7 Exam Day Mistakes You Don't Know You're Making

 

It’s the day before the exam, and your stress level is at an all time high. You’ve spent weeks studying every tiny detail and here you are, approaching exam day, and your mind is already going blank.

There’s no way you’ll be able to get a full night of sleep—you’re nauseated, dehydrated, unfocused, unconfident, all of the above!

Chances are, you’re about to make a major exam-prep-mistake that you could easily avoid.

Students tend to make mistakes in their preparation or study regimes in the weeks or days leading up to a high stakes exam, which could often hinder their performance, costing crucial points. Med students aren’t an exception to these common errors; in fact, they’re often the example.

The USMLE Step 1 is arguably the most paramount exam in medical education, and every single point counts on the big day. So what bad practices should you cut out of your routine to ensure your best performance on game day?
 

Mistake #1: Not sleeping enough, and not on a regular sleep schedule (napping, sleeping in on exam day)

 

This first mistake is so easy to avoid, you can literally do it in your sleep. (Bad pun.) You should aim for 7 full hours of sleep each night during the week before your exam so you’re fully charged on the big day.

Sometimes it seems like the solution to gaining more study time is sleeping less at night, or taking more naps during the day. But research shows, this is far from the truth.

Sleep is important throughout your entire study schedule, because your circadian rhythms (which influence your sleep-wake cycles, hormone releases, and other bodily functions) can take a few days to set into a rhythm. Don’t wait until the day before the exam to make the switch to a healthy sleep schedule.

If your exam begins at 7am, but you normally wake up at 10 am, start setting your alarm an hour earlier every day and going to bed an hour earlier every night. This will ease you into the practice of waking up at 6am to be alert and focused by 7am.
 

Mistake #2: Cramming the days leading up to the exam

Ask any marathon trainer if you should run a marathon the day before your event, and they’re going to give you the same answer: you’re crazy. Training is all about being ready, not being done. So don’t cram the day before the test!

If you’ve been studying 14 hours a day for weeks, start to taper down to 10 hours a day, then to 8 (which is the approximate length of Step 1—you can taper down to the length of your own test if you’re not prepping for a medical exam). Cramming increases your anxiety levels, and it’s more important that the time you spend studying is effective.

Research shows that studying the day before the exam hurts you, because it crowds your short term memory with last minute info that can interfere with long term memory retrial or bias your decision making skills.

For example, if you study diabetes the day before the exam, your mind is naturally going to lean towards diabetes related answers. Moral of this story: take a full day off to give your brain a break and don’t cram!
 

Mistake #3: Locking yourself indoors

Just because your career depends on this exam doesn’t mean you should lock yourself in the library for weeks straight. Get out!

Start partaking in some light exercise in the morning—you don’t want to rigorously exercise at risk of building up lactic acid, but increasing your heart rate with aerobic exercise is advantageous. This will release endorphins giving you a better perspective and more confidence. Plus, it’ll help you sleep better at night. Try walking, light jogging, cycling, or hiking.

Try to spend a little more time outside during your study routine as well. You’ve probably been staring at your book or computer or tablet for weeks now, so give your eyes a breather! Find an open space where you can enjoy the view and allow your mind to relax for a bit.
 

Mistake #4: Avoiding all television

 

As a demonstration of your determination and will power, you may have already given up television throughout the duration of your studying. Good for you—almost.

It’s great to practice focus, but sometimes you need to take a little “me” time. If you enjoy watching television typically, don’t deprive yourself of a reward from time to time. Some students even find that watching a movie before test day is a nice break.

However, you don’t want to watch a movie that will be too intense or cause a lot of reflection afterwards. TV shows or movies with crashing cars, dying soldiers, or confusing love triangles may linger in your mind the day after you watch it, so leave those selections out.

If you’re going to watch TV, pick something mindless.
 

Mistake #5: Over-Caffeinating

 

A lot of students make the mistake of loading up on coffee and Redbull right before heading into the exam to stay as alert as humanly possible. Big mistake!

