Board Exam Superstitions in the PH

Taking a board exam is a defining moment in someone’s life . It is a great leap in a person ’s career which determines if they will be licensed to practice it or not. In the Philippines, the boards, regardless of the profession , are a very big deal that is held once or twice a year by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and entails a great amount of preparation from the takers. Not only does it determine someone’s career but it also acts as an avenue for schools to gain recognition and rankings for their overall performance and the PH system recognizes the top ten test scores in the country for that batch of examinees; being a board top-notcher is a big plus for resumes. Having taken one board exam and making the choice of studying without a review center, I was surprised when my friends who had taken the boards prior started sharing their board exam experiences. They talked about confusing questions and silly moments but mostly superstitions that they learned from seniors and from word-of-mouth in the review center. The Philippines has its own set of superstitions but because Filipino board exam culture is a major rite of passage, it has its own set of superstitions that Filipinos practice .

Don’t cut your hair before the boards – The salon can wait! They say it’s to retain the knowledge you’ve acquired while studying for the boards. The typical recommendation is not to cut it a month prior.

Before the board exam …

Have a previous top-notcher sharpen your pencils – They say that the top-notcher’s knowledge will guide your pencils to shade the right answer . Most review centers have previous top-notchers become lecturers at their institution so more often than not, finding a top-notcher isn’t difficult . Besides, top-notchers will gladly sharpen your pencils for you!

Have the church bless your pencils – With the Philippines being very religious, having things blessed is a very routine Filipino rite of passage. Be it a new house, car, or office, a priest is usually invited to bless the place by sprinkling holy water in, on, and around it. Since a priest cannot come to the board exam venue, your pencils are your best bet . If you’re feeling extra, you can have your eraser, calculator and other exam supplies blessed too!

On the day itself…

Wear/bring something red – For this, most people wear red underwear to the exam venue and for others, a red handkerchief or hair clip. This may come from the Chinese influence in the PH where red is considered a lucky color.

Place a coin with the head facing up inside your shoe – In fact, it should be placed above your big toe. No explanation why but you’ll want all the luck you can get .

Step in the room with your right foot first – This is for you to start things on the right foot! Pun intended.

Tap the board – Since the exam venue is a school borrowed for the boards , you can expect that there will be a blackboard or whiteboard in the classroom you’re assigned to. Tap the board to ‘top’ the board.

Change your pencil if it falls to the floor – A fallen pencil during the exam is said to be bad luck so change it to another one if you don’t want to risk it! You probably brought three.

Kiss the answer sheet before submitting – This is to kiss the exam goodbye under the impression that you won’t have to take it again, God forbid!

After the exam …

Kick your chair forward – This is to symbolize moving forward . Don’t overdo it, a simple nudge will do!

Never look back once you leave the exam room – There’s literally no turning back ! All you can do is look forward to your results .

Break your pencils/don’t bring them home – Back then, examinees would break their pencils then throw them out mostly as a symbol for moving on. However, examinees are now made to leave their pencils in a designated box to be donated for charity which is a more sustainable approach.

I’ll admit I didn’t do most, if not all the things on this list (not only because I’m not superstitious but also because my friends only mentioned all these after I took it, lol) and yet I still passed. In the end, the most important board exam practice is to prepare for it, study well, and give it your best shot. Even if you do all these, it’ll be pointless if you never studied and worked hard in the first place. So prepare for it and aim to be the best licensed professional you aspire to become!

