The quiet before the exam

The classroom is quiet, the kind of quiet that feels heavy. Everyone is looking down at their notes, or just waiting. You can hear the clock ticking.

Waiting for your name

You sit there, trying to focus on one last formula. But your mind keeps drifting to the empty seat next to you. It would be nice to not do this alone.The silence stretches. Someone coughs. You just wait, hoping for a familiar name to be called with yours.

When the groups form

There’s a small shift in the room when the first pair is announced. It’s not a loud thing. It’s just a shared glance, a slight nod.You see people gathering their things, moving chairs quietly. The tension doesn’t vanish, but it changes shape. It becomes something you can share.

A different kind of focus

Suddenly, you’re not just staring at a page. You’re listening to someone else explain it, in their own words. It sounds different. It makes more sense.

The hum of conversation

The room isn’t silent anymore. It has a low hum of focused talk. Questions get asked that you were too nervous to ask yourself. Someone else’s confusion makes your own clear.