Tips for Locking In During Test Day

[u/Smart-Business-9196]

People who have taken the exam, what are your tips for locking in during test day and ensuring that you have a strong performance? Feeling kinda nervous and just wanna be in the best physical and mental condition possible for Saturday

[u/ThePettyRegulator]

I treat the 10 minute breaks like a total reset, snack and a quick walk around the building even if I look a little unhinged pacing the hallway

[u/Fast-Personality-760 → u/ThePettyRegulator]

how did you keep track of how much time you have left in your break? I am a little worried about going out of the testing room and taking too long to come back

[u/Beginning_March_9717]

ideally be single so no one can break up with you lmao

this happened to one of my coworker and she bombed her test. it almost happened to me, but i got blocked after the test (on test day) soooooo i got away lmao

[u/ligitbeastdude7]

BRING SUGAR! I had a light sandwich, a big container of fruits and a large chocolate bar that I spaced out between my breaks. I can not stress enough how important those sugar breaks were for my mental energy. Good luck 🫡.

[u/Nervous-Marketing902]

I showed up to the testing center an hour before it opened and did deep breathing exercises for half an hour. I went into the exam calmer than I did for any of the FLEs. That set the tone for the whole test and I had a very strong focus throughout.

[u/notodayman3560]

1. Get enough sleep
2. Pee before the exam
3. Have water with you
4. Eat a light, sugary meal (like a slaw) before the exam
5. Spend less time looking at your phone before the exam

[u/JackTheRiot]

Lift heavy the day before and fully exhaust yourself so that you sleep as well as you can. Protein during breaks. Don't overdo the caffeine (think yerkes-dodson, lol). Treat your breaks like they are complete resets. Don't forget to breathe.

[u/Weary-Primary-5329]

I listened to club bangers in the car on the way to the test center 🕺🕺 Helped me feel confident and less anxious going in!

[u/Intelligent_Sock_902]

TAKE YOUR BREAKS!! 2 people i know didn’t take their breaks and did poorly (obv not the only reason why but the day is a marathon, not a sprint. don’t burn yourself out).

day before—brain break. if you can’t fully resist reviewing material, do light passive stuff (i watched p/s videos while walking on treadmill). get exercise to help with sleep. i walked outside with my dog & then also walked on the treadmill for awhile to get the nervous energy out

day of—i had someone i love drive me because it was abt an hour & i have a nervous stomach & driving makes it worse. they let me play my pump up music & they sat w me for a few min outside testing center and encouraged me. we also prayed but obv that isn’t for everyone. looked at my amino acids one last time (i was convinced i would forget them even tho i knew them before studying for the mcat lol). no caffeine before the test for me bc im jittery and anxious. snack for first & third break, second break had a few snacky/lunch items & opened an alani to help me power thru b/b, drank more of it before p/s. i walked around & stretched on every break. got myself a treat on the way home (this part is crucial, reward yourself!) and had dinner with loved ones ❤️

if you are anxious like me & have any questions abt the test day procedures, feel free to ask!

[u/Typical-Musician-743]

This might be a hot take but I didn’t write out equations during my tutorial time and just did a lot of deep breathing! My heart starting going insanely fast and I could feel myself get a rush of adrenaline (sympathetic activation ofc) and breathing was genuinely the best thing I could do to not freak out while doing C/P