The quiet moment before a question

It was a few minutes before the exam review started. I was looking over my notes from a study session I’d squeezed in on the bus. The room felt full of that quiet, nervous energy.

The weight of a name

Our teacher scanned the room, her finger hovering over the seating chart. It wasn't a dramatic thing. It was just a quiet pause, a breath held by thirty people.I remember thinking about the person whose name she might say. I hoped it was someone who felt ready, who had maybe also studied in short bursts like I had. The choice felt heavy, even though it was just a single question.

What a choice can do

When she finally said a name, it wasn't mine. I felt a rush of relief, but also a pang of guilt. The student she picked answered softly, correctly. The teacher just nodded and moved on.That small nod was everything. It wasn't praise, exactly. It was just an acknowledgment that the answer was heard and it was enough. The tension in the room didn't vanish, but it shifted. It became a little less sharp.

A space to be unsure

That moment made the room feel safer. It was okay to not know everything. The selection wasn't a trap.

The relief of moving on

After the answer was given, we all moved forward together. The focus went back to the material, not the fear of being called on.