I wrote this post almost immediately after my graduation exam. I
didn’t know test results yet, but was so adrenaline high from the
test, and exhausted after months of preparation, that I had to write
something about the process. If you are preparing for a big exam,
then I hope that this is helpful for you. (And yes, big relief, I
passed.)
Ode
to Tests
Clinic
entrance exam. Clinic exit exam. Graduation exam. And now, coming up,
the California board exam. Then, four national exams (NCCAOM). One
exam after another, the never-ending march of terror and exhaustion.
I greet you with flashcards and chocolate. For you, dear reader,
perchance a fellow student, perchance a curious
onlooker, I share these test-tackling strategies that have carried me
through, and will hopefully continue to carry me through, to
graduation, and subsequent licensure. One small win at a time.
Before
the Test
Prepare
Flashcards.
Review daily. Go onto www.quizlet.com and make an account. Plug in small digestible snippets of all collected and pertinent information. Organize into categories. Study by category. Do
flashcards everywhere. I studied flashcards while hiking backcountry,
flying across the country, soaking in steaming baths. I flipped
through 100 flashcards pre-dawn before leaving the bed, 100 more
before falling asleep, and in every possible open moment: standing in
grocery lines, waiting for gas, and even while stuck in hellish Los
Angeles traffic. Practice
tests. Practice tables. Get familiar with the material from every
direction. Talk about it with everyone. Look up what you don’t
know. Make
it fun, visual, creative.
Color-code. Bring it to
life.
Spaced repetition, dedication. Set
a study plan, and follow through.
The
Day Before
No cramming. Your last day of
studying is 2
days before test day. After weeks to months of accumulated effort,
allow yourself to rest the day before the test. Eat well: healthy
whole foods that will energize you all through the next day. Go for a
hike. Do what gives you joy. Flip through a few more notes to ease
your mind, but remain calm. Before bed, have everything prepared for
your test day: clothing, food... everything. Visualize your plans for
the whole test. Picture
success. Feel it. Sleep
early.
Day
Of
Stretch in the morning. Eat well.
Maintain a relaxed focus.
Enter the zone. Get there early. Game on.
During
the Test
Food
and Drink
(this worked at school, but board exams will only allow water)
If
the test allows it, then bring ample fuel: relaxing tea for
nervousness (Kava,
Rose, Passionflower),
stimulating tea for the easily bored (Green
tea).
I
had tea bags of both. Coffee
or wine for the decadent (I
like chocolate covered coffee beans).
Chocolate for joy,
comfort, and
energy. Oranges for an energizing wake-up call. Roasted sweet
potatoes for
satisfying
long-lasting energy.
A protein bar to
quickly satiate true hunger.
Cookies
for true decadence. A
dropperful
of
a relaxing or stimulating tincture (relaxing for me) beforehand, to
get things started on the right foot. An
extra secret squirt into the tea, for extra good luck.
The Test
Start
with what you know: I scribble out a few reference tables before
starting the test itself. They smile at me with my test and food,
helpful for when I get overwhelmed, reminding
me of the basics. Flip
to the section of the test that is easiest, and finish it. Build
confidence. Return to a hard section. Alternate back and forth: build
confidence, tackle something challenging. Note the time. Move
quickly. Let go, if something is too difficult. Mark
the page to return later. Trust
intuition: first thought is often correct. Bubble it into the answer
sheet. Mark what
I’m unsure about, to double check after completing the entire test.
Only double check those answers. Onwards.
Movement
Get
up to to “pee” at least once an hour. Give your brain a break.
Pace around in the bathroom or hallway for a little bit. Get some
blood flowing into the body and brain. Take a breather. Swing your
arms around. Then return to the testing room.
Maintain
focus, but rest as needed. Close
your
eyes.
Take
slow
deep
belly-to-chest
breaths
in and out of the nose. Remind
yourself, “It’s
okay,” with
palms
facing up under the table, or pointer finger and thumb meeting
in “anjali
mudra.” More
relaxation for more success. Then, back to it.
After
the Test
First,
rest. It’s
been a journey. Celebrate both wins and losses. Review the test.
Learn
from mistakes. If
there’s more tests on the horizon, then make more flashcards from fresh test material. Re-strategize as necessary. Onwards.
~
Other Resources
Here's a podcast on high-level performance under stress, from Scott Weingart.
(image from Scott Weingart)
