One memorable occasion when I was strictly forbidden from using my phone was during my university Viva, examination in my final year. The Viva was conducted in a formal conference room at my university and before entering, we were explicitly instructed to switch up our phones and leave them outside. The examiners emphasized that candidates found with a phone would face immediate cancellation of the result. It was made absolutely clear that no exception would be tolerated. The primary reason for this restriction was to uphold academic integrity. Since survivor involves critical questioning and explanatory responses accessed to a mobile phone could easily compromise the authenticity of the student performance. Moreover, phones could cause unnecessary distraction, both for the candidate and the panel. Initially, I felt slightly uneasy because like most people nowadays, I am subconsciously attached to my phone. It almost feels like a shape to me. that provides comfort even when it’s not being actively used. However, once the examination began, I realized that being disconnected actually sharpened my focus. I was more mentally present and fully engaged in the discussion. In retrospect, I believe the rule was entirely justified. In fact, it made me reflect on how dependent we have become on digital devices. That brief period without my phone remind me that sometime, detaching from technology can enhance clarity, confidence and genuine human interaction.
Band 8+: Describe an experience when you were not allowed to use a mobile phoneWhat you did?When it was?Where it was?Why you were not allowed to use mobile phone
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One memorable occasion when I was strictly forbidden from using my phone was during my university Viva examination in my final year. The Viva was conducted in a formal conference room at my university, and before entering, we were explicitly instructed to switch off our phones and leave them outside. The examiners emphasized that candidates found with a phone would face immediate cancellation of their results. It was made absolutely clear that no exceptions would be tolerated. The primary reason for this restriction was to uphold academic integrity. Since the Viva involves critical questioning and explanatory responses, access to a mobile phone could easily compromise the authenticity of the student’s performance. Moreover, phones could cause unnecessary distraction, both for the candidate and the panel. Initially, I felt slightly uneasy because, like most people nowadays, I am subconsciously attached to my phone. It almost feels like a safety net to me that provides comfort even when it's not being actively used. However, once the examination began, I realized that being disconnected actually sharpened my focus. I was more mentally present and fully engaged in the discussion. In retrospect, I believe the rule was entirely justified. In fact, it made me reflect on how dependent we have become on digital devices. That brief period without my phone reminded me that sometimes, detaching from technology can enhance clarity, confidence, and genuine human interaction.
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Speaking Time: 92 seconds