This is exam week, and this morning was my structural design exam. For me, this exam was going to be the most difficult, and I'm fairly certain that everyone else felt the same.

The instructor (also the chair of the department) handed out the booklets and returned to his table at the front of the room. He tells us all to begin, and we all start.

And that is when the guy behind me and to my right turns on his Ipod.

First of all, I didn't know that Ipods were allowed in final exams. Secondly, if they are allowed, surely other students should not be able to hear them.

I sat there in disbelief, staring at my paper, unable to think of anything except the clearly audible techno music. I attempted a couple of the more simple short answer questions about design codes, but it was futile.

I glanced behind me to see who it was. I looked up towards the teacher (I repeat, the CHAIR of the department), and he was unaware and gazing deer-like around the room. I glanced around me, expecting to see others with frustrated looks on their faces. I couldn't tell. Everyone had their heads down.

I tried another question. And then I got angry.

I slowly turned around. I looked at him. And then I moved in. I slid down the table and said fairly loudly, "Kevin!"

Nothing. The music was so loud he couldn't hear me. I tap on the desk (err.. perhaps BANG... umm). He looks up, dumbfounded.

"You have to turn that down. It's way too loud."

I see the teacher stirring at the front of the room. He's looking at me; I'm talking during an exam.

I return to my desk, shocked at my outburst, hiding a little, feeling like a huge cow.

I wrote my exam and high-tailed it from the room and the building.