# Mothers Little Helper - any recommendations for drugs?



## k2keylargo (Apr 7, 2008)

Any tips for maintaining alertness for 2 x 4hrs.? I'm starting to freak out about trying to remember everything, and now I'm thinking about how to keep my brain focused. Lots of caffeine = lots of bathroom breaks? What did everyone do - any recommendations to make it 8 hrs.? :winko:


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## squishles10 (Apr 7, 2008)

k2keylargo said:


> Any tips for maintaining alertness for 2 x 4hrs.? I'm starting to freak out about trying to remember everything, and now I'm thinking about how to keep my brain focused. Lots of caffeine = lots of bathroom breaks? What did everyone do - any recommendations to make it 8 hrs.? :winko:


I'm taking a package of Clif Blocks with caffeine in them. Leftovers in my garage from bike season, but if you don't know what they are, they're like gummy bears made with Gatorade, and a few versions have caffeine. I figure that should minimize the potty trips. DO eat with water if you go for them, but you don't need as much water as you would Coke, etc.

I imagine with 6 minutes per question that the time will fly by- I wouldn't worry too much.


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## IlPadrino (Apr 7, 2008)

k2keylargo said:


> Any tips for maintaining alertness for 2 x 4hrs.? I'm starting to freak out about trying to remember everything, and now I'm thinking about how to keep my brain focused. Lots of caffeine = lots of bathroom breaks? What did everyone do - any recommendations to make it 8 hrs.? :winko:



Holy shit... you're not serious, are you? I can't imagine anyone recommends lots of caffeine or other "alertness medicine". So long as you don't have ADD, you should be able to focus just fine with sufficient rest and a reasonable breakfast and lunch.

But now you've got me thinking... would ADD represent a disability that might get you special examination consideration? I remember a friend from college who always got extra time on an exam because she was clinically diagnosed with dyslexia. I always wondered if it was legit, but didn't have the courage to ask out loud.


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## IlPadrino (Apr 7, 2008)

squishles10 said:


> I imagine with 6 minutes per question that the time will fly by- I wouldn't worry too much.


I found time passed way too quickly even though I enjoyed my few (maybe two or three all day) bio breaks because I didn't want to be dehydrated and drank lots. But can you imagine if you ate too many bars without enough water and got "clogged up"? Maybe Fudgey has some quick solution...


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## squishles10 (Apr 7, 2008)

Have you ever met an engineering WITHOUT ADD?


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## IlPadrino (Apr 7, 2008)

squishles10 said:


> Have you ever met an engineering WITHOUT ADD?


I thought Engineers were more likely to have Aspergers... isn't that the opposite of ADD?


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## Guest (Apr 7, 2008)

IlPadrino said:


> I found time passed way too quickly even though I enjoyed my few (maybe two or three all day) bio breaks because I didn't want to be dehydrated and drank lots.


I made two head calls - one during the morning session and one in the afternoon. I didn't feel that the break had any negative consequences. In fact, I think it HELPED in some ways by taking a brisk walk to and from the head.



squishles10 said:


> Have you ever met an engineering WITHOUT ADD?


:Locolaugh: :Locolaugh:

JR


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## Dleg (Apr 7, 2008)

Asperger's is a little like ADD, in that once you get interested in something, you have a real hard time paying attention to anything else. but once you do, you can focus like a laser. For a long time. Or at least, that's what they say. I have no diagnosed conditions. As far as I know, I'm just a weirdo.

As far as stimulants, I avoided coffee on exam day, mostly because I was worried I would need to use the bathroom too much. When I studied, though, I was loaded up on caffeine. I think it might have actually helped me a little on the exam. But I guess I'll never know now!

I didn't drink enough water in the pm, though, and I ended up with a really irritating headache about an hour into the effort, and well afterward when I was trying to enjoy myself and get hammered. I suggest keeping yourself hydrated better than I did.


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## k2keylargo (Apr 7, 2008)

Gotta carry everything in a clear plastic bag- hmmm.... so I guess a cooler would require a very large bag. Or you drink warm water... I suppose I could freeze a bottle or can you bring in drink in the afternoon?


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## squishles10 (Apr 7, 2008)

k2keylargo said:


> Gotta carry everything in a clear plastic bag- hmmm.... so I guess a cooler would require a very large bag. Or you drink warm water... I suppose I could freeze a bottle or can you bring in drink in the afternoon?


This should work.


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## maryannette (Apr 8, 2008)

I found that the adrenalin alone was pretty good. I did drink a cup of coffee in the morning, but I've never seen anyone nodding off during the 6 exams I took.


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## Capt Worley PE (Apr 8, 2008)

I carried in about four half liter bottled water, and a Zip-lok bag full of peanuts. Made it through the morning with no bio breaks, but took one in the PM section just before they called 15 minutes.

