Bar Exam Update

Let me just start by saying that no, I was not allowed to knit during the Bar Exam. Yes, I knew that would probably be the case, but better safe than sorry.

Last week I proctored for the Bar Exam. I got this assignment through a temp agency and didn't really know what to expect. All I knew was that I was scheduled to work Monday 12-5pm, and Tuesday through Friday 9-5pm. Turns out what little I did know was incorrect. The hours for Monday were correct, but the rest of the week was basically Tuesday through Thursday 6:30 IN THE MORNING to 6:30 IN THE EVENING! Needless to say the "short" work week was very long. Especially when you add in the hour it took me to get home everyday with traffic. One day it took 35 minutes just to get out of the parking lot!

The way I can best sum up proctoring for the Bar Exam is this: I don't know who has it worse. The person taking a test for 18 hours over three days or the person just watching people take a test for 18 hours over three days. At least the people taking the test have something to do!

Now I know I was paid to watch people take a test, distribute and collect test questions, and watch for potential cheaters and they had to pay to take the test. I guess you also have to figure in all the hours they spent studying to prepare for this test knowing that only about 50% of them would pass. But if you just think about those 18 hours, I think the proctors and myself had it much worse!

I tried to keep myself entertained by counting how many people had sandals on, or were wearing jewelry, or were younger than me, or had long sleeves on, etc. Some proctors even created scavenger hunts to trade with other proctors for their different sections. Each proctor was watching over 30 people and there were about 1500 examinees (which I kept calling them testees, after which realizing how that sounds).

Needless to say, I don't know that I would do it again. If they let me knit, then it would be another story. I could have knit a baby sweater and then some!