Self-study
Hi everyone!
I am in need of some advice about how to stayed focused during a full-timed exam. I can usually get through the first two sections unbothered and locked in. However, after the 10 minute break between the 2nd and 3rd sections I become super tired and sluggish and this causes me to do worse on the last two sections. I know I could do so much better if I am able to stay on track and not become uninterested.
I am not sure if this makes sense or if anyone else has had this issue, but any advice would be greatly appreciated!
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4 comments
One good thing I find is that I have a bit of adrenaline going during a real exam, so I tend to be less sluggish than when I’m taking a practice. Hopefully, that’ll be you too. But for practice? I suggest drinking some water during your break and stretching. Try to change your movements a bit during this time and treat the second half as a kind of new start. You have the break to reset a little bit, so shake it out and try to get into the headspace you had when starting the first section. It’s tough for sure!
@jesmc2129 I am so sorry for responding late! Thank you for the advice! I do walk around my house during the ten-minute break, so maybe I need to do some jumping jacks lol.
I have unmedicated ADHD so I feel this 100%. Personally, I play deep concentration music on YouTube (I know this won't work for test day, but it's helping train my mind for extended deep focus. But mostly it's recognizing I'm drifting, dialing back in, and taking 10-15 seconds to close my eyes, breathe, and give myself a motivational pep talk. You are your own best coach! The lost 10-15 seconds is worth it if you're going to continue drifting for the rest of the section. I hope this helps a bit :)
@yagottahavefaith I am so sorry for responding late! Thank you for the advice! I always try to tell myself, "You can do this. What does the question want, and what can you infer from the stimulus or passage?"