"Uni" Days

Being a teacher was never my calling. I lack the ability to...well... patience, I just don't have any. I've never been a patient person and have difficulty teaching some one to do something, getting frustrated when they don't understand or "get it".  I am well aware of my lacking ability to be a teacher however, being an exam proctor is something I am good at.

Here in the UK, college is known as "Uni" short for University. I compare my "college days" to their "uni days" and not much has changed. I still get mistaken for a grad student on campus here at Reading College (which cheers me up whilst I am feeling old among the young 20s buzzing around). I've been hired by the University as an invigilator which basically means I get to "babysit" college kids during their exams making sure they have their questions answered, get exam breaks but most of all, discourage cheating.

I spotted a few differences in my college days compared to students taking exams at Uni today, (not that I've graduated THAT long ago....) At Penn State University (PSU), our exams were a few hours long in buildings with the A/C cranked so high, I had goose pimples whilst trying to concentrate on my exam. The students at University of Reading (UoR) swelter, and I along with them on hot days in the old buildings for upwards of 3.5 hours/exam). We (PSU) were not permitted to leave the testing room during an examination. These students are permitted to take toilet breaks as long as an invigilator goes along to ensure no cheating in the loo. (How awkward it must be trying to pee knowing some one is out there listening to you, making sure your not wrinkling paper to a cheat sheet. And I have a hard enough time peeing in a public restroom...sheesh). But hey, at least they get to take pee breaks, Penn State never allowed us that luxury. :-/

Penn State also shut the doors during an exam. If you were late to the exam at PSU, you failed. Doors locked. You are S.O.L. kiddo. Here at UoR, they leave the doors open during the entire exam, which I find some what distracting and students are allowed to mosey in up to 30 minutes after the exam has begun. Backpacks are not permitted like when I was in school, nor the use of mobiles (cell phones). It's a whole different story now with mobile phones, you can just google.com your answers away! The kids will always find new ways to cheat. I do remember feeling like I had just entered Fort Knox when I took my GREs. We were shuffled into tiny cubicles with nothing more than a writing utensil. No bags, no mobiles, no calculators, no scrap papers or notes and we sat for hours whilst being watched through a double sided mirror at the test centre. We left the testing room with our pens and a key to the locker which contained our belongings. Can you imagine? And I thought these kids at UoR had it rough. But I do enjoy my job, getting to know the students and staff, and having the campus "feel" again. The Whiteknights campus is GI-normous and B-E-A-U-tiful complete with it's own lake (and swans, those buggers are EVERY WHERE). But alas, only a few more weeks of exams to go and then, summer here we come!