Exam Routine

My first exam of the semester is on a Saturday afternoon. That seems like such a drag, but it is important that you make the most of the situation you are given.

A good night sleep is the first step to taking an exam. Since my exam wasn't until the afternoon I decided not to set an alarm. Of course I still woke up at about 7:00am. I won't lie, I did stay in bed for some time. Then I had a quick shower to wake me up and jumpstart my morning.

My greatest advice for any day, especially during exam season is to have a good breakfast!

This doesn't necessarily mean a 3 course meal. A bowl of oatmeal is a sufficient breakfast :)

Today I had a bacon and egg sandwich with cheese and tomatoes, definitely a staple in my house. I don't have a coffee everyday, but today felt like one of those days.

I have found it important to set boundaries between my personal time and school. Breakfast away from my computer is one of the biggest steps I have taken in setting boundaries. Take this time to enjoy yourself and reflect on your day. I like to read a book or journal during breakfast.

By this point I still had about 6 hours until my exam. After studying this class for an entire semester, I am pretty confident and there is not much more learning I can do at this point. I read through my notes of the lectures that are being tested. I like to add comments and look over pictures in my document, so I have more cues to make it easier for me to recall the information during the exam.

Before lunch I still have some time. Today I painted my nails to prepare for all the Christmas festivities after exams!

Just like breakfast, lunch is important as brain food, especially on an exam day! Lunch is a little bit more quick than breakfast, but still personal time (so no studying while eating!!).

For the remaining time before my exam, I like to make sure I am comfortable with a full water bottle and a tea. I go through my notes and look at the practice questions just to boost my confidence. If you go into your exam thinking you are going to do well, you are more likely to see results that you'll be happy with!

Online exams are hard. It takes a lot out of my to use my bedroom as my classroom, so once I turn my computer off at my desk I like to head to my bed or to the living room as a change of scenery. TV is one of my favourite 'cool down' activities after a big exam. I take the rest of the evening to relax and prepare to do it all again tomorrow!

(yes, tomorrow, a Sunday afternoon exam)