# Day Before Exam Preparation



## maximus808 (Nov 3, 2010)

I will start this thread as I feel this is actually really important, maybe common sense  But something I needed to do which I didn't.

Tips for Day before preparation:

1. Try not to do anything out of the ordinary

2. Double check to make sure you have all of your books, calculators, straight edge

3. Food! (be sure to stock up on snacks, water, energy drinks, anything your board will allow) This was key!

4. Get a good rest! You should already be sleeping early for entire week to get yourself ready for the night before. Since I'm typically a late sleeper I had extreme difficulty sleeping early. Being so nervous before the exam, couldn't get a good night's rest.

5. Set two alarms in case one doesn't go off and be sure to be about an hour or hour half earlier than needed.

This exam is as much a physical exam as a mental one. If it wasn't for 5 Hour Energy, snacks, and Advil, I don't think I would've survived this exam.

Anyone care to add? Thanks.


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## ptatohed (Nov 3, 2010)

maximus808 said:


> I will start this thread as I feel this is actually really important, maybe common sense  But something I needed to do which I didn't.
> Tips for Day before preparation:
> 
> 1. Try not to do anything out of the ordinary
> ...



Your exam admission paper(s)

TomTom (GPS) already programmed and printed directions and an aerial map of the test site area

Cash/change (enough for parking and more)

Wallet/ID/AAA card

A watch with a stop-watch feature

Your calculator(s) and extra battery and little screwdriver

Ear plugs

Seat cushion

Lunch/snacks/water/hard candies

Aspirin/Tylenol

Chap-stick

Sweatshirt/light jacket/flannel

Your mobile phone fully charged (but remember to leave it in the car!)

Plastic grocery bags/trash bags

Umbrella

All your books, grouped and boxed, dolly and bungee cord

Paper towels/tissues

Protractor and scale

Sunglasses

Ensure gas tank is full and your spare tire/tools are present

Load the car, have breakfast ready to go, set out clothes, set the alarm(s)

Go to sleep


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## Relvinim (Nov 3, 2010)

Make sure you clear your system out before the test. I didn't want to waste anytime for bathroom breaks during the test so I had a full bladder most of the afternoon session. I shouldn't of had that large coffee after lunch.


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## FusionWhite (Nov 3, 2010)

I forgot a bottle of water and I was very parched during the morning session which really sucked. The good thing is I managed to finish up about 45 minutes early.

I highly recommend you stay away from any foods that are going to make you...well have to shit, to be blunt about it. There was a Qdoba right across the street from the testing center and it sounded really good, but I knew I would be doing the green apple two-step if I ate it. I stuck with a ham and cheese sandwich I had packed.


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## navyasw02 (Nov 3, 2010)

Drink lots of water AFTER the exam. I was super dehydrated the next morning because I had maybe 3 sips of water all day.


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## ptatohed (Nov 3, 2010)

Somehow this thread very quickly went from "What to do the day before the exam" to "What to do the day of the exam".


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## cableguy (Nov 3, 2010)

I brought a thermos of coffee with me to the exam. Sure was nice pouring a hot cup of coffee at about 4:00 in the afternoon to keep me going. 

As for the day before, just ignore anything you spot wrong with your car 10 minutes before leaving... and drive it anyway. Never mind that the power steering pump made a pretty good racket on the 2 hour drive home...


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## phillyphan (Nov 3, 2010)

Relvinim said:


> Make sure you clear your system out before the test. I didn't want to waste anytime for bathroom breaks during the test so I had a full bladder most of the afternoon session. I shouldn't of had that large coffee after lunch.


Actually I found the bathroom breaks very useful. You get up, clear your mind for a minute, walking to the bathroom gets your blood going, etc.


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## XOXOXO (Nov 3, 2010)

maximus808 said:


> I will start this thread as I feel this is actually really important, maybe common sense  But something I needed to do which I didn't.
> Tips for Day before preparation:
> 
> 1. Try not to do anything out of the ordinary
> ...


