Omake
The JLPT Aftermath: Victim of My Own Folly
Beautiful Suicide, literally.
I wish I could say “I’m confident I’m gonna pass JLPT1!!!11!!!”, but I’m afraid I can’t. I wish I could say “I did my best, but I guess my best wasn’t good enough~”, get over the exam and just try my luck next year, but I can’t either. Because if there’s something I realized as I was taking the exam, it’s that I can pass, right this year!!!! Then what the hell’s the problem, you ask?
Everything was going great, some of the vocabs and kanjis I studied just a few minutes before the exam actually came out (ohohoho, lucky me~), and a few ones from the previous exams too (which I just reviewed last night!). The listening was a little shaky, but better than expected. And then, during the last exam (reading/grammar)… I breezed through the grammar section, got stumped in a few items, but nothing serious. I also managed to “answer” all the items in the lengthy reading exam, BUT (a big BUT)… I wasn’t able to finishing shading my answers. Zetsuboushitaaaaaaa! *in before any dojikko jokes*
The paradox of a ‘cool Zetsubou-sensei’
There’s this ‘technique’ that I’ve come to adopt when answering multiple-choice exams to save me time, and it’s what I call ‘mark first, shade later’. This time, however, it worked against me, and I can only blame my foolishness. With only a minute left before the exam ends, I was still double checking my answers for the grammar section, instead of shading my answers for the 5-pts-each reading!!! The assistant proctor asked for my exam sheet, but since I wasn’t done yet, I continued to shade my answers (they’re 5-pts each, 5 pts each!!). I pleaded for her to wait a little longer, feeling all panicky as I was shading, until finally, the proctor gave me the holler to STOP STOP STOP. I might as well be known as “The Girl Who Haggled For Time” with what I did, and sigh… I left about 5-6 questions unshaded (could’ve been worse, I guess? -___-). That’s 25-30 points lost!!!! Give me back my points!!!! ;A;
While I’m not really sure whether having shaded (I don’t want to use ‘answered’, because technically speaking, I answered them) those items would indeed bring me +30 points (uncertain as I am as to whether or not they’re actually right), having an answer is still better than nothing. Especially in my case where I actually “answered” them, based on what I understood from the text, unlike other ones who probably ran out of time and just shaded whatever they feel like shading. ARGHHHHHH. ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Just the thought of not making it to the 70% passing rate because of those unanswered items is totally… ARGHHHHHHHH!!!
Right now, I still believe there’s a chance that I’ll pass, despite the BIG POINTS I lost in the reading section (I still have a room for ~70pts worth of mistakes). ‘guess we’ll just see about that in 3 months time, when the results come out? If I pass, then I’d say “haha! I’m so great I passed even with that stupidity handicap!”; if I don’t, I’ll have the perfect excuse, “It’s because of the reading comprehension answers I wasn’t able to finish shading 
” (boy that sounds LAMEEE).
Anyways, no need to fret! I already got past this /wrist emo depressive episode, and returned to my normal sane (or insane?) self. Regardless of JLPT, my weeaboo chronicles must go on! Just don’t remind me of the possible allowance raise x 12 months that I’ll be missing out on if I don’t make it to the cut, and we’ll be fine~
So, how did everyone else’s JLPT go? :3
P.S. murasaki (紫) came out in the exam, thought it was nifty 
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25 comments for “The JLPT Aftermath: Victim of My Own Folly”
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my good lord. i’d feel downright awful if i were in your shoes. daijobou desu ka?
The day may dawn when your test will be easy, your love for the language, and your respect for study time, will enable your tormented mind to march forth triumphant from the hideous epoch in which you have to dwell. Meanwhile, never flinch, never weary, never despair.
If nothing else do better next time. Above all else never give in to defeat in things so small.
I had some important (o rly?) Christmas Party to attend to, so I didn’t take my JLPT3. Besides, I really wasn’t studying as well. I was slightly regretful, but next year I’ll be more ready.
Whoa, I HATE HATE HATE that “unshaded boxes” feeling! If I had some I’ll be totally /wristing and cursing all the way until the results come out, scaring myself with “I should have done this and that” self-loathing.
In any case, best wishes with your (and everyone’s) results!
Don’t worry, I’m sure it’ll turn out A-OK
As for JLPT2, I’m pretty sure I failed hah. I should’ve tried to memorize more kanji & grammar yesterday… At least I did get to read some funny text about Show ▼
Hmm…
This sounds vaguely similar to what happened to Keitaro’s 3rd(?) try at the Tokyo University Exams…
And we all know what happened to him afterwards.
WHOA WHOA WHOA! Jenny-san! I could only imagine the length of your reading seeing as your exam was a solid hour longer than level 3.
Anyway, the lady could have been nicer about the whole thing. I mean, you did pay good cash so you could take that exam and this chance only happens once a year. Geez. It’s also christmas, too. Here’s hoping it still turned out well, in spite :>
And level 3 was great!!! In a “I’m not sure I did well but I didn’t exactly space out” kind of way. I guess we’ve both got 3 months worth of waiting/hoping ahead of us!
Heh.
It’s 3 months away.
Take a load off, relax, and have some fun. You won’t know the results until some time later. Besides, you deserve it. :3
Level 3 was alright, but it looks like I’m in for some real trouble when I take level 2 next year. The big leap in standards is scarier than I expected.
oh, that can mean purple right? oh yeah, oh yeah. Tremble beneath my awesome foreign language skillz…
Sorry about that anyway, hope you still pass. Do you get points deducted for incorrect answers? – Americans have made an art form of calculating points.
