This time of the year for candidates, is best known as success-card receiving season because it is the time when everyone around you puts in an extra effort to wish you success.  The cards express what friends and family are thinking and wishing for you as you prepare to sit for your exams.

This season also comes with a lot of tension as everyone is on their toes, anxiously waiting to see if dad, mum, sisters, brothers, aunties, pals will send them a card.

These cards appear to be small but they mean a lot to most candidates. While some guys are indifferent; whether they receive one or not, this doesn’t affect them, there are some who will flunk their papers because they are grieving about not getting any card! The motivation for wanting to receive many cards varies. Some use them as a source of inspiration but for some, it is a status symbol.

"I would love to get as many cards as possible because I want to compete with some chic. I dislike her so I want to show her that I have many more people who care about me more than she does,” Esther, an S.3 student at Gahini confesses.

She says she does not mind who gives her the card or what it says. All she wants is to beat this other chic she is beefing.

Catherine Umutoni, on the other hand, says she does not mind about success cards. She says, "I don’t care whether I get one or not because the cards will not add any more knowledge to my brains. I would prefer someone who prays for me rather than one who just sends me a card.

"We have heard of people who get more than 50 cards but they eventually flunk. So the cards, for me, are just a formality,” Umutoni explains.

Fatumah Mulumba, the mother of a candidate at Remera Academy says that candidates need to know that passing exams wholly depends on their efforts; so no one should mind about not getting a card.

"Every parent would wish the best for their children whether they give a card or not,” Mulumba stresses.
She further said: "I would send my kid a success card because I wouldn’t want them to feel bad if I didn’t send one; but I would always pray for them during this period. Actually, parents will also feel the tension if their kids are doing exams so the cards do not really mean much.”

To our dear candidates, it is not the number of cards you get that will determine your success but rather that extra effort you put in, and the prayers; remember that we all wish you the best throughout this period.

Success in your examinations!  From everyone at Teen Times and the entire New Times Publications, we wish you success in your examinations. Be strong and confident and success will come your way.

Ends