Some students might think that caffeine on exam day might hinder their performance, so they avoid it on the big day. Another mistake!

The truth is, you should take it easy on the caffeine altogether. Try to taper off your caffeine intake—or at least maintain your average—in the days leading up to the exam so as to avoid any symptoms associated with caffeine withdrawal.

And whatever you do, don’t increase your intake on the day of. You shouldn’t be making any drastic changes to your diet before the exam.

Another caffeine tip: avoid it after 4pm so that it doesn’t interfere with your sleep regimen.
 

Mistake #6: Avoiding thinking about the test day

 

In a fit of denial, you might be tempted to avoid thinking about the “day of” altogether. But don’t forget about your test day preparation!

Preparing for the test day is a great way to boost your confidence and mental readiness. Plan out the day:

• where will you park?
• where will you put your bags?
• how long does it takes to get there?
• what is the temperature of the room?

—anything you can think of that will put your mind at ease.
 

Don’t forget to plan your exam break time as well. Be sure to pack food. We recommend a complex carb to start your day and provide longer lasting energy; bananas and oranges offer lots of electrolytes and are convenient to carry; and a snack bar is always an easy option with a nice sugar boost to help you cross the finish line.

Lastly, know where the bathrooms are. You don’t want to be distracted with a potty break in the middle of the exam.
 

Mistake #7: Focusing on the short term and avoiding life post-exam

It might seem like the USMLE Step 1 is the last day of your future, but it’s not. Just because it’s difficult to see over this hurdle, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t start plans for post-exam time.

It’s an easy way to keep yourself motivated: plan something fun to do after the exam. You’ll need a reward, and this can be a nice refresher from the monotony of studying. Start planning something fun with a group of friends to keep the finish line in focus.

• Plan a vacation with friends
• Make reservations at a nice restaurant
• Throw a party for you and your classmates

As soon as that exam is done, you’ll be glad you planned this far ahead!

 

Exam day is hard enough. You already have too many things to worry about. So don’t be your own worst enemy. Try to recognize and correct as many little mistakes like these as possible, so you’ll calm and confident come exam day.

Keep your head held high and your mind clear, and you’re going to do just fine!

 

 

 

Arguably              : muhtemelen
Breather              :ara, paydos
Convenient         :münasip, müsait, elverişli
Cram                  : sınav öncesi ineklemek
Crowd                  :kalabalık (etmek)
Crucial                 :çok önemli
Denial                  : reddetme, inkar
Drastic                 :sert, güçlü, zorlayıcı, etkili
Exception            :istisna, itiraz
Headed into        : başı bir tarafa çevrili
Intense                :İstekli, yoğun, son derece
Literally                 :tam olarak, harfiyen, gerçekten
Paramount         :olağanüstü, başlıca, en önemli
Partake                 :payı olmak,  iştirak etmek
Potty                     :klozet, önemsiz, basit
Readiness           :hazır olma
Reflection           :yansıma, yankı, etki, düşünce
Retrial                   :yeniden yargılama
Rigorously          :dikkatli bir şekilde, kesin olarak
Tiny                      :ufacık, küçücük
 Withdrawal        :vazgeçme, gerileme
Avoid                    kaçınmak, sakınmak
Be distracted with  :- den deliye dönmek
Boost                  :reklam yapmak, övmek, artırmak
Deprive of          :mahrum etmek
Over-caffeinate :aşırı kafein almak
Get out                :çıkmak, açığa çıkmak
Go blank             : beyni durmak
Hinder                   :engellemek
Hurdle                 :üstesinden gelmek
Interfere with   :ilişmek, karışmak
Lead up to          :sözü getirmeye çalışmak,
Load up               :yüklenmek
Prep for               :hazırlanmak
Put your mind at ease   :rahatlatmak
Stare at                :bakakalmak
Stay alert            :ayık kalmak
Take a nap         : şekerleme yapmak, kısa uyumak
Taper off             :gitgide azalmak
Hold head high  :başını dik tutmak