How do you prepare yourself mentally before an exam/SAC?

[Anchy]

I'd be interested to know how you guys prepare yourself mentally on the day of your sac or exam.

- Go through your normal routine, just like it's a normal day?
- Cram your material until the very last minute and walk through the exam/sac room?
- Watch videos, tv shows, movies to relax yourself and take your mind off things?
- Revise material and listen to music 30 minutes before exam/sac to relax yourself?

What's your approach? Would be interested to know.

[achre]

For chem and bio I crammed, because for me it was more about storing all the information. For methods I understood the concepts, my issue was with silly mistakes, so I tried to relax. For philosophy, lit and global, they involved writing, so I'd actually listen to music to pump myself up and have confidence in myself.
If we're judging it off of study scores alone, I'd say the third option worked the best and the first was the worst.
But that's me.

[clıppy]

The week before a methods SAC would usually involve a lot of studying in the form of questions. The night before a methods SAC would be light revision, just to make sure I knew what I was doing. Walking into the room and sitting down, I was pumping myself up. Having full confidence that I had studied, understood the material and given a question I would be able to answer it (that and listening to a song in your head that can get you in the right mood)
Chemistry was the same thing.

You need to reach a fine balance with yourself where you've studied enough to the point that you're confident with your abilities, but not too cocky where you'll make careless mistakes.

[MagicGecko]

I normally just lightly revise over the material for like 20 minutes or so then I just........sleep (or try to). I wouldn't recommend cramming in material though it might make your situation worse. lol I always isolates myself away from everyone before a SAC's and exam's, because talking to them might have made me more nervous.
On a side note, I've never tried it though, but my bio lecturer said that since your brains main energy source is glucose, he would always eat a mars bar 5 minutes before an exam (it takes about 20 or so minutes for glucose to take effect in your body) so after your 15 min reading time his brain would be in peak condition. Not sure if it actually works but its worth a shot.

[drake]

pray.

[Aaron]

- A good breakfast and/or brain food (always helps!)
- Plenty of sleep
- Cramming is a bad idea! Usually you get given at least a week's notice for a SAC so from then you start revising.


Usually for exams i'd sleep for a while the day/night before hand and wake up a couple of hours before - refreshed and ready to go. I personally would spend a bit of time revising the night before hand - have summarised notes so I wouldn't have to do any last-minute studying on the day.

[MJRomeo81]

I do all the hard work before the day of the SAC / exam. On the day limit yourself to light revision.

Don't change your routine on the day. If you don't usually eat breakfast then don't force food down your throat that morning (although I recommend anyone to start eating breakfast every day - it's a good habit to have). Just make sure you get enough sleep.

Even for a 9am exam, don't stay up all night in order to avoid waking up early. If your body isn't used to it you will feel like shite.

Don't bother cramming. It isn't hard to study consistently throughout the year.

[PastStudent]

• Always aim for 100%. Limitations hurt your score. Aiming for 90% will cap you to learning 90% of the content.
• Don't think of SACs as major tests. The more you begin to change your schedule, the more you begin to worry.
• Sleep is pretty important. I wouldn't say its key to SAC success because I recall having zero sleep sometimes but still did well.
• And the best tip of them all, do not cram. Learn the content way before the SAC. I never crammed, ever, and this is how I got the scores I needed, because I took my time and learned the content at the pace I wanted to. Makes it much easier, and I found that learning the content earlier means that during the time between then and the SAC, you'll often realise the mistakes and holes in your knowledge. Cramming in the last second doesn't allow this.

[walkec]

I just try and keep my routine as normal as possible. Like in the morning, I'll get up the same time as usual (6:45am) and shower and have breakfast and all that.

With SACs, I just keep it in perspective. As cliched as it is, I prepare as best as I can for the few weeks leading up to the SAC, so come the day of the SAC I know I've done everything I can do to endeavour to achieve my best. I try to keep study the night before a SAC at a minimum, as I find things I usually look over the night before I freak out over and then they're on the SAC and I freak out during the SAC and it just doesn't help me at all.

I"ve only had one 3/4 exam as yet, but I just try not to worry. I keep telling myself I've done everything I can and that in a couple of hours it will be over and I can party 

and avoid stress heads before each. they won't help your state of mind.

[spectroscopy]

if you need to/are going to cram, i have found that cramming 2 days before the sac/exam, but acting like its the day before, is the best.
say a sacs on wednesday, you fully cram on the monday and get through the bulk of the stuff, you will miss some stuff but on tuesday you will pick up what you missed or stuffed up and can re-revise and solidify what you learnt the day before, then on sac/exam day just do light reading/relax

[chasej]

For SACS I ask the teacher (prior to the lesson) if I can leave about 5 minutes early to prepare for the SAC. During those 5 minutes I listen to music and drink water to relax and not be dehydrated and sometimes skim through terms related to the subject just to get into the "mode" for the subject.

For Exams I get to school 30 minutes-ish early and just relax, talk, make sure I have all stationary to go in with a clear mind.

[Sergy01]

Be there early, don't cram. Pretty much a normal day, and at most just skim through notes unless you have a free period and want to see a teacher for help on something. Just keep away from the stressed person, and if you are the stressed person then shut up and don't make everyone else panic.

[vox nihili]

Tequíla

[chasej]

Don't bother cramming. It isn't hard to study consistently throughout the year.

I actually find consistent work way easier than cramming. I would take 2 hours every night with little stress over a week of free nights and then a super stressful week of spending hours playing catch up every time.

[HossRyams]

JUST before the SAC: I don't talk to people who I know are going to ask me silly questions like "how much did you study" or "did you do the practice questions and what were your answers". I just drink water and think to myself "MAN I AM ABOUT TO DEMOLISH THIS SAC". I know that sounds cocky but I personally found it helpful to walk in with confidence - it kept me calm so I could concentrate on the task instead of worrying about it, during it.