Test day will be stressful. Taking a test of the magnitude of the SAT or ACT will tax you mental stamina and challenge your ability to stay calm and focused. You want to make the day of the exam go as smoothly as possible so that your score accurately reflects your academic performance. Here are three things you should do to make test day less painful.
- The Night Before
Set out everything you need for the exam before you go to bed the night before. This includes a valid ID, your entrance ticket, pencils and a calculator. Don’t forget to pack snacks and water for the breaks. Look at directions to the testing site to know exactly where you are going and how long it will take to get there. You don’t want to run around frantically in the morning trying to gather everything. The stress of a lost ID or unexpected road construction will cause unnecessary anxiety.
- Sleep
Feeling well rested will help you perform better on the test than last minute cramming. An article from the Huffington Post sites research that found university students who got more sleep during finals scored higher on their exams. Finish preparing a day or two before the exam and go to sleep early the night before. If you are exhausted on exam day, it will be challenging to stay focused and work through the problems as quickly as you will need to. You may have trouble falling asleep so try taking a hot bath, drinking some chamomile tea or reading something for fun before you go to bed.
- Breakfast
Wake up before the exam with enough time to eat breakfast. Breakfast will give you the brain power you need stay focused and engaged with the test. Choose foods with plenty of protein and whole grains. Avoid too much sugar. This will help keep your blood sugar level throughout the exam so that you don’t get jittery or tired. Bring healthy snacks like granola bars or trail mix for the breaks so that you can keep your energy up throughout the exam.
Eliminate Outside Factors
These three things will help you be prepared and focused on exam day. They will help eliminate factors that could add to your stress level or distract you from the exam. Don’t let your hard work go to waste by letting preventable outside factors impact your score.
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