Twas the Week Of Finals

(set: $alarm to (either: "1" or "2")) (set: $drink to (either: "black coffee", "iced vanilla frappucino", "shot of espresso")) (set: $grade to (either: "A", "B", "C")) (goto: "Beginning")

I'm about to tell you a story that took place a (link: "long, long time ago.")[ long, long time ago. *Okay, maybe not that long ago. When I say "long, long ago", I mean right now. Like, tonight. Oh yeah, it's also about you.*] Are you ready? [[Well, you better be.|First Prose]]

Twas the week before finals and all through the house, [[not a creature was stirring|Asleep]].... Or are you [[still awake?|Still Awake]]

Asleep in your bed, all innocent and sound, while thoughts of finals dance through your dreams. Have you [[already studied]] or are you waiting '[[til dawn]]?

Ahhh... A night owl, I see. I'm not, but I would rather be. So you see, while I'm in bed sleeping, you're awake (link: "with some tea.")[ with some tea *and, let's be honest, some whiskey.*] Working on homework until [[one]], [[two]], or [[three]]?

You're a night owl, but you're not that extreme. You go to bed around one, double checking your alarm before you lay down and [[fall fast asleep]].

You meant to only study until two, but when you look up the clock reads three. Just your luck. You lay down in bed and, almost instantly, you're sound asleep. The world around you flies by. You're nine o'clock exam is coming far too soon and you [[forgot to set an alarm|drift off to sleep]]!

As the clock strikes three, you climb into bed. That nine o'clock final is soon ahead. You close your eyes and [[drift off to sleep]], while thoughts of arithmetic dance through your head.

You've already studied?!? How I envy you! A studious student! I wish I was, too. Oh sleep on, my fine fellow, [[until your slumber ends]].

(if: $alarm is "1")[Your alarm wakes you at five o'clock. It's time to study and you pour yourself a mug of coffee before you begin. Hoping you can study an entire semesters worth of information in four hours may seem overwhelming, but you've done worse before. [[You study the challenging material until it's time to begin the exam]].](if: $alarm is "2")[When you awake at half past eight, you vaguely recall your alarm going off earlier. When your mind registers that it is almost time for the exam, you rush into appropriate clothing and run out the door. You make it to the classroom just in time to start the exam and you know, since you haven't studied at all, [[you are totally screwed]].]

Tell me... How does your slumber end? Will you [[wake on your own]] or to the sound of a [[shrill bell]]?

You wake on your own around eight-thirty in the morning. You must decide if you want to grab a quick [[cup of coffee on the way to class]] or [[get there early and review your notes]].

You're shocked out of sleep by the sound of your alarm buzzing across the room from your bed. You usually just use your phone, but you couldn't afford to wake up late today. It's only eight o'clock and your exam doesn't start until nine. Do you want to [[grab some coffee and study a bit more]] or [[make an elaborate breakfast]]?

Hours later you awake to the sun light dancing in. Knowing it must be time to leave for school, you glance at your phone. The digits on the screen make you [[wish this were a dream]].

You're late, you dimwit! It's 10:32! The final ends in twenty minutes. [[Whatever will you do?]]

Will you [[dress]] before you rush out the door or just wear your [[pajamas]]?

You look down at what you're wearing and realize it would be highly inappropriate to wear underwear to school. You grab some jeans, a shirt and a hairbrush before you [[scramble out the door]]!

(set: $exam to (either: "1", "2", "3"))You throw off your blankets and rush to the main door. You shove your bare feet in your snow boots and run to your classroom. There she sits on her chair, as though it's a throne. Should you [[ask her to re-test]] or [[rush through the test]] with whatever time you have left?

Disheveled and bra-less, you run from the dorm. You enter the classroom and she sits there so still. Will you [[beg for her mercy]] and [[rush through the exam]]?

You decide to beg her for mercy. You must [[cross your fingers and hope]] that she'll let you take it again. (set: $test to (either: "1", "2"))

You know there's only fifteen minutes left. Quick on your feet, you decide to just quickly take the test. You circle *true or false* a few times and *a, b, or c* some more. You scribble down some words for your essay and hope for the best when you [[set it on the desk]] in front of your professor.

(if: $test is "1")[She looks at you and, for a fleeting moment, [[you swear she feels sympathy]].] (if: $test is "2")[Just as you swear she's about to say no, she [[opens her mouth to speak]].]

Then she shakes her head. "No, ma'am. I can't just do that. That isn't the way it goes. I'm glad you stayed up studying, but you have just ten minutes left," she pushes the paper towards you and [[you know that you are screwed]].

