Editor-In-Chief
Have you ever noticed how slowly time can pass by if you have nothing to distract you? I hadn’t, at least not until my AP Government exam last Tuesday. Having just switched from paper testing to digital this year, I’m afraid the College Board overestimated how much time students really needed to finish the exam. I’m not talking about having five or ten minutes to spare to review answers. More like an entire hour filled with boredom. Having spent an entire hour attempting to entertain myself, free of technology, books, or anything else, I think I’m pretty qualified to offer some advice to the El Gato readers on how to best pass your free time.
Stare at the clock: This was my first attempt at entertainment, and while I’ll admit it didn’t last long, it did the trick for a couple of minutes. People underestimate how many games you can play with just a clock, and when you’re desperate for any source of entertainment, like I was, a clock will do. Try closing your eyes and counting the seconds to see how far off you are from the clock. Once that gets boring, usually after 30 seconds, try to find another clock. This time, attempt to stare back and forth between the two clocks to see which one is off and by how much. I’ll admit, this hack did interest me for a while, until I started to feel like a dog watching its owner wave its treats in the air. At this point, the clock is definitely old, and it’s time to move on to the next trick.
Doodling: Luckily, the College Board isn’t skimpy on scratch paper, and during a test like AP Gov, I had plenty of extra. I suggest beginning by filling in as many swirls, hearts, circles, or really any shape you can think of. If that fails to interest you, try redrawing the room in which the exam is occurring. It entertained Lucy Panicacci for at least ten minutes. Art’s not your thing? Not to worry, I have plenty more fantastic tips to pass the time.
Math: At this point, you’re starting to feel desperate. It’s only been 12 minutes, and you have over 40 left. I suggest practicing math problems. Luckily, I needed to study for my AP Calculus and Statistics exams, so I attempted to rewrite all my memorized equations down on my scratch paper, which by this point was covered in doodles. I won’t lie; this tactic kept me busy for a solid five minutes, until I had no more equations to think about and realized I had over 30 minutes left. Onto the next!
Sleep: What some may consider rude or even uncalled for, I consider resourceful. Why not take a thirty-minute nap during the AP Gov MCQ? Not only will you wake up rejuvenated and ready for the free response, but sleep is an excellent method to pass time. Two for the price of one? Sounds like a deal to me. I do recommend utilizing the desk College Board kindly provided rather than contorting yourself in a chair, though. Warning: do not attempt if you think you’re going to sleep through the second section.
Observe: People often underestimate the joy that people watching can bring. I watched a desk break and crumble to the floor, various people following my fourth tip (napping), and I even witnessed my own computer malfunction. All of this was very interesting and kept me preoccupied for the remainder of the test.
Occasions like these make me especially grateful for my phone and any other sort of entertainment. I am reminded of the dreadfully slow passing of time when there is absolutely nothing to distract you. Hopefully, these tips allow you to escape this fate, as I wish I had been able to.
Categories: Humor, Web Exclusive