Something to Ponder 💭

Hi,

It’s that time of the week again. Time for a little workplace rant!

Right now, I’m sitting in a computer lab doing invigilation duty. Today’s event? The special semester-break exam. It’s actually a fantastic opportunity for students to boost their final grades, especially if they already scored well in their coursework. I always cheer my students on to take it. Raise that GPA, absolute win, right?

So, if it’s such a great initiative, why am I ranting?

Well, because the execution is pure comedy.

When the university assigned me this invigilation slot, I checked my schedule. No conflicting meetings, no family emergencies, calendar clear, so I happily accepted. Duty calls!

Fast forward to this morning. I walk into our computer lab, step through the door, and spot three familiar faces. Now, these are my colleagues, so I knew they weren't here to re-sit a paper. Then, tucked away in the back row, I saw her, one poor, anxious-looking girl staring into the abyss of her upcoming paper.

After swapping "good mornings" with everyone, the hilarious math finally hit me:

There were FOUR invigilators... for TWO candidates. 😂

And to make it even better? The second student went completely M.I.A.

So picture this scene. One terrified student, taking a high-stakes exam, completely surrounded by four full-grown adults who clearly had a hundred other things on their to-do lists. Talk about maximum security! If she so much as sneezed, four pairs of eyes would instantly track her movement.

Now, I get it. Rules are rules. The handbook strictly states that every exam venue must at least have one Head Invigilator, one Academic Rep, one School Rep, and one Exam Unit Rep. On paper, that makes total sense for a hall of 100 students. But when the total candidate count is one? Having a whole committee hovering over a single student feels less like an exam and more like an interrogation scene from a movie.

Thankfully, I brought my computer along so I could quietly get some actual work done. And to give the poor girl some breathing room, I planted myself as far away as possible so she wouldn't feel like she was being watched by a tribunal.

It’s just hilarious how institutional rules are sometimes created in a cozy meeting room without anyone asking, "Wait, what if only one student registers?" Surely there’s a more practical way to handle this without summoning a small army!

For some reason, this got me thinking about how often do we rigidly stick to "the rulebook" in our daily lives, work, or routines, just because that's how it's always been done. Even when common sense is practically screaming at us to adapt? Sometimes, the most efficient thing we can do isn't following a protocol to the letter, but having the courage and flexibility to simplify it.

After all, structure is meant to help us function better, not make us look four-against-one absurd. Letting it sink in.