I now have a "ritual" of sorts before the exam, and for the day of the exam:

Day before Prep:

1)I buy an apple juice, orange juice, starbucks bottled (or canned) coffee, and a bottled water to bring with me to the exam.

I also buy a breakfast sandwhich and a light lunch (usually tuna - good protein, or chicken caesar wrap) and a yogurt.

By now you should be able to tell I have taken this exam more than a couple of times 

2)I bring cash, quarters, my ID and exam ticket and put it in my food bag. I LEAVE MY CELL AND PURSE IN THE CAR. I fill up my gas tank and stay in a hotel the night before. I take a HOT relaxing bath, while drinking beer (two max - had guiness this last time). I set my alarm for 6am (the hotel is 5 minutes from the exam site(s)...and I always bring printed out directions, and my EZ pass.

3)Meds - bring cough drops, cough medicine, sleeping pills (don't take more than one...well two if you're a big guy), tums, and pain reliever.

4)I actually worked problems for several hours the day before the exam, and am thankful at this point that I did because I actually saw 40+ problems just like the ones I had just solved the day before (and had with me). I did not find this exhausting...I found it to be like a mental jog around the block before the marathon.

During the Exam:

I pray.

I breathe and relax and look up at the ceiling if I feel myself getting frustrated (like when a proctor interrupts your train of thought because they *think* they see something amiss in your notes but really you've done nothing wrong)...

I hydrate...taking sips every 20 minutes or so. Because I'm a woman, there is no line to the bathroom at the exam and I'm happy to wait till the end of each section.

When I get home (after sitting on my ass for 8 hours plus the 3 hour ride home) I vent...and then I stalk this forum and the CT DCP website.


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## MadDawg (Nov 3, 2010)

maximus808 said:


> Anyone care to add? Thanks.



I inked over my notes I wrote in pencil in the index of my review book. It gave me something to pass the time and kept me from thinking I should be studying some more. The blue ink also helped the notes stand out.


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## navyasw02 (Nov 3, 2010)

The best thing I did before the exam was make a run to the pharmacy. I picked up a box of those super mega protein bars with 500 calories and more protein than a big steak dinner and stashed it in the car at lunch time. Good thing I did too because I would have been gnawing my arm off if I had just eaten the lunch I packed since I was more hungry than I anticipated.


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## RJs (Nov 3, 2010)

I felt sorry for not having a stop watch on the table (digital one) and relying on wrist watch. Have a digital clock. If you spend more than six minute simply move to another problem.


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## navyasw02 (Nov 4, 2010)

RJs said:


> I felt sorry for not having a stop watch on the table (digital one) and relying on wrist watch. Have a digital clock. If you spend more than six minute simply move to another problem.


Can you bring a clock? At our test site, they said you can't have your watch on the table, it had to be on your wrist.


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## ptatohed (Nov 4, 2010)

navyasw02 said:


> RJs said:
> 
> 
> > I felt sorry for not having a stop watch on the table (digital one) and relying on wrist watch. Have a digital clock. If you spend more than six minute simply move to another problem.
> ...



You can have a watch on your wrist or a clock or a watch on the floor.


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## bigray76 (Nov 4, 2010)

POed Mommy said:


> I hydrate...taking sips every 20 minutes or so. Because I'm a woman, there is no line to the bathroom at the exam and I'm happy to wait till the end of each section.


I brought a couple of bottles of water in with me... and some Motrin. Probably the best move I made. I normally drink 4-6 bottles of water a day at work, so I know that when I don't, I get a headache. Having a quick drink every couple of minutes also helps to clear the mind between problems...

Good luck POed Mommy... I did like the two beer max for the night before the exam... I think I limited myself to 6!


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## maximus808 (Nov 5, 2010)

What's you guys opinion on sleeping pills? A friend of mind told me to avoid it as it makes you feel "groggy" or really tired the next morning. But is that better than no sleep at all? If I take this exam again, I definitely need to find a way to sleep. Any tips for getting a good nights rest guys? Thanks.


