Java Exam Diaries: How I Scored 98% and passed the Viva
8th of August, 2026
Plot twist: I prayed just to pass… and got 98% omg🎉
Part Two, baby! 😂 You already know the traps from Part One. Now let's spill the hot tea ☕: exam day, cursor horror, and then... BOSS LEVEL UNLOCKED: the VIVA! 💀🎮
Part Two: My Wild Java Exam Survival Experience😂
I was actually nervous, scared and overwhelmed when I took the exam. Somehow, I survived. We all just want to pass the exam, right? Haha!
So here is my full exam experience, including a few things that helped me survive both the written exam and the viva. I sincerely hope they’ll give you some useful insights and help you succeed, too!😊
2.1 Real Headache: Choosing the single best answer 🥴😂
This gave me a huge headache during the exam because, a lot of the time, all the options seemed correct. At some point I got so mad trying to figure out which answer was the most correct that my eyes literally started twitching😂 I was face-palming, hands were shaking and breathing heavily for at least an hour while taking the exam😂
So read carefully and choose wisely! Every little choice counts toward your final score.
2.2 Murphy's law is real! 😂
Surprise, surprise! The topics I studied thoroughly appeared just enough, while some questions I considered common sense appeared more than I expected and even came back to haunt me during the viva 💀😂
So folks, don't overlook some topics just because they seem easy! At least make sure you're familiar with the topics covered in the MSc modules, even if it's just the definitions 😂
💡 What worked for me
Mind mapping of topics and concepts really helped me a lot, especially when it comes to organising my thoughts and fixing the knowledge gaps. I survived both the written exam and viva because of this strategy.
2.3 Mini-Horror: Watch your clicks!💀
This is where I messed up in the middle of the exam.
My life literally flashed before my eyes when I double-checked everything before submission and I suddenly noticed some wrong answers had been selected, and I genuinely had no idea how the hell that happened😂 Maybe shit accidentally happened while I was nervously scrolling, or maybe it was just my nervous shaking fingers 😂
Crisis Management: While the time was ticking, I had to quickly double-check which answers were correctly selected and which ones had been sabotaged by my cursor. Que horror mama mia!💀 Thanks goodness I double-checked everything before submitting!😂
I had to manage a severe migraine after this horror, as souvenir. Then of course, the anxiety while waiting for results later. No pain, no gain. It's worth it, anyways.
My hypothesis:
First, I admit I was at fault for being overly nervous. Then I noticed while answering quizzes recently on Coursera that if your cursor shows an arrow sign, it means your cursor is navigating. However if the cursor appears like a white hand emoji somewhere inside the div container of the quiz, then if you release your finger while scrolling, chances are, your cursor could pick another answer for you😂 I'm still wondering until this day if that is the reason. Anyhow, double-checking everything before submission really saved me.
2.4 I practiced tracing loops on paper.
To manually solve the programming questions with loops, I did draw tables with rows and columns and manually trace each iteration using a pen and paper. This helped me work through each iteration. Strategically, I also thought it would help me explain my reasoning for every iteration of the loops and present to them my solution in paper as a proof, if ever I was called for a viva. You know, just in case.
2.5 I watched out for the Java syntax traps.
Pay close attention to small details such as semicolons, commas, the pipe symbol (|), modulo operators (%), varargs (...) and so fort. A tiny symbol can make a huge difference and cost you points!
In the Preparing for Exam part of this diary, I listed the traps and common pitfalls I encountered while studying.
2.6 Understand the terminologies by heart ❤️
Don't just memorise the code. We can never predict every question, so I believe it's best to focus on understanding the Java terms, definitions, and concepts so you can distinguish between similar ideas, avoid pitfalls, and explain them confidently.
2.7 Post-Exam: The Holy Viva😂
If you encounter a topic you're unsure about during the exam, make a mental note to revisit it afterwards and fill that knowledge gap. Chances are, your lucky ass might also get called for a viva about a week after the exam, just like what happened to me! The chances for viva might be low, but not zero hey😂
After the exam, my brain went on recovery mode and somehow I felt as if I was finally off the hook. So I decided to treat myself to a spa massage, relax, and enjoy some peace of mind. I survived my disaster exam with cursor horror, right? So I deserve a happy exam-prison-break!😂 Relaxation somehow made me forgot the possibility of viva.
BUT THEN, OUT OF NOWHERE, I RECEIVED THE VIVA INVITATION 😭😂 That's when I realised the pain-in-the-ass exam wasn't over yet! Felt like the Boss-level in video games💀 So I grabbed my reviewers and went back for another round of stress. This time, I prepared as if I were interviewing for a junior Java developer position (answering follow-up questions). Nobody had told me what to expect from the viva, so I wanted to be ready for anything. Because, worst-case scenario, I'd survive. 😂
On a positive note, I told myself, “Well, at least I got the full exam experience: both written and ORAL!”😂 Although, at this point, I was already mentally calculating the cost of another spa massage after the viva. Double the stress, double the spa expenses! 😂💸
But guess what? When the viva actually happened, it turned out to be much less scary than I'd imagined! It was basically about explaining the answers I'd given during the exam, and there I was, overprepared with my job-interview-style preparation! HAHAHA! 😂
TL;DR: How the viva works (for lazy readers 😂)
- The actual exam had 45 questions.
- In the viva, 5 random questions out of those 45 were picked, and I had to give my answer and explain why.
- There's no time to pull out your IDE. You need to answer fast and give your explanation in less than 5 minutes.
- Memorising answers won't save you here. Understand the "why" behind every answer, so you can explain it clearly and confidently on the spot! 💡
So, guys, if you get picked for a viva, don't panic! Prepare well, make sure you understand your answers, and trust yourself. It's completely normal to feel nervous, but don't let the fear get the better of you. You'll be fine! Haha! 😂❤️
2.8 The real test of patience
And then comes the real test of patience: waiting for the results! 😂 Let's be honest, we all kept checking the online results page from time to time, hoping the results would magically appear earlier. But nope! We had to survive around three weeks of anxious waiting. The exam was over, but the emotional roller coaster wasn't! Haha! 😂
Prepare well, stay calm, and give yourself the best chance of passing, perhaps even with flying colours! ❤️
One Last Thing 😂
There were 45 questions, and a score of 98% looks like I got 44 out of 45 correct. To this day, my curious-ass still wonders which one holy-cow question I got wrong!😂
That one mysterious question I got wrong is my forever unresolved beef 😂💀
Anyway, these are the things that helped me during my exam. Of course, everyone's experience may differ, but I hope my tips can help you in some way!❤️
Good luck, guys! You've got this! ❤️