Nailing a Rochona

In a usual Bengali second paper exam, we allocate a period of 45 minutes to an hour for writing an essay. However, by the time you're done with everything else, you realise you have only half an hour left. If you have more time, you have my respect.

Here is how most of us nail it anyway.

Stand out
If you study the previous years' questions, you will get an idea of topics that may appear this year. You might think you have the freedom to choose from five topics. Hold on. Abort your plan of writing on "Wonders of Science" because everyone else will.  

You probably got away with writing the same essay at your pre-test and test exams. But remember, warriors today have equipped themselves with memorising entire essays on "Digital Bangladesh" and "Natural Disasters". Your "Wonders of Science" will just lay amidst the pile of scripts containing essays on the same topic and you'll be wondering, just wondering, forever. 

Give birth to a unicorn
Let the world know that you're full of life and are vibrant. Use the time you get between getting your exam script and question paper to draw double lines with the brightest sign pens. When you write the title, use a blue gel pen. Underline the heading of each point with green, blue, purple inks. Repeat.

The psychology of selective attention is best understood in trying to impress the examiner. Grab their attention by highlighting the quotes and the keywords you use. In no time, your script will turn into a unicorn emitting a rainbow.

Pro-tip: Don't use red. Don't get yourself killed.

Get yourself quoted
I remember struggling to come up with a quote for each season when I had to write an essay on "Beautiful Bangladesh". "Amader chhoto nodi", the poem, was my only saviour. I quoted different lines of it while describing different seasons. Describing the struggles of cows crossing the river in monsoon was my favourite part.

On exam days, the entire class would stare outside the window, probably at the clouds and the imaginary cows grazing. We would try to connect the visible Mother Nature to our essay even if it was via Arfin Rumey's song.

Get yourself quoted and say Dwayne Johnson said it. You can translate Avril Lavigne's lyrics if you are running out of quotes on women's empowerment.

Keep stretching like Hindi serials

Your goal is to make your script able to function as a dumbbell for its weight. After you're done with decorating a big title with fancy colours, start writing from the middle of the page. Divide the introduction into pre-shuchona, shuchona and post-shuchona. While you do so, make sure your letters are round and big enough to be seen from the other end of the room.

Use your index finger to keep track of the space between words, lines and paragraphs. It works like magic! If you're still not able to fill up 25 pages, add different angles to the same point – why technology is important, how technology helps us, significance of technology etc.

Show off

Because the exam is all about quality over quantity, show the world your hard work. Grab that "Bhasha Shikkha" book, turn to page 145 and start memorising the synonyms. Once you're done, apply the toughest words derived from Sanskrit in your essay as much as you can. You have every right to brag about your vocabulary.

Did you really open that page?

Myat Moe is an occasional philosopher whose favorite pastime is confusing people with her nationality . Reach her @145michelle@gmail.com