shriek. "Oh no! I forgot to put them in alphabetical order!" I suggest that we just cancel the test.

11:55 A.M. - We are to examine our test booklets before starting to make sure there are no mistakes. One student starts sobbing and then makes a mad dash for the doorway. Too slow. The dogs catch him and start tearing at his clothes. He was only 29.

12:30 P.M. - Hey its kind of cold in here. Isn't it like 90 degrees outside? I put on my fleece.

1:00 P.M. - The fleece is not enough. Thank god for whoever brought in those snack size Twix bars. They are the only thing helping to stave off hypothermia.

1:30 P.M. - Okay, I've been throwing down Twix bars like they're popcorn for the last hour. I go to drink out of my water bottle but its frozen solid.

2:00 P.M. - Finally, its break time. Most people mill around outside the room for fifteen minutes. I start a fire in one of the garbage barrels outside the ee/cs building and jump in to warm up.

2:15 P.M. - Break's over. I bring the barrel back into the testing room. The fire is instantly snuffed out. I notice that some students took their break to hunt some polar bears for their pelts and are now sporting them for the second part of the test.

3:00 P.M. - Almost done with the test. Fellow test-takers are dropping left and right from the combination of stress, cold air, and the pungent odor of dead polar bear.

4:00 P.M. - Finally done. Twenty of us went in. Five of us go out. Of those five, maybe one or two will pass. I will never eat another Twix bar. After this one. Okay one more. Man are these good. Posted by mill1991 at September 2, 2004 11:18 AM

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