Learn Tagalog

defining moment - mahalagang sandali

great leap - mahusay na talon

licensed to practice - lisensyado na magsanay

great amount of preparation - malaking oras sa paghahanda

determine someone’s career - malalaman ang karera ng isang tao

overall performance - pangkalahatang pagganap

mostly superstitions - karamihan sa mga pamahiin

superstitions that Filipinos practice - pamahiin na ginagawa ng mga Pilipino

the right answer - ang tamang sagot

having things blessed - pagkakaroon ng mga bagay na pinagpala

all the luck you can get - ang lahat ng swerte na makukuha mo

borrowed for the boards - hiniram para sa mga pagsusulit

symbolize moving forward - simbolo ng pagsulong

look forward to your results - abangan ang iyong mga resulta

donated for charity - naibigay para sa kawanggawa

1. defining moment - mahalagang sandali

0:03

2. great leap - mahusay na talon

0:03

3. licensed to practice - lisensyado na magsanay

0:04

4. great amount of preparation - malaking oras sa paghahanda

0:04

5. determine someone’s career - malalaman ang karera ng isang tao

0:05

6. overall performance - pangkalahatang pagganap

0:04

7. mostly superstitions - karamihan sa mga pamahiin

0:04

8. superstitions that Filipinos practice - pamahiin na ginagawa ng mga Pilipino

0:05

9. the right answer - ang tamang sagot

0:03

10. having things blessed - pagkakaroon ng mga bagay na pinagpala

0:05

11. all the luck you can get - ang lahat ng swerte na makukuha mo

0:04

12. borrowed for the boards - hiniram para sa mga pagsusulit

0:04

13. symbolize moving forward - simbolo ng pagsulong

0:04

14. look forward to your results - abangan ang iyong mga resulta

0:04

15. donated for charity - naibigay para sa kawanggawa

0:04

Learn Cebuano

defining moment - mahalagang sandali

great leap - dako nga paglukso

licensed to practice - lisensyado sa pagpraktis

great amount of preparation - daghang kantidad sa pagpangandam

determine someone’s career - pagtino sa karera sa usa ka tawo

overall performance - kinatibuk-ang pasundayag

mostly superstitions - kadaghanan mga patuotuo

superstitions that Filipinos practice - patuotuo nga gibuhat sa mga Pilipino

the right answer - ang husto nga tubag

having things blessed - nga adunay mga butang nga bulahan

all the luck you can get - ang tanang swerte nga makuha nimo

borrowed for the boards - gihulam alang sa mga board

symbolize moving forward - nagsimbolo sa pagpadayon

look forward to your results - gipaabut ang imong mga sangputanan

donated for charity - gidonar alang sa charity

1. defining moment - mahalagang sandali

0:03

2. great leap - dako nga paglukso

0:02

3. licensed to practice - lisensyado sa pagpraktis

0:03

4. great amount of preparation - daghang kantidad sa pagpangandam

0:04

5. determine someone’s career - pagtino sa karera sa usa ka tawo

0:04

6. overall performance - kinatibuk-ang pasundayag

0:03

7. mostly superstitions - kadaghanan mga patuotuo

0:04

8. superstitions that Filipinos practice - patuotuo nga gibuhat sa mga Pilipino

0:04

9. the right answer - ang husto nga tubag

0:02

10. having things blessed - nga adunay mga butang nga bulahan

0:04

11. all the luck you can get - ang tanang swerte nga makuha nimo

0:03

12. borrowed for the boards - gihulam alang sa mga board

0:04

13. symbolize moving forward - nagsimbolo sa pagpadayon

0:03

14. look forward to your results - gipaabut ang imong mga sangputanan

0:04

15. donated for charity - gidonar alang sa charity

0:03

Learn Ilocano

defining moment - importante nga kanito

great leap - dakkel nga lagto

licensed to practice - lisensiyado nga mangsanay

great amount of preparation - dakkel nga oras ti preparasyon

determine someone’s career - mangamiris ti karera iti sinnuman

overall performance - iti sibubukel nga naaramid

superstitions that Filipinos practice - haan nga nakapapati nga ub-ubraen

the right answer - usto nga sungbat

having things blessed - dagiti banag nga kukua ket mabendisyonan

all the luck you can get - iti amin a gasat nga maalam

borrowed for the boards - bulod para ti eksamen

symbolize moving forward - mangipakita nga agturong ti masanguanan

look forward to your results - ur-urayek ti resultam

donated for charity - donasyon tapnon makatulong

1. defining moment - importante nga kanito

0:03

2. great leap - dakkel nga lagto

0:03

3. licensed to practice - lisensiyado nga mangsanay

0:04

4. great amount of preparation - dakkel nga oras ti preparasyon

0:05

5. determine someone’s career - mangamiris ti karera iti sinnuman

0:05

6. overall performance - iti sibubukel nga naaramid

0:04

7. superstitions that Filipinos practice - haan nga nakapapati nga ub-ubraen

0:05

8. the right answer - usto nga sungbat

0:04

9. having things blessed - dagiti banag nga kukua ket mabendisyonan

0:05

10. all the luck you can get - iti amin a gasat nga maalam

0:04

11. borrowed for the boards - bulod para ti eksamen

0:04

12. symbolize moving forward - mangipakita nga agturong ti masanguanan

0:05

13. look forward to your results - ur-urayek ti resultam

0:04

14. donated for charity - donasyon tapnon makatulong

0:04

A medical student who is passionate about writing and loves to travel in her free time.

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