Awwwuuuu, I hope you pass anyway ^^
@ghostlightning: hai, daijoubu desu~! I’ve recovered now, especially after discovering more and more answers I had doubts with that turned out to be correct. Now all I need to do is wait for 3 months to arrive… boy do I feel like leaping through time.
@Crusader: aye aye, cap’n!
I’ve gone past the point of self-loathing and just decided to march on, and FIGHT!
@bluemist: haha, excuses~
one year of preparation for JLPT3 is more than enough, I’d say, especially if you expose yourself to a whole lot of weeaboo media. no more self-loathing for me (or so I hope)!
@j1m0ne: but if you got the ones in the reading section, that means BIG POINTS!! you’ll never know until the results come out! and lol @ the interesting text you managed to read back there
@meganeshounen: …I might be one of the few people who don’t know. Because my Love Hina fangirling got interrupted at some point. I blame my brother.
@didinskee: huhu… ishok Dean… well I’m glad to see that JLPT3 didn’t turn out to be a horror as you once thought!! Just 3 more months before we see the fate that’s written for us (char XD)
@Drm: yes, will definitely do that! I’m in the process of casting a temporary amnesia spell on myself actually
@double: ohh, glad to hear that!!! Oh and don’t be intimated about JLPT2, just use the past exams for practice purposes, together with other materials (kanzen or unicom grammar book, especially). If you’re already reading novels at this point, you won’t have much to worry about in the reading comprehension either. Go faito!
@lelangir: yup, purple it is! Thankfully enough, the JLPT isn’t right minus wrong (though that means I have all the more reason to regret not ’shading’ my answers *grumble*), it’s hard enough as it is!
@Ryan: *crossing my fingers*
At least they didn’t disqualify you for not finishing by the time they say stop.
@Jeshii: Yes, that’s the WORST that could’ve happened!
Thanks, that was a much needed pat in the back / change of perspective for this “mishap” 
Haha, they just held it over here today as well.
Don’t brood too much on it though, there was once I practically over 20 marks in GCE Addition Maths. Still got through with a respectable grade!
For now, take a load off and relax. JLPT prep can be nerve-wracking.
I took the LSAT about a year ago with a marginal interest in applying to law schools and the final section is a 35-minute writing sample that is ungraded but photocopies of it are sent to your schools. I managed to construct a good response to the prompt on scratch paper but I began too late in transferring that over to the official form so the last paragraph or two didn’t make it once time had been called.
I hope this lapse doesn’t affect your mark too much!
Well I guess I would not pass this year. It would be by a long shot if i do.
Well their forums which had scans for level 3 to 1 has just recently been torn down (around 10 AM today Philippine time) but it was posted mere hours after this part of the world took the exams. So people in the Western countries could have seen the scans and “benefited”.
Oh did you caught wind of the news that the exam has been leaked by Chinese pirates.
I got to see the level 3 scans early morning today of the moji&goi part and lo and behold they were the exam I took yesterday. It pissed me off.
Well based on what you said, I guess you can still pass the exam. There is just a drawback but it seems you are quite confident.
Ah yes, the shading’s a bitch isn’t it?
As a student myself, I can only but wish you the best. Just curious though, how does one go about applying to sit for the exam?
waaahh… but i think you’ll still pass
and, wow, murasaki!
I used a different approach: read, shade, forget. Worked well enough for managing time until part 3, when I finally caved and actually started revising my answers.
There’s a fair chance I failed Level 3, but no worries – at least I’ve had some practice for next year’s retake!
(Either way, I’d like to get my certificate no later than next year. I don’t want to get caught in the maelstrom of changes planned for 2010 onwards.)
@C.I.: Don’t worry, I’m not brooding over it anymore, at least not as much
I’d rather keep myself busy than worry about it :3
@CalAggie: whoa– 35-minute writing?! That’s much worse than the pressure we face in the JLPT exam. Thanks, and I’m hoping for the best as well!
@mrkstphn: Confident but not quite. And as I checked the ‘leaked scans’, I’ve been greatly humbled to know that I sucked, much more than I thought, especially in the writing/vocab and listening. Just have to do better from hereon!
@Zeroblade: heh, totally. Oh well, this bitch won’t get me next time!
@Shin: Thanks! As for applying, well in our case we get the application forms from the Japanese embassy and submit it to them as well. Not sure how it goes for other countries though
But I just checked my score just now… saw that I failed, and I felt quite relieved! Surprisingly… =O
@metzkie: Ate Metz!!!
@Diego: I should’ve done that approach in the reading section, argh. Well that’s what I plan to do in my next take.
I’m dreading the changes that will come in 2010 as well, especially this rumored “fill in the blanks” section. I’m still hoping that you’ll pass!
Aw that sucks!! I’ll take the test after high school =D My teacher is studying the study guide book with us, and soon will be getting our own books =D.
Anyways hopefully you pass =D
@Maura: All the best with your studies! As for me, well I’m pretty sure I failed, but we’ll see what the results will say ^^
Gah! Level 1 sounds horribly scary to me – although, I haven’t even had a chance to take Level 4 yet, so anything’s scary! I’ve had enough Japanese to take 4 for the last two years, but my parents wouldn’t fly me out last year (apparently 17’s too young for them to fly me out overnight on my own), and this year I had previous obligations.
Next year, ne?
And, *cringes* Fill-in-the-blanks?! *runs off and hides under blanket* I don’t want that. Not at all! TT_TT
I hope you did well, though! *crosses fingers*