# exam superstitions



## Road Guy (Feb 26, 2007)

I dont know about you all but I am very superstitous.

I tried to do a 180 degree turn from everything as far as preparing for and taking the exam the second time.

I changed the paper I used to work problems with from spiral notebooks to "green engineering paper"

I changed my study location at the house

I did not talk about the exam with anyone (outside of this board)

I stayed at a completely different hotel the night before.

for exam attempt #1 I crammed in my hotel room (order food in) and scanned all my notes

for exam attemp #2 I met some old college friends for dinner, and relaxed some the night of the exam

I took the pencil home with me the first time, the second time I left it at my desk.

anyone else have any stupid things like that they did for the exam :screwloose:


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## GTScott (Feb 26, 2007)

Right before the exam I tried to live as clean as I could...no more blasting through yellow lights and such.


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## north6633 (Feb 26, 2007)

Well this time around I am actually studying some. I think this may have an effect on the results.

Other changes I have been maintaining an exercise program..strong body strong mind theory going there.

I am officially giving up alcohol until the evening of April 20th..

Thats about it for changes here .. For the next 8 weeks its study, workout and work... I am going to be a very dull person...


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## frazil (Feb 26, 2007)

THe only thing I did was not look up anything about the PE stamp until after I found out I passed. I was curious about where you buy one and all that, but I didn't want to jinx it.


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## Road Guy (Feb 26, 2007)

I also checked the states website everyday the last month before results were posted the 1st go around. I honestly didnt ever check that website until a friend called me to tell me my name was on it this go around.

I used to check that thing about 5 times a day, it was completely nerve wrecking!


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## Bigwolf (Feb 26, 2007)

The only thing I ever avoided was thinking about how my name would look with "P.E". behind it. I completely blocked that vision from my head until I got the results letter.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Feb 26, 2007)

^ I did the same Bigwolf. Never even doodled it on a piece of paper.

Other than that not much in the superstition department. I went more the obsessive-compulsive route.


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## bigray76 (Feb 26, 2007)

I am opting to take the PE at the location where I took (and passed) the EIT on the first try... even though it is further from my house than the north Jersey location.

The Central location is the West Trenton Firehouse Ballroom - I figured since I was a firefighter for a couple of years, I would be more comfortable there too.

-Ray


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## traffic (Feb 26, 2007)

1st time I drank way to many monster drinks and had my brain spinning a million miles an hour. I also talked about it with anyone who'd ask kinda therapy for me to believe I'd pass. could not stop checking the site got way to obsessed with it.

2nd time No energy drinks and spoke to no one about it. Would not check the site.


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## Dleg (Feb 26, 2007)

I told myself I wouldn't talk to other people about it, but eventually I had told everyone I know that I was studying for the test. Oops. But that's about the only thing I was "superstitious" about.


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## FPERox (Feb 26, 2007)

My one and only superstition is that I tell everybody the opposite of my desired outcome. So, after the PE exam, whenever someone asked me how I did, I always said that I most likely failed or didn't pass. It's usually worked out for me, and it certainly worked out for me this time.


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## K8NY (Mar 5, 2007)

Roadguy,

Too, funny about the pencil.

the first time my husband and I took the test, we both kept the pencil (I actually scored 2 pencils), and we both failed.

The second time, they let me keep the pencil and took my husbands away from him. He passed, I failed.

My third time, I kept the pencil and failed.

Last time, I made them take the pencil away from me and I passed.


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## ALBin517 v2.0 (Mar 5, 2007)

K8NY said:


> Roadguy,
> Too, funny about the pencil.
> 
> the first time my husband and I took the test, we both kept the pencil (I actually scored 2 pencils), and we both failed.
> ...


I am studying right now as a first-timer. All I've used to work practice problems is the NCEES pencil from my 2002 FE exam. Usually I won't write anything with pencils but I'm trying to get the "test day" feel - right down to the pencil and eraser.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Mar 5, 2007)

I kept my exam pencil but won't use it. It's on retired status and sitting prominently with my license.

We joke about it ALB, but getting that test day atmosphere going for yourself is really important. Makes everything so much more relaxed on test day because there are no surprises. In the day leading up to the exam, the calmest I felt was during the test once I got into it.

Felt just like any other study session. Feeling good on the first few questions really helped me relax too.


