Lovely morning. At this time of the year, I get somewhat nervous. This is because the Common test starts today. Amid and beyond the Omicron variant, Japan’s entrance exam season is now in full swing. Across the nation, thousands of college hopefuls will stick with the severe two-day marathon to the end. I hope that the students will arrive at the test site properly. I hope the weather will be fine and there will be no interruption in transportation.
Once they arrive at the exam venue, all they have to do is to demonstrate the knowledge they have acquired so far to the best of their ability.The skills they have acquired day in and day out may not be enough for them, but they will definitely be useful when they solve the problems. Do not be afraid to solve the problems, and think about the time allocation calmly. And don’t give up until the very last minute. This will surely lead you to your future and a step toward your dreams.
I am sure that all the students facing the university entrance examinations, and their families who support them, have their own stories to tell. There may be people who have lived a bright and smooth sailing story all their lives, but in most cases, I think there are more people who have spent many troubled days running down a difficult path while chasing their goals. The goal differs from person to person, but regardless of the level of difficulty of the school you want to attend, you may have spent many days studying for the entrance exam, and you may have been tormented by not only positive emotions, but also negative emotions such as conflict, impatience, and frustration. However, the only thing left to do is to keep a sense of normalcy and stir up the fighting spirit.
All people are equal in front of the test paper. We just have to solve the problems. I’m sure that those who have been fighting against themselves, who have been pushing themselves hard to achieve their dreams, have grown not only academically, but also as a person through their efforts, and have the ability to finish the long two days from today. With confidence and pride, please fight for yourself, not for anyone else, but for yourself and for your future. I would like to send my heartfelt encouragement to all students taking the entrance exam.