The stress test

Half term. It's been half term all week. And after a spate of exams before, the return to school will mean a further week of 'You may turn the paper over now'. And bar a few ups and downs, it's been a relatively stress free experience.

The boy has a completely different revision technique to me (not that I've had to revise for two decades). I used to work out how many topics were the minimum I could get away with, but then learn each one in depth. I read, read again, read yet again and finally read again. I'd make notes, and then notes on my notes. I'd look at text books and note books and work from dawn 'til dusk. I rarely came unstuck, but when I did it was spectacular - if I misjudged which topics would come up in the exam then I was sunk. But I was always good enough to get through 'O's, 'A's, 'AS's, and even managed to come top in my degree course.

The boy's revision technique is as follows:

1. Turn on computer
2. Listen to itunes
3. Start texting friends
4. Read a bit
5. Find some more music to listen to
6. Text some more friends
7. Play on the X-Box
8. Read a bit
9. Check out a cycling web site
10. Call a couple of friends
11. Rest
12. Put a new CD on the computer
13. Read a bit
14. Keep texting
15. Go grab a snack
16. Look at the BBC revision web site
17. Rest

....and so on. He has a remarkable ability to remember things, and can generally apply himself when it comes to science and maths. But his revision is nothing like I've seen before.

It's very stressful for me....

One of those days...

Today (and it's only 10.00 a.m.) I have:

1. Overslept (turned the alarm off because of the Bank holiday)
2. Peed into the bidet because I was still asleep when i got up(yes...yes...don't say it...)
3. Left my keys in the front door as I biked off to work (found by the boy a couple of hours later)
4. Forgotten my filled up coffee loyalty card so I actually had to pay...
5. Just about set the alarm off because I forgot to unlock the office door before activating the alarm
6. Locked myself out of my internet bank by entering the wrong security code
7. Locked myself out of my bank account my trying to enter an old pin number
8. Posted on Facebook that I have 'One and a half kilos of it in the cupboard' thinking I was sending a private message to someone who would understand the context.

I'm not sure I'll make it 'til lunchtime....