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## cement (Mar 5, 2007)

ALBin517 v2.0 said:


> I am studying right now as a first-timer. All I've used to work practice problems is the NCEES pencil from my 2002 FE exam. Usually I won't write anything with pencils but I'm trying to get the "test day" feel - right down to the pencil and eraser.


that is a great idea, the test day pencil will be like an old friend, just like the calculator that you have been doing all the problems with.


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## Road Guy (Mar 5, 2007)

I actually had one of the little old lady's chase me out of the room asking me if I wanted my pencil. I just kept running as fast I could carrying 40 books, I treated her like medussa, i would surely turn to stone if I looked her in the eyes ...................


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## Hill William (Mar 5, 2007)

My only thing was that no matter who asked, I told them that I thought I had a 50/50 shot of passing. In the back of my mind, I thought I did okay, but I would not even admit that to myself in fear of jinxing it.


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## DVINNY (Mar 6, 2007)

Well, I used the same calculator the first three times and failed. I went and bought a new one for this go around.

I was using a TI-36X Solar and now I am using the TI-30X solar or whatever its called


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## EdinNO (Mar 6, 2007)

I left my pencil 'cause I was supersticious. I felt that drinking and studying was the wrong thing, but I sometimes did it anyway. I even felt like studying "on the clock" at work was wrong, but snuck it in anyway.

Fortunatley, it all worked out for me.


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## ALBin517 v2.0 (Mar 7, 2007)

VTEnviro said:


> Feeling good on the first few questions really helped me relax too.



That reminds me of the FE. I opened the test booklet and saw the first section was chemistry. But I needed something I was good at to build my confidence. So eight seconds into the test, I was working Question #15.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Mar 7, 2007)

I rocked at basic college chemistry. I coulda answered most of those questions in my sleep. :signs051:

It was stuff like dynamics and solid mechanics where I had to wing it and hope I had enough points elsewhere to make up for it. arty-smiley-048:


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## NCcarguy (Mar 13, 2007)

I left the pencil all 3 times.....I'm taking that [email protected]%itch next time!


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## Road Guy (Oct 27, 2014)

Thought this thread could use a bump!


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## P-E (Oct 28, 2014)

This might be tmi, but for the fe I wore boxers and didn't finish the pm section so I went commando for the PE. Still didn't finish. Proctors were surprised when they patted me down thinking I was trying to make off with several of the pencils.


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## ptatohed (Oct 28, 2014)

Road Guy said:


> I dont know about you all but I am very superstitous.
> 
> ...
> 
> ...



RG! Say it ain't so!


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## Dark Knight (Oct 28, 2014)

I did change a lot of things but the one the comes to my mind is the study site change.

Did not study at home. Used the city Public Library in weekdays and went to one of the office conference room during the weekends (mostly Saturdays). Did not study at home. Also limited my time to no more than 3 hours on week days and no more than 6 during the weekend. Sundays were free (most of the time unless something was bothering me). For my previous attempts, specially for the second one, I did go long hours 7 days a week.


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## Sapper PE LS (Nov 3, 2014)

I never allow myself to just casually say that I think I did good or bad. I always have to be as specific with my feelings and honest when somebody asks me how I think I did as I can be, because I feel if I don't the test gods will punish me with a failing score. I have to go through painstaking detail when answering people and I can see their eyes glossing over, but I must be honest or I could risk everything, EVERYTHING! The test gods are there, man, just out of view, listening and judging me. The test gods are like: "Was that his boss on the elevator asking him how he did on his state specific surveying exam? Homeboy better not give the quick answer he knows his boss is looking for, he better tell him every single emotionally draining and soul sucking detail about his post exam feelings or I'm hurling this FAIL dagger right at his eyes!"

It's been this way since the FE back in 2000.


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## StarPE (Nov 10, 2014)

The one thing I do for every exam is start from the last question and work my way back up. It helped me a lot because I felt like some of the more difficult first questions were there to discourage you. Passed on 1st try


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## The Wizard (Dec 19, 2014)

Some funny comments in here....

For me, I felt I had to study in a different place for each exam.

Passed Survey while studying at the dining room table

Then Passed Seismic while studying at the kitchen table

Then passed the 8 hour exam while studying at my desk in my home office.


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