Feeling the pressure...

mew41195

Hi everyone! I took the Feb test and was disappointed in my score relative to where I was PTing/averaging, but had a good overall test day experience so I am optimistic about June from that perspective.

That being said, seeing the "T minus 4 weeks" note in my calendar for this upcoming test upped my stress level a bit and now I feel like my test anxiety/nerves are impeding the quality of my studying. I'm putting so much more pressure on each section and feel like I spend more time worrying about the aggregate score of a test/section and less time on the actual concept in a given question.

I can only remind myself to breathe and slow down so many times (read: 100 a day) so I was wondering if anyone else feels/has felt this way and had any tips/tricks? They can be actual study related or life/headspace clearing related.

Tangential question: for those of y'all who have previously taken an AM test, what did you change to feel comfortable with a PM test? I'm a morning person (wake up at 5am) so the AM tests are preferable but unfortunately the world doesn't revolve around my preferences so, alas, I will be surrendering to the fate of the 12:30pm test this June.

Thanks in advance!

AudaciousRed

I hear ya. I just had two REALLY bad weeks in my life, back to back, and my last two PT's were utter crap. I feel like now I won't make it to where I want to be in June. I stress about not studying every second, even when I take off a sanity day. Like somehow I'm going to see sudden improvement between now and then. Maybe I will, maybe I won't. And it'll still be okay. But I have to keep reminding myself that the bigger goal of not paying for tuition is worth the struggle. That next year will be just like this year. My GPA has always been great (though it'd help if LSAC would compile that and give me some idea soon), and if I finish the next two semesters strong, that will always stand solid. The test can fluctuate. I can get better at the test. I cannot redo my GPA, so that keeps things in perspective for me. Maybe if I had all the time, and wasn't working and wasn't doing classes, and had all my mental space for the LSAT, I'd be further along. But that wasn't what was served to me. I can only do with what I am given, and roll with it. That's all any of us can do. The point is to keep rolling along.
I am also thinking of maybe doing some Tai Chi. Yoga is good, but I think I need something easier stress wise and more mind-clearing right now.

AudaciousRed

Seeking Perfection

As far as the morning vs afternoon part, I doubt it will make that much of a difference. I took PTs everywhere from 5 am in the morning to one I started at midnight with largely the same scores.

Just take a few PTs in the afternoon if you can.

jyarmo

I totally share your stress... in fact, the other day I had the thought that these last four weeks are like when you hear "there are five minutes remaining" (ahhhh!!!!). When I feel like you describe, my strategy has been to re-orient myself to the present moment and see what the next thing I can do could be to forward that goal. Sometimes if I'm stuck doing some mundane task/work, I can mentally run through the list of flaws, or do a visualization of myself killing it on 6/11 or whatever. Sometimes it is get up and take 5 minutes to do a few games. But you can only do what you can do, focus on breathing, meditation, yoga, have all been helpful for me to get "above" the anxiety and stress and to let them go. -See them for what they are, just a feeling in this one moment that does NOT encompass the truth of the entire situation. You got this. You're prepared. You are deserving, etc! Good luck!

mew41195

@AudaciousRed said:
I hear ya. I just had two REALLY bad weeks in my life, back to back, and my last two PT's were utter crap. I feel like now I won't make it to where I want to be in June. I stress about not studying every second, even when I take off a sanity day. Like somehow I'm going to see sudden improvement between now and then. Maybe I will, maybe I won't. And it'll still be okay. But I have to keep reminding myself that the bigger goal of not paying for tuition is worth the struggle.aybe if I had all the time, and wasn't working and wasn't doing classes, and had all my mental space for the LSAT, I'd be further along. But that wasn't what was served to me. I can only do with what I am given, and roll with it. That's all any of us can do. The point is to keep rolling along.

appreciate this insight! My GPA is done and over with (graduated last Spring) so you make a good point - some of the pressure might be from the fact that this is the only aspect in my control right now? either way, thanks for taking the time to respond. best of luck! it's tough but it's good.

Return On Inference

As far as the morning vs afternoon part, I doubt it will make that much of a difference. I took PTs everywhere from 5 am in the morning to one I started at midnight with largely the same scores.

Just take a few PTs in the afternoon if you can.

@"Seeking Perfection"

No offense but I think this experience is a huge outlier. I know that for me, taking an exam anytime after 5pm (I wake up between 5-6) is equivalent to throwing the PT in the toilet.

Seeking Perfection

@"Return On Inference" said:

As far as the morning vs afternoon part, I doubt it will make that much of a difference. I took PTs everywhere from 5 am in the morning to one I started at midnight with largely the same scores.

Just take a few PTs in the afternoon if you can.

@"Seeking Perfection"

No offense but I think this experience is a huge outlier. I know that for me, taking an exam anytime after 5pm (I wake up between 5-6) is equivalent to throwing the PT in the toilet.

Maybe, people are different. It is worth noting that I am a night person so for me it was more a surprise that my PTs in the morning were as good as the ones at night than the other way around.

mew41195

@"Return On Inference" said:

As far as the morning vs afternoon part, I doubt it will make that much of a difference. I took PTs everywhere from 5 am in the morning to one I started at midnight with largely the same scores.

Just take a few PTs in the afternoon if you can.

@"Seeking Perfection"

No offense but I think this experience is a huge outlier. I know that for me, taking an exam anytime after 5pm (I wake up between 5-6) is equivalent to throwing the PT in the toilet.

@"Return On Inference" have you by any chance taken an 8 and a 12:30 test? any tips? as a fellow 5am'er, i definitely feel different during the afternoon