the 1st Question Panic in LR

Bumblebee

Hey 7sagers,

Ive been experiencing the so-called (i named it haha) "first question panic" in my LR sections.

I happen to be very anxious and spending too much time on the first question, which is supposed to be among the easiest questions in the section. Yet I find the first questions difficult and it takes a couple of more questions until I calm down and find my pace.

Does this happen to anyone else, perhaps??

Should I skip the first question then come back? Hahah.. I wonder if that just transfers the burden of "first question panic" on the question that I choose as the substitute.

Thank you!

vanessa fisher

I have a similar experience. I've found two strategies to be helpful.
1) I allow myself huge license to skip in the first few questions. If I read the first question and it doesn't click right away, I circle it and move on. Sometimes question 2 as well. Usually by question 3 I'm warmed up and good, and I always have time to come back at the end and do the first one or two questions I skipped and they are easy by then

2) sometimes at the beginning of the LR I pause and take two breaths and center before even starting. Hard to slow down when you feel you should be speeding up, but I find because it slows me from rushing in, it actually saves time in the long run

Good luck!

monkeygod

I have the same problem.
I warm up with LR questions I've already done so when I start a new LR section I havent seen before, it doesn't feel like the first one. My mind is prepped to interpret the language the writers use.

I think the panic results from nerves brought in by going into answering questions cold.

I haven't done any full length PTs yet so I don't know if it would work in that situation.

Hope this helps

Bumblebee

@"vanessa fisher" said:
I have a similar experience. I've found two strategies to be helpful.
1) I allow myself huge license to skip in the first few questions. If I read the first question and it doesn't click right away, I circle it and move on. Sometimes question 2 as well. Usually by question 3 I'm warmed up and good, and I always have time to come back at the end and do the first one or two questions I skipped and they are easy by then

2) sometimes at the beginning of the LR I pause and take two breaths and center before even starting. Hard to slow down when you feel you should be speeding up, but I find because it slows me from rushing in, it actually saves time in the long run

Good luck!

Wow!! Thanks so much! Just what I needed to hear. I will take your advice to practice next time!I feel so much pressure to go faster especially in the first questions that my mind doesnt process the stimulus efficiently. I will try to calm down and try to come back to the first two questions if i dont get them the first time.

@monkeygod said:
I have the same problem.
I warm up with LR questions I've already done so when I start a new LR section I havent seen before, it doesn't feel like the first one. My mind is prepped to interpret the language the writers use.

I think the panic results from nerves brought in by going into answering questions cold.

I haven't done any full length PTs yet so I don't know if it would work in that situation.

Hope this helps

Thank you! As you mentioned, I really feel the dire need to warm up to the language of the writers. Im thinking of retyping and repeating to myself the first few words of stimuli from various PTs so i dont panic haha.

It's comforting to know Im not the only one with this panic mode! Thank you all!

Victoria14

I have this too - It's the WORST! I think the best thing I've ever done was to start doing pages as a whole and not necessarily their natural order. Say there will be 3 questions on the first page and the first one seems like it will take a lot of brain work. I immediately skip to three or two. I finish off the page in whatever order feels comfortable, bubble my answers and repeat on the following pages. I spend a lot less time being like, "Omg! I'm only on question 10 and i'm 15 minutes in!" and I actually move faster and more accurately through the test.

Bumblebee

@Victoria14 said:
I have this too - It's the WORST! I think the best thing I've ever done was to start doing pages as a whole and not necessarily their natural order. Say there will be 3 questions on the first page and the first one seems like it will take a lot of brain work. I immediately skip to three or two. I finish off the page in whatever order feels comfortable, bubble my answers and repeat on the following pages. I spend a lot less time being like, "Omg! I'm only on question 10 and i'm 15 minutes in!" and I actually move faster and more accurately through the test.

Wow! you just described my flow of thoughts during LR sections. Thank you for the advice!!!

ogshaw4

This is an old thread but did want to come on here and say THANK YOU to the original creator and folks who commented because I thought this was just me ... I have a tendency to freeze up on the first question of LR and it sets a tone for the rest of the section/test. Will be trying some of these tips on my next PT! Thanks again!