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## MadDawg (Nov 6, 2010)

maximus808 said:


> Any tips for getting a good nights rest guys?


beer? :40oz: just kidding, but I definitely wouldn't go with sleeping pills unless you know how they will affect you--don't want to sleep in/be groggy in the morning/etc.


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## ptatohed (Nov 6, 2010)

maximus808 said:


> What's you guys opinion on sleeping pills? A friend of mind told me to avoid it as it makes you feel "groggy" or really tired the next morning. But is that better than no sleep at all? If I take this exam again, I definitely need to find a way to sleep. Any tips for getting a good nights rest guys? Thanks.


In my experience, if I take sleeping pills (actually, I take NyQuil), but don't follow it up with at least 8 hours of sleep, then I am groggy the next day. But, as long as I get 8+ hours of sleep following the NyQuil, I am fine.


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## bigray76 (Nov 6, 2010)

I would avoid sleeping pills... maybe a drink or two (like POedMommy suggested) to take the edge off, but not too much since that will leave you dehydrated (hungover) in the morning.

Unless you are sick, avoid the drugs. You want to be as clear minded, and not groggy, at exam time.


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## DVINNY (Nov 16, 2010)

POed Mommy said:


> Because I'm a woman, there is no line to the bathroom at the exam and I'm happy to wait till the end of each section.


That must be nice.

We had about 75-80 people at the site, and about 5 were women.


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## IL-SE (Nov 22, 2010)

maximus808 said:


> What's you guys opinion on sleeping pills? A friend of mind told me to avoid it as it makes you feel "groggy" or really tired the next morning. But is that better than no sleep at all? If I take this exam again, I definitely need to find a way to sleep. Any tips for getting a good nights rest guys? Thanks.


I find a glass (or 3) of red wine helps put me to sleep just as well as NyQuil. I also make sure to drink a big glass of water right before bed to keep from getting a headache.

When I find myself laying in bed for more than 20 minutes, I get up for an hour and read or watch tv and then try again. Laying there alone with my thoughts only makes me more anxious and less likely to be able to fall asleep.


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## speedyox (Nov 23, 2010)

DVINNY said:


> POed Mommy said:
> 
> 
> > Because I'm a woman, there is no line to the bathroom at the exam and I'm happy to wait till the end of each section.
> ...


I was actually surprised by the amount of women taking the test at my location. I don't think it was more than, say, 25 percent, but there were dozens at least. I'm glad they're out there, but I'm not sure why there are so few doing electronics engineering (I've only worked with 1 out of about 100 co-workers).


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## Callan74 (Dec 19, 2010)

Little late but this thread will come back in a few months.... Went Elk hunting the week before exam...didn't even touch a book the whole week. I went into the exam completely refreshed...relied on experience and the three months of studying for the exam. I am a first time test taker so anything is possible, but I left the exam pretty happy and not mentally drained...hope it was a good strategy.


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## Dleg (Dec 20, 2010)

Wait - we don't have enough information here. Did you kill an elk, or not?

This may provide important information for our studies, depending on whether you passed the exam or not.


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## avd (Jan 16, 2011)

day before:

I played with my kids. Then did a dry run to the test site at night. Security guard was nice enough to letm me into the building, and I saw nice, big tables to take the test. That was a confidence builder. Then I read the instructions, they said no loose papers. All my references were clipped togeather. So I went to wall mat (open unti midnight) but they didn't have any hole punches or heavy duty satplers. Then I went to wall greens (open 24 hours) went home and started punching.

I bought a bunch of protein bars and a 5 hour energy extra strength, and a big bottle of water.

My testing site was in the university cafeteria (NJIT), after a rocky morning I had a great lunch (tuna wrap) and relaxed. I'm convinced that is what gave me the strength to knock the afternoon out of the park.

Anyway, just relax the day before.


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## Callan74 (Jan 17, 2011)

Dleg said:


> Wait - we don't have enough information here. Did you kill an elk, or not?
> This may provide important information for our studies, depending on whether you passed the exam or not.


No elk, failed.


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