You quickly rush through the final exam and you pass it with a "D". At least you didn't fail the class, but you'll take it again next Spring. *[[The End]]!*

You leave the room behind and dismiss the exam from your mind. A few days later, (link: "you check your grades.")[ you check your grades. You received a "C" on the final and an "A-", overall. It looks like your studying habits and (link: "endless discipline")[ endless discipline - *well, excluding this morning* - ]paid off! *[[The End]]!*]

"Yes. You will re-test with the other missing students *tomorrow*," your professor says. As your about to reach the door, she looks up at you and says, "9 a.m. and don't be late! You will not receive another chance." You think merry thoughts as you waltz away, planning on going to bed early today. *[[The End]]!*

(if: $exam is "1")[She smiles up at you and can obviously tell you are disheveled and apologetic. You relax a little bit, but not too much. [[You are so nervous]] that her smile will turn to a look of disapproval or disappointment.](if: $exam is "2")[She smiles up at you and can obviously tell you are disheveled and apologetic. You relax a little bit, but not too much. [[You are so nervous]] that her smile will turn to a look of disapproval or disappointment.](else:)[(if: $exam is "3")[She smiles up at you and can obviously tell you are disheveled and apologetic. You relax a little bit, but not too much. You are so nervous that her smile will turn to a look of disapproval or disappointment. And, then, it does. "I'm sorry, but unfortunately every student is only allowed [[one opportunity to take this exam]]. It's now or never. I hope you still pass!"]]

You know you saved a couple minutes by not getting dressed. However, you still have to rush to get all of the answers onto the paper in time. Just as you finish your essay, your professor claps her hands, "Students, please turn it in your exams at this time." After you lay yours on her desk, you walk out of the room. Soon you are lost in Christmas break and a much needed relief from school. Towards the middle of January, [[you decide to check your grades]].

"I have a few other students who needed to reschedule. Apparently they caught the flu. I'll see you tomorrow, at two," she says. You are so relieved that you run back to your dorm and [[study some more]].

Disappointed, you grab the exam and begin. Sadly, in all the rush and confusion of this morning, you didn't get another chance to glance at your notes. Additionally, you wasted so much time pleading with the professor. You should have just started the test right away. Less than positive when you leave the classroom, you (link: "check the test score the next day.")[ check the test score the next day. *To your relief, you passed. However, the "D" you passed with isn't noteworthy. You passed the class with a "C", but you might take it again next year.* *[[The End]]!*]

Relieved, you find that you passed your exam with a "B" and the class with an "A". The extra rest you got before your exam was obviously worth it. *[[The End]]!*

When you finally take the test, you do exceptionally well. Thank goodness your professor let you re-test! You received an "A" on the exam and in the class. *[[The End]]!*

You stop at the (link: "coffee shop")[ coffee shop - *named the Coffee Bean* -] and grab a (print: $drink). The line is a little long, so by the time you arrive to class, you don't really have any time left to glance over your notes one last time. You hope for the best and are slightly optimistic, since you studied last night. [[Then you begin]].

As much as you'd like a $drink, you feel well rested and a bit nervous. You decide to go to the classroom early and study your notes for a few minutes before class. As soon as the test is in front of you, you (link: "cruise through the questions.")[ cruise through the questions. *Studying definitely paid off!*] You hand in your exam and all you have left to do is wait for the teacher to [[post your grade]].

Now that you've seen how your story ends, would you like to [[start the story again|Beginning]]? Endings You've Reached 1. (if: (history:) contains "opens her mouth to speak")[Dressed and retake](else:)[ --] 2. (if: (history:) contains "you know that you are screwed")[Dressed and no retake](else:)[ --] 3. (if: (history:) contains "set it on the desk")[Dressed and rush through exam](else:)[ --] 4. (if: (history:) contains "study some more")[Pajamas and retake](else:)[ --] 5. (if: (history:) contains "you decide to check your grades")[Pajamas and no request](else:)[ --] 6. (if: (history:) contains "one opportunity to take this exam")[Pajamas and no retake](else:)[ --] 7. (if: (history:) contains "wait")[Coffee and no alarm](else:)[ --] 8. (if: (history:) contains "post your grade")[No coffee and no alarm](else:)[ --] 9. (if: (history:) contains "You hope that the professor posts the grades quickly")[Alarm and no breakfast](else:)[ --] 10. (if: (history:) contains "Then your professor posts the grade")[Alarm and Breakfast](else:)[ --] 11.(if: (history:) contains "You've got this!")[Study in the morning and wake up](else:)[ --] 12.(if: (history:) contains "you are totally screwed")[Overslept and no studying](else:)[ --] 13.(if: (history:) contains "head to class")[Coffee and night owl](else:)[ --] 14.(if: (history:) contains "head to the classroom")[Shower and variable](else:)[ --]

You navigate quickly through the questions on the exam and finish before most of the other students. You set your test on the desk at the front of the room and go back to your dorm to prepare to go home for winter break. All that's left to do, in regards to your exam, is [[wait]].

