So I’m not sure what it was, but I was so nervous about this result that I’ve literally had trouble sleeping the past three or four nights.
It’s probably partially the fact that this time means something.
I’ve taken TOPIK three times before (the beginner level once, and intermediate twice), but it was always just a personal progress thing. For my own satisfaction. This time passing level 5 means the difference between staying in Chuncheon for another 9 months, or returning home to my hubby in Seoul at the end of February and starting my Master’s program in March.
It’s partly that this is the first time I’ve taken a TOPIK class before the TOPIK.
My teachers are awesome and so kind, but that’s also what increases the pressure. I want to do well for them too.
It’s partly that this is the first time I’ve taken TOPIK with other people.
For me it’s always been an individual thing. No one in my classes (mostly older Japanese women) was ever that concerned with it, and I never shared the experience or the results with them.
This time 75% of my class is KGSP, so they’re in the same boat as me. And everyone in my class took TOPIK. It’s understood that we will report to the teachers about how we did, and it will be discussed amongst us. As a naturally competitive person there’s some pressure there…
It’s also partially that I’m still in a state of disbelief.
I just passed level 4 in April, but I still don’t feel confident about my Korean skills. Not in all areas anyway. I didn’t expect level 5 to even be a possibility at this point. I honestly expected to place into the level 3 class, or maybe 4 if I was lucky, so level 5 was a major surprise. Before starting Korean classes here I was seriously considering throwing the January TOPIK in order to stay in language classes for the full year, but that was when I thought I might just barely pass by luck. Then I started to gain confidence that passing was more than a slight possibility, and began to entertain the idea that level 6 might be within reach soon. When I told my teacher what I thought I’d gotten in listening and reading, she said “Oh, 6 might be a possibility” And honestly, that’s probably what made me so nervous now.
So I was literally counting down till 3:00 pm today.
And the result is in………..
Writing 66
Listening 86
Reading 84
Total 236
Which means… level 6!
Back in April when I took the intermediate test, I seriously wouldn’t have imagined passing level 6 anytime soon. With the old test, I’m not sure if I would have honestly… Although because I was convinced I was not even close to ready, I never actually looked at the advanced test.
But here we are, and I’m pretty ecstatic. Not the least because it means I can go back to Seoul in February.
The moral of the story: Having a good teacher who knows the test well can work wonders!
From Rising Sun To Morning Calm 