By: Lucy Panicacci

Culture Editor

On May 5, I had my first AP test for European History. The experience was filled with a mix of emotions — happiness, depression, betrayal, and more. Naturally, I think the best way to express this turmoil is a playlist of ten songs, documenting the soundtrack of my AP test to portray all the twists and turns. 

` It’s Oh So Quiet by Bjork: This first song sets the tone for the tension and nervousness right before the test begins. With everyone focusing on the instructor, the whole room is completely silent. Honestly, if it wasn’t for the instructor, there would’ve been no way I would’ve known to put my AP ID sticker in the big red box labeled AP ID label. Moreover, Bjork’s dramatics capture the fear when I open the booklet and begin the multiple-choice. 

Following the start of the multiple choice, 55 minutes of White Noise perfectly describes my thoughts. None of the documents are making any sense, nor any of the questions. Every time I read a document, I absorb nothing and have to read it over again. Overall, nothing is going as I thought it would. 

Hallelujah by Pentatonix describes the joy I feel when I start on the SAQs. Finally, I am able to use information I have learned in the class, instead of the process of elimination. The prompts are a blessing, and I feel hopeful for the rest of the test. 

Next up: Advice by Alex G. This song captures the post-part one depression I feel during the ten minute break. During this ten minute break, I have flashbacks to the awfulness of the multiple choice, realizing how many questions I probably got wrong. This moment of depression is short-lived because I quickly have to move on to the DBQ, the most daunting part of the exam. 

Coconut Mall from Mario Kart epitomizes the intense focus I have during the DBQ. I have never finished one on time yet, and I am not going to let that happen during the AP test. When the instructor calls out the end of the fifteen minute reading period, I already have the context, thesis, and a document done. This intense focus is followed up by one hour of Cricket Sounds. As I am speeding through that DBQ, no thoughts are going through my head, just writing. There is nothing up there, completely hollow. 

Under this pressure, I completely lose the ability to accurately read a clock, initiating the next song, Flight of the Bumblebee by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Fearing I am running out of time, I write faster. My handwriting becomes slightly illegible at times, so apologies to my grader. When I get onto the LEQ, ahead of time, Imagine covered by Milly Bobby Brown runs through my head. I feel at peace, knowing for sure that I am going to finish on time. 

When I finally finish with time to spare, only Boogie Wonderland by Earth, Wind & Fire can describe my happiness. Knowing that the rest of the year in Euro will be filled with movies and no work, I feel overjoyed. Relinquishing the possible errors and mistakes I could have made, Born This Way by Lady Gaga represents the peace after the exam. I know that whatever has happened, happened, and I can’t go back now (queue Never Going Back Again by Fleetwood Mac).