After what seems like a (link: "year")[ year - *which is really a week* -] of waiting, the grades are posted. Your studying and full night of rest paid off. You earned an "A" on the exam and an "A" in the class! *[[The End]]!*

The fact that you're not nervous is, in itself, making you nervous. After Christmas, you log on to see what (link: "grade you received on the exam")[ grade you received on the exam. *relieved, you see that you scored a one-hundred percent. You see in the comments that you did get one wrong, but then you go the extra credit right! [[The End]]!*]

You swing by the coffee shop and grab a $drink. Then you rush to the classroom to review your notes for a while. You feel pretty confident about this exam, so if you feel that way afterwards, maybe you can grab a bite to eat. Until then, you will [[continue to study]] for your last final exam.

You decide to make yourself a huge breakfast. You fry some bacon, scramble some eggs and brown some toast. You fill up on your scrumptious meal, drink a glass of orange juice and rush off to class. As soon as you start taking the exam, you wish you had at least [[read over your notes this morning]].

You study until the professor hands out the exams. This is it! It's time to make it or break it. You take your time answering all of the questions and finish the exam after most of your classmates, but you *are* confident. [[You hope that the professor posts the grades quickly]].

Later that same day, you check to see if the professor has posted any grades yet. She has and it turns out that you received a high "A". The studying and lack of breakfast seem to have paid off. Now that you know your passed, you can finally eat again. *[[The End]]*

You hand in your exam before everyone else, which makes you nervous. Hopeful, you keep refreshing the grade sheet for your class. [[Then your professor posts the grade]].

You receive an "A" as a final a grade in the course and a "B+" on your exam. You can't really do better than "A", so you suppose you did decent. *[[The End]]!*

You leave your dorm room, silently reviewing the information in your mind all the way to the classroom. You get there and the professor hands out the exam. You're nervous, but you aren't unsure of yourself. [[You've got this!]]

And then your done. You know you didn't do as well as you could have, so when the professor posts your overall grade as a "B-" and your exam grade as a "C-", you're aware it's your own doing. You hope you'll do better next semester, but until then.... *[[The End]]*

You don't have to look at the grades the professor posted to know that you failed your exam. You passed the class with a really low "D", your lowest grade ever. Disappointed, you know this will haunt you over Winter break and that you will probably have to retake the course. *[[The End]]!*

You awake at eight o'clock to the sound of your alarm. You can't decide if you would rather [[take a shower]] or [[grab coffee]] before your exam...

You hope in the shower and feel wide awake, after. Ready to take the exam, you [[head to the classroom]].

You opt to grab a $drink before class. As soon as you sip it, you feel re-energized and [[head to class]].

On your way out the door, you grab your notes off of the table. You get to the classroom a bit early and have time to study for the exam begins. Once it starts, you rush through it and hurry home. You aren't entirely confident in how much you retained, but (link: "one can hope.")[ one can hope. (if: $grade is "A")[When your professor posts the grades, you see that you received an "A"! Thank goodness! You are always a little more rough on yourself than others are, so you're relieved that was the case this time.](if: $grade is "B")[When you see that you received a "B" on the exam, you chastise yourself. You could have done better and you know it. Maybe next time, you'll start studying a bit earlier.](if: $grade is "C")[Damn, you got a "C". Well, at least that's a passing grade. Next semester, you swear you won't fall behind on the readings. You know you can do better and, eventually, you will!] *[[The End]]!*]

When you get there, the professor hands you a copy of the exam and you grab it. Wishing you had remembered to read over your notes this morning, you answer the questions (link: "half-heartedly.")[ half-heartedly*, knowing all along that you could have done better.] When you finish, you go back to your dorm room and wait for the professor to post your (link: "dreaded grade.")[ dreaded grade. * In the end, you receive a low "B". It's not perfect, but it was enough to balance your grade out to a "B" in the course. [[The End]]!*]

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I'm about to tell you a story that took place a

long, long time ago.

Are you ready?

Well, you better be.