diff --git a/tests/05_arena_new.c b/tests/05_arena_new.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b3662a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/05_arena_new.c
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#define DEBUG
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include "../include/mem.h"
+
+int main(void){
+    size_t nbytes = 20;
+    Arena a = ARENA(0,nbytes);
+    ASSERTED(a.beg != NULL);
+    ASSERTED( mem_is_zero(a.beg, nbytes));
+    FREE(a.beg);
+    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
+}
diff --git a/tests/06_arena_nozero.c b/tests/06_arena_nozero.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b1cd812
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/06_arena_nozero.c
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#define DEBUG
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include "../include/mem.h"
+
+int main(void){
+    size_t nbytes = 20;
+    Arena a = ARENA(NOZERO,nbytes);
+    ASSERTED(a.beg != NULL);
+    ASSERTED( !mem_is_zero(a.beg, nbytes));
+    FREE(a.beg);
+    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
+}
diff --git a/tests/07_arena_softfail.c b/tests/07_arena_softfail.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ffa2cfc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/07_arena_softfail.c
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#define DEBUG
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include "../include/mem.h"
+
+int main(void){
+    size_t nbytes = MEM_GB(1024);
+    Arena a = ARENA(SOFT_FAIL, nbytes);
+    ASSERTED(a.beg == NULL);
+    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
+}
diff --git a/tests/08_arena_exception.c b/tests/08_arena_exception.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..238a9db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/08_arena_exception.c
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+#define DEBUG
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include "../include/mem.h"
+
+int main(void){
+    size_t nbytes = MEM_GB(1024);
+    Arena a;
+    TRY {
+        a = ARENA(0,nbytes); /* try 1GB */
+        if (!a.beg)
+            RAISE(OOM);
+        free(a.beg);
+    }
+    EXCEPT(OOM) {
+        /* handle memory failure gracefully */
+        fprintf(stderr, "Caught: %s\n", OOM.reason);
+        return EXIT_SUCCESS; /* requested behavior */
+    }
+    FINALLY {
+        /* cleanup if needed, runs always */
+        if (a.beg) free(a.beg);
+    }
+    END_TRY;
+
+    return EXIT_FAILURE; /* shouldn't reach here for this example */
+  }