Rituals

[Lucca]

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I try to wake up early every other day and go to the gym. I go for a run on the treadmill while listening to an audio book, or music, or BBC world report or something. Then I'll usually lift to music, go home, shower, read for the lectures I have that day while eating breakfast and start my day at like 11am. Late classes makes it so much easier to have a productive life.

 

[Oso]

Every night before a test I study but get burnt out before finishing. I promise myself to wake up a couple hours early the next morning to cram some studying in before the test. I set my alarm and go to sleep. The next morning, without fail, I snooze through my alarm and end up not studying at all. I don't know why I even try.

I used to do the same thing. But eventually I realized that the last minute cramming in the morning didn't really make a difference, and that sleeping a bit more was probably better for my grade.

 

[Mmedran]

To respond to the original topic: I study with an old oversized fleece sweater. I nailed every exam in gradschool and went up 8 points on the MCAT. Oh, and I listen to "eye of the tiger" on the way to the exam 😉

 

[sharkbyte]

One time freshman year I was walking to a gen chem exam and I decided to listen to "Bombs over Baghdad" by Outkast which is one of my favorite songs, it randomly just pumped me up a lot and I ended up getting a 100 on the exam lol, so now I listen to that song before an exam. It's one of the few songs I haven't gotten tired of even though I've been listening to it for 4+ years now.

 

[Status Sciaticus]

As far as rituals go,

I eat a Nutella sandwich before taking tests and I workout afterwards.
You could say that I have taken every test high..... on a sugar high.

 

[Reckoner]

More relevant to OP:

I liked to load up on caffeine and listen to this song as I walked to my tests



How I always felt coming through the doors

 

[The Buff OP]

I don't have any rituals for test days, but I jam tho this two songs on my way to the gym everyday.

 

[amazing tekkers]

I drink a can of redbull before an exam, haven't noticed any improvements.

 

[deleted407021]

Sometimes I have a worrying ritual of winging it. Served me fairly well in the past but not well enough. Two years in college and I'm still amending my study habits.

 

[Sumtingwong]

Sometimes I have a worrying ritual of winging it. Served me fairly well in the past but not well enough. Two years in college and I'm still amending my study habits.

Word of advice from a former winger, it doesn't work and you'll hit rock-bottom pretty fast. Glad you're amending things 🙂

 

[kilpty]

I watched a TED talk ( http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are.html ) that said when you make yourself physically large (i.e. Hold your arms out V-ictory style for a minute) it actually makes you more confidant. I did this in the bathroom before interviews and before the MCAT. The second time I took the MCAT the center was running really late and my fellow test takers and I were getting nervous. I told them about this tactic and we all did it together. (It worked on the interviews... not the MCAT) It feels silly but it just might work.

 

[Escape_Goat]

My normal ritual involves standing on the shore under a moonless sky chanting "Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn."

 

[Sumtingwong]

I watched a TED talk ( http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are.html ) that said when you make yourself physically large (i.e. Hold your arms out V-ictory style for a minute) it actually makes you more confidant. I did this in the bathroom before interviews and before the MCAT. The second time I took the MCAT the center was running really late and my fellow test takers and I were getting nervous. I told them about this tactic and we all did it together. (It worked on the interviews... not the MCAT) It feels silly but it just might work.

Note: tactic will not work in dance clubs.
Source: experience

 

[deleted407021]

Word of advice from a former winger, it doesn't work and you'll hit rock-bottom pretty fast. Glad you're amending things 🙂

Yep. I'm up right now teaching myself Phys II from the textbook. I've been doing the same for Ochem II. I don't really learn from lectures. It's super time consuming (5 hrs for ochem over 2 days) but it seems to work and I learn more detailed information.

 

[IL Pre Med]

I always play a few games of halo or call of duty online the night before an exam (helps me relax and relieve stress) and I always have this one clicky pencil with me to take the exam with. Can't take an exam without it and it hasn't failed me yet, haven't gotten a B in 2 years (coincidently have had the pencil for 2 years). I was definitely upset when I found out I couldn't bring in my own pencil to the MCAT. Yes, I know I'm weird.

 

[LabratABQ]

pics or it never happened

 

[acslater99]

I wear 3 rubber bands around my left wrist, all which are fairly small. Why? because somehow I have good luck whenever I wear them and makes me feel safe for some odd reason. 🙂