Hildur Davíðsdóttir began teaching in the Computer Science Department at Reykjavík University this autumn and taught the Programming I course this semester. When Hildur introduced the final exam format to the students about two weeks before the exam, she included a few pieces of advice. A few students took one of her tips quite literally and showed up in suits throughout the entire exam period.

This was a rather amusing incident that came about after I shared with them some advice that has worked well for me during exam season. One of the tips was ‘Dress for success,’ and there is some science behind the idea that you perform better when you’re wearing your best trousers, your best sweater, etc. In truth, I was mainly trying to prevent them from showing up in their pajamas, as sometimes happens.

Says Hildur, adding that a few young gentlemen decided to interpret this literally and appeared at every exam dressed in suits, much to her and others’ amusement.

It must also be added that the two students in the photo,
Ernir Elí Ellertsson and Jeremias Borjas Tablante, both received grades that placed them in the top five in the Programming final exam. Whether that is thanks to the suits, I cannot say, but they certainly didn’t hurt.