I would NOT recommend taking anything, especially if you have for advice on what to take. I would fear a caffiene (or sugar) crash. That's why I didn't take any sodas.

The adrenaline alone will keep you focused through the test.


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## bigray76 (Apr 8, 2008)

I brought water and a couple of granola bars (didn't eat them).

Once I opened the exam and got started, I was so focused that I didn't feel the need to stop and eat or drink anything.


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## roadwreck (Apr 8, 2008)

Gotta agree with the captain here, you shouldn't need anything but some water and a few snacks. I took two bottles of water and some granola bars and was fine. You'll be pretty focused on the exam and shouldn't need anything to keep you sharp. I was getting over a cold so I did have cold meds and ibuprofen but I certainly didn't need any caffeine or sugar to keep me going.


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## Mike in Gastonia (Apr 8, 2008)

IlPadrino said:


> But now you've got me thinking... would ADD represent a disability that might get you special examination consideration?


That is a good question. I looked on NCEES website and found this:



> _C. Guidelines for Accommodations Based on Attention-Deficit/ _Hyperactivity Disorder
> 
> Evaluations for accommodations based on Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) must include the following:
> 
> ...


It looks involved and complicated, but apparently can be considered a disability. Here's a link to the entire special accomodations section. Special Accomodations - NCEES


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## csb (Apr 8, 2008)

I did water and I brought snacks, but the room was so quiet that I felt badly opening up anything that would make noise. I did, however, take two advil in the morning and another two at lunch, just to keep the owies away.


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## csb (Apr 8, 2008)

squishles10 said:


> This should work.


HA HA! "Do you mind if I bring in a few snacks in a ziploc?" That thing is huge!


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## NCcarguy (Apr 8, 2008)

On my THIRD attempt, I REALLY noticed that around 3:00pm I was WORN OUT! I had a few questions that I was sure that I could answer, but I really didn't have the energy to work them. Then I found out how close I got, I was pissed at myself.

So, on the FORTH and SUCCESSFUL attempt, I decided that I needed to do whatever it took to keep my energy up. I bought 2 of those little "5 hour energy" drinks, the ones you find at EVERY convinient store by the counter. I drank one before the test, and one at lunch.

I felt like I had as much energy at 5:00pm as I did when I started.

I think those are good for a little energy boost, and certainly recommend them, although I would suggest you try them BEFORE friday!!! I don't want to be responsible for a "Fudgey" type story come exam day!!!!!

GOOD LUCK!


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## Dleg (Apr 8, 2008)

Captain Worley PE said:


> I carried in about four half liter bottled water, and *a Zip-lok bag full of peanuts*.


The kind with the shells? That would be hilarious. I'd just throw the shells on the floor, and then promise the proctors I would clean up after I was finished.


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## IlPadrino (Apr 8, 2008)

Mike in Gastonia said:


> That is a good question. I looked on NCEES website and found this:
> 
> 
> It looks involved and complicated, but apparently can be considered a disability. Here's a link to the entire special accomodations section. Special Accomodations - NCEES


Shi-ite!

"Because of the challenge of distinguishing ADHD from normal developmental patterns and behaviors of adults—including procrastination, disorganization, distractibility, restlessness, boredom, academic underachievement or failure, low self-esteem, and chronic tardiness or inattendance—a multifaceted evaluation must address the intensity and frequency of the symptoms and whether these behaviors constitute an impairment in a major life activity."

Ain't that the truth!


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## Dleg (Apr 8, 2008)

Geez, after reading that, I wondering if I can blame my problems on ADD, too!


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## Capt Worley PE (Apr 9, 2008)

Dleg said:


> The kind with the shells? That would be hilarious. I'd just throw the shells on the floor, and then promise the proctors I would clean up after I was finished.


That would have been funny!

No, they were Planter's dry roasted peanuts out of the bottle. I figured that's be a quiet, protein laden snack.

And re ADD: That's th reason they have so many diagnosises now adays. it pretty much covers any slightly undesirable behavior.


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## Casey (Apr 9, 2008)

Well, I tried a Red Bull today a lunch and to be honest I don't feel any livelier... I'll stick with a coffee type beverage for the exam...


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## Capt Worley PE (Apr 10, 2008)

Every so often the Red Bull people swing through our office and give us each a can of the stuff. I can't say that I've gotten any energy increase from it. The taste isn't much better than Gatorade, either.


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## Vishal (Apr 10, 2008)

i had 2 bottles of gatorade, a banana, snack bars, milk (got from the hotsl i stayed in). i consumed one bar each in the AM and PM and had gatorade. took 2 breaks, one each in AM and PM. like JR mentioned, i did not hurt myself by taking those breaks, it was a small walk, like a stretch break during work hours and taking mind off the test just for a minute. helped me refresh and attack again.


