Another one of the worst moments is the day you get your results back.
Statistically, this will be the worst test score received the entire semester. This is due to many different factors: sleep or the lack thereof, studying or again the lack of, stress, additional homework (for a different class), and the fact that no one ever reads the chapter until the week before finals. Plus, at this point in the semester, the campus seems to have a collective "screw it" attitude where no one cares whatsoever.
These factors add up to make a rather harrowing first exam experience. This is the test were pencils are never sharp, erasers take expeditions into the far reaches of your backpack never to be heard from again, and you show up late because the idiot on his cellphone stole your parking spot. This is the test when you bust into the classroom, causing disproving glances from all inside, hot and panting and so not ready to take a test. In the event that you actually did study, this is the test where the results show that your IQ leaves something to be desired. A teacher I had once referred to this as "test anxiety."
"Test anxiety" occurs when you glance at a question, usually a true or false, and proudly claim "The answer is A." However, when you get the test results back, you will realize that you marked "B." After explaining my mistake to aforesaid teacher, he smugly chuckled and told me "It happens a lot in my classes. People don't read well enough and end up marking the wrong answer. It's test anxiety." Needless to say, I detested this professor.
"Test anxiety" is also the cause of many a failed essay question. Given roughly 45 minutes to write approximately 500 words is a tedious task for any student. When a student experiences test anxiety during an essay question, any material covered in class will miraculously vanish into oblivion. The Psyc test I had recently called this a problem with "memory retrieval." I marked "blank slate memory." Anxiety. Go figure. But when 50% of the test relies on a properly composed essay, this is when you hope the teacher assigns extra credit assignments because you're screwed.
There are ways to get past test anxiety. Much like a military drill, it helps to review study guides and main points before entering class on test day. The hope is that when all coherent thought vanishes, there will be one or two pertinent facts that remain. Also, hope the teacher grades on a curve.
The anxiety of taking the test is comparable to the anxiety of receiving the grade. There are several different tactics of psyching oneself up. For instance, there's the "hope I did good" karma technique. This is only satisfying if one did indeed "do good." There is the "act like I flunked so I'm pleasantly surprised" technique. Again, this only works if you were actually surprisingly good. Otherwise, you disappointingly correct in your assessment. I personally go the whole "pathological avoidance" technique and pretend nothing ever happened. This statistically does not work.
After one's heart sinks into their stomach while reading their grade, the teacher takes this opportunity to proudly state "Now, it is possible to get 100% on these tests. In fact, someone did in this class." He will proudly beam at the person ironically sitting right next to you with the big "A+" circled on their test. But, on the bright side, your teacher knows you aren't a cheater.
The first test is always the most difficult and the black spot on your grade for the entire semester, but the first test proves to be a great motivator for studying for the next test. Granted, students still don't read the book and they often cram the night before but the next test score will most likely show a 25% improvement. If it doesn't, copy from the person next to you.
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