In late June I received a text message to my phone. It said:
Hi, exams are starting from next week. Did you know? Time tables are up.
With a deep sigh, I went looking for a CR book on my table. There were subjects written on its back cover, which I was supposed to take in the second year. Six subjects .Turning pages from front to back, there wasn’t a single note. Next early morning the first thing in my list was to go to university. As I climbed the steep mountain like road to the Faculty of Social Sciences, my calf muscles were aching. There were farewells exchanged on the way and a few questions and answers as to why I’m not to be seen in university. I said nothing, but just smiled. It is like meeting people after a year or two.
I go to university. I’m lazy to attend lectures and prefer to hang around with ‘long-time-no-see friends,’ read some poetry or fiction or at least to be inside the AIESEC office.
I rushed through the time-table. Saved the dates in my phone. I had to look for notes. After several calls, I made my way to a friend who lived close to University. Got a few notes photocopied. Some on International Economics, International Law and the rest was on Human Resources Management. That was very little though. Wonder if one could even answer a three hour paper using them. Three more subjects were pending notes. Hardly anyone could help me with finding notes this time. It took me another three days to find notes on a module for Mass Communication. A Graduate from another University helped me with it. I barely had an idea of what to study. In fact, I didn’t know the syllabuses.
Things get lucky at times. Some friends are gifted. Just a call can fix things. I felt privileged.
I heard that the university library has past paper collections for every subject. It wasn’t easy to find them. I had to take down past paper questions for subjects that I didn’t have notes for. At least, questions will guide me to find things to study, I thought.
Answers for the questions in past papers didn’t appear on Google. Even after typing key words in different ways. It did work for International Economics. I learnt the Production Possibility Curves, the Indifference Curve, Ricardo’s Comparative Theory, Smith’s Absolute Advantages of International Trade and many more online.On such days, I regret not continuing A/Ls in the math stream. I took physics, combined mathematics and double maths for A/Ls. It took a year to realize that Arts might treat better because of the little commitment I had. I like numbers. Numbers make me more comfortable. Less theory. Practice will get things going.
There was a lot more remaining to know. There were 10 days remaining for the exam.'Usas Adyapanaya' is a big word. For many Sri Lankans. I will call it killing and torturing. People learn and learn, repeat the same questions at exams and the majority are parrots that vomit things out on a piece of sheet. They go out of Higher Educational Institutes and file cases at courts where law may not even permit remedy for such an instance .I don’t see any new knowledge coming out from University. Heads are rather blocked. We only think of a way to escape assignments and exams. In University terms they call it 'kota udin yama'.
Every now and then, the Colombo Public Library serves me better when exams arrive. Creeping through heaps of books, I found what needed to be studied. When reading through texts, answers were gleaming. There were broad smiles. Consequently, I knew things. Photocopied notes did nothing. I read every book and noted down the needy facts. There is greater wisdom in books, believe me. When books fell open, I fell in. Grabbed everything as much as I could. Learnt everything possible.
The second year’s first semester exams are almost done. For one and half year’s time, books in the Colombo Public Library saved me for exams. Even this time. When lectures were set aside. Life is good that way.
Some books are made in heaven.
Featured in "The Nation" on 27th July 2014
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