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## dkent (Apr 10, 2008)

I'm a big time coffee drinker and I had the same concerns when I took the PE. About a week before the test I bought some No Doz pills and took the prescribed amount early in the morning to see what the effects would be. Then I proceeded to work some problems throughout the morning as if I was in the test. The prescribed amount made me really jittery so the next day I cut the pill in half and tried that. That did the trick. ...did the same thing on test day and I was awake, not jittery, and I didn't ever have to waist time going to the bathroom. Also, don't drink anything at breakfast or lunch.

D


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## TXengrChickPE (Apr 10, 2008)

I am a bona-fide caffeine addict. I've cut back significantly since I got pregnant, but I still consume more caffeine (usually in the form of Diet Dr. Pepper or Diet Coke) than most non-pregnant people do. At the time of my exam, I could not go more than 2.5hrs without getting withdrawal symptoms. So, I brought caffeinated beverages with me, because I knew that I'd never finish the exam without them. But, if you are not used to large amounts of caffeine, too much will cause more problems than not.

I don't see taking a bathroom break as a problem. Four hours is a long time to sit in the same chair staring at the same test booklet. I think most people would agree that sometimes, just getting up and walking around can increase your ability to focus.


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## snickerd3 (Apr 10, 2008)

TXengrChickPE said:


> I don't see taking a bathroom break as a problem. Four hours is a long time to sit in the same chair staring at the same test booklet. I think most people would agree that sometimes, just getting up and walking around can increase your ability to focus.


I'm an oddball then, When I get into the zone/groove (whatever you want to call it), I get annoyed/antsy when I stop even for a break cuz I know once I stop it is usually harder for me to start back up again. I just want to get it done.


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## NCcarguy (Apr 10, 2008)

Casey said:


> Well, I tried a Red Bull today a lunch and to be honest I don't feel any livelier... I'll stick with a coffee type beverage for the exam...



Don't drink Red-Bull!!!! IT'll pick you up from the sugars then you'll crash.....I like the 2 oz "5 Hour Energy" drinks. You can find them at ANY convenient store usually by the register....they're much better for this type setting....I did one before the exam and one at lunch. I felt energized and sharp all the way through the exam......and passed!


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## DVINNY (Apr 10, 2008)

All this talk about *PERFORMANCE ENHANCERS*, but let a baseball player take one little...........

.............. ah, nevermind.


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## k2keylargo (Aug 25, 2008)

Just browsing instead of studying - I did find that during the test, I was running very well on adrenaline, I drank some water, ate some dried fruit and nuts, took a pottie break once in am and one in pm and I was great. Passed too.


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## kschwa (Aug 27, 2008)

k2keylargo said:


> Any tips for maintaining alertness for 2 x 4hrs.? I'm starting to freak out about trying to remember everything, and now I'm thinking about how to keep my brain focused. Lots of caffeine = lots of bathroom breaks? What did everyone do - any recommendations to make it 8 hrs.? :winko:


Really, work on getting a decent nights sleep most of the week before the exam. A good nights sleep the night before would be great, but don't expect it, so try and go into the day before as well rested as possible. By the time you reach the week before, being rested and relaxed is probably as important as anything. You should have the bulk of your studying done by then, and quite frankly you brain will feel a little like mush anyways, so it's a good time to relax.

As far as energy drinks/pills/etc..........don't do anything you normally don't do. The exam is nerve racking enough, you don't want chemically induced shakes added on top of that. Unless you just have gotten horrible sleep for several days leading up to the test, your normal routine should suffice, be it coffee or energy drinks or whatever you normally do. Your adrenaline and the fast paced demands of the test along with the ticking clock should keep you as alert as anything. I know sitting for four hours sounds like a long time and it is when you are studying, but come test time, you will be shocked at how quick the half hours seem to tick by............you will actually wish they weren't running by so fast.


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## sehad (Aug 27, 2008)

I was shocked at how fast the time went by and that I really didn't drag until after the test.

Definitely stay away from energy drinks!! You'll crash about half way through. Don't eat anything heavy for lunch. I would say a sandwich or something and stop eating RIGHT when you feel full. Getting a sluggish start after lunch can kill you in the afternoon.


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## Trashman (Aug 27, 2008)

The 8 hour exam is a marathon. I would suggest taking something with you (food, drinks, caffeine) and then deciding during the test if you want to use them. I had trouble staying focused during the second half of the afternoon section. Blue Monster drink helped me (4th time!).


