Pre-exam rituals

What are your pre-exam rituals?
Mine is loading up on caffeine and energy drinks, with diet coke and sugar free redbull right up until I walk into the test center.

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jamesleecoleman

I usually go over a few things from the material, get an energy drink, and relax. I usually drink the energy drink while I'm on the way to the testing center.

demonfurbie

many a goat have died to the microsoft alter at the testing ritual

i normally listen to music and goto the bathroom and get a drink

jibbajabba

Going for a pee .. that's it

Krunchi

For me the test has to be on the same day of the week " Friday" and time "1:00 PM".
I eat at the same place for lunch before the test
I wear the same clothes
The most important thing a mouth full of peppermints three to be exact.
I'm pretty superstitious I do even crazier things during college football season.

Dakinggamer87

I usually eat a good breakfast, look over the exam objectives, and drink some caffeine and energy drinks

Hypntick

Do a quick run through of my notes, get a bottle of water, hit the bathroom and take a .25mg dose of an anti-anxiety medication to calm my nerves a bit.

Edit: apparently that particular med is filtered.

Pishof

A) Spicy chicken biscuit breakfast from Chic-fil-A along with a large mug of coffee made in my french press at home an hour before the exam.

Restroom then leave for testing center.

C) Pass testing center for the X number of times like I always do.

D) Turn around, arrive at testing center, begin test.

E) Pass!

F) Girl proctor says I look familiar and I refresh her memory that I'm in there often.

CodeBlox

Man, a few of you consume energy drinks before the exam? If I did, I think I'd crash half way through the exam. I play Xbox a few hours before my exams.

rwmidl

Night before maybe look at some notes, but mostly relax and try to clear my head. On the day of the test, usually I try to book the first available slot in the morning, while I'm still "fresh". Get up, eat a good breakfast and just "clear my head". Arrive at the test center, check in and before the test starts, I just close my eyes and get in to my zone and get at the test.

kiki162

CodeBlox wrote: »

Man, a few of you consume energy drinks before the exam? If I did, I think I'd crash half way through the exam. I play Xbox a few hours before my exams.

Yeah I have to chase that with a diet coke to keep my brain going...red bull alone just doesn't cut it. Wow...Xbox huh?! That's a new one. I can't even listen to the radio before I get into the test center. At least that keeps your brain in that "focused mode"

chrisone

pre-game rituals!

Imagine, wearing your headband and taking baby powder into the exam environment and doing that in front of everyone LOL!

Mike-Mike

demonfurbie wrote: »

many a goat have died to the microsoft alter at the testing ritual

that literally made me laugh out loud

rogue2shadow

chrisone wrote: »

pre-game rituals!

Imagine, wearing your headband and taking baby powder into the exam environment and doing that in front of everyone LOL!

Def laughed out. They'd be like sir "no magic dust is allowed in this test center!".

SteveO86

Behead a chicken, perform a voodoo dance.

All in all I might study the night before, although I try to relax.. go to sleep early.. I usually book my exam at 9-10 in the morning so I can sleep in a bit enjoy my coffee, drive down to the testing center pass the test, then go to work and have boss ask me if I'm any smarter for passing the test. Then that night I'll have a glass of some expensive scotch or cognac to celebrate

Not much of a ritual but I like to keep it simple

alan2308

chrisone wrote: »

pre-game rituals!

Imagine, wearing your headband and taking baby powder into the exam environment and doing that in front of everyone LOL!

I'm so doing this when I go in for the 70-642.

SteveO86

alan2308 wrote: »

I'm so doing this when I go in for the 70-642.

I request a youtube video

tbgree00

I always put on a temporary tattoo the night before a test. I have had my best luck with Mr. Potato Head or Eeyore, though I did pass a test with Hulk once. I fail when I wear DC hero tattoos.

DevilWAH

OK mine goes like this,

And lets be clear about this I gave up smoking about 2 years ago now...

I always book the exam at about 11 to 12noon.

