Exams are a time of great stress. This is especially true in East Asia, where students have come up with some interesting ways to make sure they can pass.
| In recent years, KitKat has been marketing itself as a bringer of good luck. Pronounced as "kittokatto" by the Japanese, the chocolate's name is similar to the phrase "kittokatsu", meaning "surely winning". This certainly makes KitKat a good symbol of good luck. |
| In your allnight revision with microwave food and highlighter pens(荧光笔) before exams, you may have forgotten to take a shower. But South Korean students wouldn't worry about that. It's believed that washing your hair could wash all the knowledge out. |
| Around a month before exams start in Hong Kong, students in clubs, societies and classrooms will get together for "superpass", or gingguo(劲过,粤语俚语). "Superpass" is a series of activities aimed at helping you pass your exams with a top score. The first part is the superpass dinner, which is usually held at a Chinese restaurant. It's important that students eat pork cubes with cashews(腰果肉丁), one of the main superpass dishes. The Chinese word for "cashews" sounds like the words for "wish to pass". |