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Avoid Test Day Stress
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The best way to reduce stress on test day is to be ready- in other words, PREPARE. You don’t need an expensive course to arrive on testing day knowing what to expect.
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Prepare for the Test:
Find books, free material from the testing services and, best of all, people who have already taken it to get some idea of what to expect.
There isn’t really any specific information to study for standardized tests- the expensive courses generally teach test-taking strategies. So learn all you can about the format of the test before you get there. Find out how much time you will have and what types of questions come in what order.
Find out ahead of time what you are going to need. Most tests require an official form of identification, your test registration forms, #2 pencil (and probably at least one spare), and maybe a calculator (some AP and SAT2 tests allow certain calculators- check first). Scrambling for these things on the morning of the test will just make you more nervous.
Prepare your body:
Get your body ready for test day by getting regular exercise and sleep the whole week before the test. This will relax and cleanse your body. It will also establish a routine for your body so that you aren’t up the night before worrying. One of the worst things you can do to yourself on test day is be too tired to concentrate.
Watch your caffeine intake. You know best what affect caffeine has on you. Just remember that some side effects of caffeine intake are restlessness and agitation- not feelings you want to have during a long test.
Remember to breathe while you are taking the test. This might sound strange but many people often hold their breath or develop a strange breathing pattern while they take tests without evening knowing it. This makes it harder to concentrate and denies your brain the oxygen it needs to perform.
Eat breakfast. Hunger can be distracting during a test and can wreck your concentration. Hunger also causes your brain to slow down and work less efficiently. Some popular food beliefs: bananas help you concentrate and peppermint stimulates brain activity.
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