Drive to the test center and jsut before i get there there is a garage/petrol station.

stop and buy
a pack of 10 marlboro lights
one disposible lighter
one bottle of bannana milk shake

I then pull up out side the test center about 20 to 30 min early, scan though my one page of A4 notes ( i always write up a single side of notes to scan jsut before going in, list of topics to get my brain in gear)

smoke one cigarette, followed by milk drink.

take the exam

go back to car and smoke one further cigarette (pass or fail)

I still have a pack of exactly 8 ciggies in my car from my last exam a few months ago. apart from jsut before and just after exams I never touch the things.

pitviper

I try to do nothing stressful the morning of the test. I typically won’t even review my notes the day of (at this point, I either know it, or I don’t!). I take a nice long shower and listen to some music to unwind. Then I’ll mix a little FocusXT in a water bottle, drink it on the way to the testing center, hit the bathroom, and then it’s on!

DevilWAH

pitviper wrote: »

hit the bathroom,

Ahh yes, the most important part of the ritual !!

Why is it i go before I leave the house, but the moment i walk in the test center I am ready to burst!

Dr IT

@Steve086 :: "" Behead a chicken, perform a voodoo dance. """

Steve i would need to learn few dance steps here.

As for mine - just rush through my notes and eat a light breakfast and loads of water..

Dakinggamer87

CodeBlox wrote: »

I play Xbox a few hours before my exams.

I have done this before on a couple exams to relax and keep focused before I go into taking an exam.

thehourman

1. I don't tell other people that I am going to take an exam because for some reason it feels like bad luck.
2. A lot of prayers
3. I also have to take a crap, no matter what I need to push those treasures out.
4. Relaxing my brain is a must, but it is so hard to relax.
5. Eat breakfast and a banana.
6. Call the testing center if there is a seat available (I'm a walk-in)
7. I usually take a test in morning because I don't like sweating while taking the test.

Forsaken_GA

My pre-exam ritual basically goes like this -

I'm studying.

I 'feel' it.

If it's mid afternoon or later, I put the books down and relax the rest of the night.

If it's earlier in the day, or I wait until the following day, I drive down to the test center, schedule an exam on the spot, and take it right then.

SteveO86

Forsaken_GA wrote: »

If it's earlier in the day, or I wait until the following day, I drive down to the test center, schedule an exam on the spot, and take it right then.

Hhmm, I've always scheduled mine a few days in advance.. I've never shown up on the spot and asked to take the test.

I'll have to ask my nearest testing center if I can do that.

Forsaken_GA

SteveO86 wrote: »

Hhmm, I've always scheduled mine a few days in advance.. I've never shown up on the spot and asked to take the test.

I'll have to ask my nearest testing center if I can do that.

If they've got an open spot, they're more than happy to fill it, the testing center doesn't make any money off empty slots.

Doing that is also the only use I've ever gotten out of the wallet cards, as it has my Cisco ID on it, so I had that over with my license to make sure they're scheduling me correctly.

Unfortunately, I've had issues with Vue on scheduling exams over the phone and via the website, that have resulted in me getting a new Cisco ID. Trying to get Cisco to merge your test results is an ordeal. I've found the easiest way to make sure they get the right account is to go schedule it in person, and watch over their shoulder as they do it to make damn sure it's done right.

Akaricloud

I usually don't sleep the night before(or get very little sleep) then have an energy drink or two in the morning. I'll add some alcohol to the energy drink if I'm feeling unnecessarily nervous about it. I'm one of the rare few that does better on exams when I have some alcohol in me.

After I click start on the exam and the timer starts I draw out a picture on the supplied dry erase sheet. My first MS exam I drew a fairly detailed smiley face and for the second I drew out a Tetris game using the grid lines to properly form the shapes. I'm pretty sure the proctor watching thought I was crazy for spending about 15 minutes on it but whatever. If the test starts to stress me out at all I just look back to my drawing and maybe work on it some more.

I really wish I could have taken a picture of that Tetris drawing but I'm sure they wouldn't allow it.

If there's one thing I've learned in college it's that the moments before a test are best spent relaxing. During this time I usually connect the material that I do know in my head instead of trying to cram more in.