Maybe I shouldn't have started this blog now, not with everything that's been going on.

On the fourth day of finals week, I had my exam for Electromagnetic Theory.

I came up with twelve problems, two for every equation I gave them that was part of the coverage of the finals. Well, that is excluding capacitors, which I only found out was supposed to be one of the included topics when I was making the questionnaire for the last remedial exam I was talking about yesterday.

I decided that they only needed to answer half of the problems and still get a perfect score, one out of each pair. But if they didn’t answer those requisite six, then they would have to answer a minimum of seven problems.

Confusing? It was to them at first as well. Besides that, I told my cousin beforehand to text one of his classmates to come up with their standard reference sheets to be photocopied by all. A few minutes later, I told him to take back that order, but I didn’t tell them that I had thought of making the exam open notes instead, because then I knew some of them would definitely not study.

And just like with their Advanced Mathematics exam, they extended beyond the two-hour time limit. But it was somewhat satisfying to note that they apparently were able to answer some of the questions after a few probing inquiries directed my way.

They will, after all, be allowed the courtesy of looking up whatever their bosses or clients might want them to do. It’s just a matter of doing so without appearing incompetent, and showing supreme confidence in knowing how they are going to go about it.

There is also the heartwarming support shown through having a closed knit band of batch mates, who have seen each other through thick and thin.

Just like all their other exams, I also asked them to answer the same questions as their problem set to be submitted the day after the end of finals week.

Afterwards, one of the students, who hadn’t taken the special exam for missing their last test before the finals, asked if he could schedule it for the next day instead. I agreed.

He asked if it would be open notes just like the other one. I said no, that would be unfair to his classmates who only had a reference sheet. But since he didn’t have one and he admitted that his notes on that subject weren’t complete as well, I just allowed him use of the textbook. It was up to him to look up what he might have needed to solve the questions.

There were also some students in my mechanics lecture classes to whom I had already dictated what project they could make for the next Innovation Week to get bonuses, instead of waiting for them to come up with something and, ultimately, get disappointed that what I receive is not suitable for display.

These include the laser and spinning mirrors complex “circular” figures, an Archimedes screw, simulating their own solar eclipse, demonstrating the minimum height required for a car (or a ball) to traverse a 360 degree loop, and two enclosed static electricity repulsion indicator (the second one improving on an early submission).

That’s all for today. Class dismissed.