Many of us are lucky enough to look forward to our birthdays, and feel excited about them. But, what about those unfortunate chaps who just undergo tension and anxiety as their birthday comes closer along with their exams?
Exams suck. Ask any student, which is the worst time of the year according to them and exam season is the only answer you’re going to get. But for some students, the misery doesn’t end here. Having your birthday during exams is the worst omen of them all.
I bet we’ve all had big plans for how to celebrate another year of living, and have the best time. Attending birthday parties all year and analysing what to do and what not to do when it’s your turn to throw one, coming up with perfect scenarios in our head only to see the date sheet and ask, “Geez, what bad deeds did I do to deserve this?”
We are all used to celebrating festivals around exams because obviously our education system sees us as mules and wants to suck the fun out of our life, but it only prepares us for more unfortunate luck.
Prabhanu Kumar Das, a student from Kirori Mal College said, “So my birthday is on the 21st March. This year it was on the same day as the festival of Holi and also right before my Economics board exam. So while everyone else was outside having fun, I was looking at graphs and calculating demand and supply. Eventually, my friends came and dragged me out of the house, but it wasn’t the same.”
Not only it ruins the particular day but it spoils all the energy and the concept of birthdays in general. One is practically tensed all the time and is going through hell inside their head, doing last-minute revisions (or in my case, starting the course) when instead, one should be having the best time of their life, be it partying outside with everybody or staying at home and re watching the Harry Potter series with cake.
One could obviously study beforehand and still do all those things but let’s be honest, we want to be able to do those things without the guilt. And then there’s obviously the saddest alternative, celebrating after exams. Who are we kidding, that’s not the same, not even close. So one eventually makes peace with it and realises that it’s a part of growing up and this is a price that has to be paid for all the dreams. But all this maturity goes down the drain when you receive those yearly birthday calls from your relative and it gives them another excuse to ask about your studies and you start questioning the worth of being the ideal and elder respecting child of your family when you hear the words, “beta party nahi kar rhe?”
Ananya Tiwari a third-year BA (Honors) Sociology student from Hindu College, said, “You know you’re adulting when you have to give an entrance exam on your birthday.
21st Birthday Expectations vs Reality
Expectation: (Akshay Kumar singing) Party all night, party all night!
Reality: Pulling an all-nighter cuz ENTRANCEAHDBJSSHSHS..”
Priyanshi Banerjee, a student of Lady Sri Ram College said, “Birthdays were never a matter of excitement to me. But with the exams teaming up with my birthday for the next three years just makes it even duller. But if I have to see the silver lining, at least I would be saving myself from giving treats.”
You obviously cannot NOT mention the freedom you’d get from throwing parties and giving treats. You don’t have to constantly worry about making sure that everyone has a good time. And let’s not ignore all the money you would be saving. Apart from this, years down the line, when you and your friends would be together discussing the worst birthday stories, you’d have tons and can go like hold my beer realising that it finally paid off.
So to all those who have their birthdays this end-semester exams, it’s completely normal, you’re not alone.
Feature Image Credits: Tumblr
Avni Dhawan