My alarm woke me up on a calm Saturday morning, but I couldn’t feel that same serenity. My heart pounded rapidly because the alarm marked a big game day for me: SAT exam day. It was a day to prove my ability to choose between four answer choices. However, what made me more anxious was taking a test during the pandemic. To confess, I am someone who fears the Coronavirus a lot. I could literally count the number of times I went outside after the lockdown on two hands. Yet, when I entered the testing room at Cherry Hill High School East, my fear went away.

Before I left my house, I made sure to get a bottle of hand sanitizer and some Clorox wipes since I did not want to expose myself to the virus. I even prepared 5 different masks. However, as I stepped into the testing room, I was amazed by the efforts of school officials to ensure that everyone was safe. The desks were all shining from the disinfection work done prior to the exam. Additionally, the desks were placed around the room to ensure social distancing during the exam. As I took a seat on my designated chair, I was happy with how safely separated I was from other students. Thus, I could focus on the SAT instead of worrying.

Additionally, wearing masks during the entire exam did not bother me tremendously. I had to spend an extra hour in the school to complete the optional essay portion. However, I never found my mask disturbing or distracting. Therefore, I didn’t experience a breathing issue and was able to concentrate on the entire exam.

Overall, I was impressed by the students’ effort to abide by the rules at school. The masks ensured everyone’s safety in the building, and I believe that everyone was given a safe testing experience on October 3rd.

To conclude, my SAT testing experience was satisfying not because of the results but also because of testing safety. After the exam, I even thought about switching to hybrid learning as I felt well-protected at school. For those who are hesitant about the SAT exam during a pandemic, I recommend that you should only be worried about the exam itself, not the virus.

Good luck to everyone who is preparing for the SAT!