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## Sschell (Aug 27, 2008)

kschwa said:


> don't do anything you normally don't do.



I think this is key.

If you are not used to sitting in a room for 8 hours straight, besure to take a couple practice tests under as realistic conditions as you can get... I would follow your typical daily food/caffiene intake as close as possible.

edit: I guess this also means if you have a wicked caffiene/adderall/meth habit... by all means, stick to your routine... you don't want to be going through withdrawls during the test!


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## Dexman1349 (Aug 27, 2008)

I brought a couple Clif Bars with me to snack on during the exam. I also brought two Nalgene bottles (1 with orange juice, 1 with water). The natural sugars in the orange juice kept my energy levels up without the crash that typically accompanies the energy drinks.

I had a relatively lite lunch as well. Most grocery stores have pre-made cold sandwiches in the deli and if you add a soda and some fruit, you're good to go. My friend and I after finishing our lunch, we walked a quick lap around the building to help cut down on the post-lunch drag as well.

I agree with some of the above posts in that the time really does go by relatively quickly and most of us once we're in the test taking mode can stay sharp for a surprisingly long time. IMO there is plenty of time to hit the head once or twice in each session, so I would worry more about staying hydrated than trying to save 5 minutes to piss.

One other thing that really helped keep energy levels high was to take a vacation day or two immediately before the exam (wed &amp; thurs). I didn't even look at my books on Thursday aside from pre-loading them into the car Thursday night.


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## wilheldp_PE (Aug 27, 2008)

The Dude said:


> edit: I guess this also means if you have a wicked caffiene/aderol/meth habit... by all means, stick to your routine... you don't want to be going through withdrawls during the test!


That may be why I did so well on the FE. I drank excessively in the weeks leading up to the exam (my last semester in college), then I got really drunk at halftime of the exam. Somehow, I ended up passing.


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## chaosiscash (Aug 27, 2008)

^^ Alcohol does make you smarter, as it kills off the weaker, slower brain cells.


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## squishles10 (Aug 28, 2008)

Ha- I was reading above ^^^ not to eat a heavy lunch. Then thinking, what did I eat? Oh yeah, we hit up the Mexican place. Looking back, that was dumb. No Fudgey moments though- all was well, but good grief! Obviously the mind was elsewhere!


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## GT ME (Aug 28, 2008)

LOL

I had a quart of Red Bull to sip on during the ordeal to keep me going ...lol


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## Sschell (Aug 29, 2008)

"going" eh?


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## Capt Worley PE (Aug 29, 2008)

Maybe he had astronaut pampers on :dunno:


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## benbo (Aug 29, 2008)

GT ME said:


> LOL
> I had a quart of Red Bull to sip on during the ordeal to keep me going ...lol


Some might say you were full of bull.


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## sehad (Aug 29, 2008)

wilheldp_PE said:


> That may be why I did so well on the FE. I drank excessively in the weeks leading up to the exam (my last semester in college), then I got really drunk at halftime of the exam. Somehow, I ended up passing.



Really drunk? Wow.

I got really drunk the night before the FE. Stayed up till 4 in the morning and shaved my head SLICK! I got laughed at alot by my classmates during the exam, wasn't pretty.


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## Supe (Sep 2, 2008)

Pulled an 18 hour shift doing material inspection at a Seaport last week. Drank an entire 12 pack of Vault. I would advise against doing the same for test purposes, I damn near had a stroke.


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## MEPE2B (Sep 2, 2008)

I think the best you can do is get plenty of sleep on the same consistent schedule as you will on exam day for at least a week prior to the exam. I'd say not to take in any more caffeine on the day of the exam than what you take in during a normal day. Don't put anything in your body that will rock the boat.

If you happen to be a person who wakes and bakes, or takes a liquid lunch, then, who knows, you're body might protest if you make an exception on the day of the test.


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## Sschell (Sep 2, 2008)

MEPE2B said:


> If you happen to be a person who *wakes and bakes*, or *and* *takes a liquid lunch*.


damn I miss college...


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## wilheldp_PE (Sep 2, 2008)

sehad said:


> Really drunk? Wow.
> I got really drunk the night before the FE. Stayed up till 4 in the morning and shaved my head SLICK! I got laughed at alot by my classmates during the exam, wasn't pretty.


Yeah...like 12 beers in the lunch hour.


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## Jennifer (Sep 25, 2008)

I had a good sized cup of coffee and took a water and a diet dr. pepper with me last time (along with cough medicine for the cold I'd picked up). I didn't take any breaks and I was just fine as far as staying awake/concentrating. I can't live with out my morning coffee. Now...the guy next to me, he took about 10 bathroom breaks through out the day. I'm not joking about it. It got annoying after a while because the lady kept coming over for him.


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