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Curious: new pencil per section during each PT?

Regis_Phalange63Regis_Phalange63 Alum Member
in General 1058 karma

Hi y'all,

Although I have temporarily stopped PTing and am fully committed to drilling games/passages for now, this occurred to me while sharpening my pencils earlier today: how many pencils do you use for each PT? Do you prepare at least 5 so that at the beginning of each section, you pull out a freshly sharpened pencil? Or do you use one for the first 2/3 sections? Since I notate relatively heavily on RC passages, I need a sharp tool at the beginning of each RC section but I would also like to know how others go about this.

:)

Comments

  • cqas190517cqas190517 Alum Member 🍌
    535 karma

    When I sat in September I actually brought like six pencils and only ended up using one LOLOL

  • Regis_Phalange63Regis_Phalange63 Alum Member
    1058 karma

    @cqas190517 said:
    When I sat in September I actually brought like six pencils and only ended up using one LOLOL

    LOL The blunt edge didn't bother you? haha

  • cqas190517cqas190517 Alum Member 🍌
    535 karma

    @Regis_Phalange63 said:

    @cqas190517 said:
    When I sat in September I actually brought like six pencils and only ended up using one LOLOL

    LOL The blunt edge didn't bother you? haha

    No! I hate the super sharp end of the pencil right when it’s been sharpened because I’m a heavy writer. It actually always breaks off under the weight of my writing and my crushing despair.

  • NotMyNameNotMyName Alum Member Sage
    edited October 2018 5320 karma

    Sharp tips please my OCD personality but made for shitty bubble-fillers. I brought 6 but probably only used 2 and even ran down the tips before using those.

  • LSAT_WreckerLSAT_Wrecker Member
    4850 karma

    Heavy note-taker / annotator here as well. I typically went with 3 pencils per test (including real ones). I would sharpen them each to begin the test and again during the break. That gave me something to do besides stress for the entire 15 minutes between testing halves.

  • turnercmturnercm Alum Member 🍌
    770 karma

    i'm bringing like 7 plus a pencil sharpener but i'll only use 3-4!

  • Leah M BLeah M B Alum Member
    8392 karma

    @cqas190517 said:
    When I sat in September I actually brought like six pencils and only ended up using one LOLOL

    Ditto lol. I'm paranoid and somehow bringing a fistful of pencils made me feel better, but I've never used more than 1 per test. I sharpen at the break, but that's it. If it was super dull when I start LG, I might switch to a new sharp one. I don't like writing games with a super dull lead. Too messy. But otherwise, just 1, which I sharpen at the break.

  • paulmv.benthempaulmv.benthem Alum Member
    edited October 2018 1032 karma

    Oh my gosh! I feel like such a weirdo after reading these comments. On average, I go through about 12-13 pencils per test. I sit down with at least 16, and I only have a few on my unused pile by the end. I grab a sharp pencil at the beginning of each new game and each new RC passage, and I probably grab a new pencil roughly every 5-6 LR questions. I'm all about reducing friction while I write. :wink:

  • TrinkSchokoTrinkSchoko Free Trial Member
    edited October 2018 69 karma

    @"paulmv.benthem" said:
    Oh my gosh! I feel like such a weirdo after reading these comments. On average, I go through about 12-13 pencils per test. I sit down with at least 16, and I only have a few on my unused pile by the end. I grab a sharp pencil at the beginning of each new game and each new RC passage, and I probably grab a new pencil roughly every 5-6 LR questions. I'm all about reducing friction while I write. :wink:

    You are so not alone and thanks for making me feel less like a weirdo hahaha! Okay because getting obsessed with such details helped me relax, I actually had 8-10 HB pencils sharpened to the extreme for note-taking and 2 No. 2 pencils from a different brand (I know...) that were blunt and oh so good for bubbling. Cos my HB pencils were of assorted color I actually grouped them and used only one specific color for one specific kind of session haha. I know this is stepping deep into the weirdo realm but it makes me happy to do it. Ended up using 1-2 HB pencils for each session and 3 for my LG (cos Sep LG was so stressful:(

  • _oshun1__oshun1_ Alum Member
    edited October 2018 3652 karma

    I probably brought 10 pencils and I think I switched per section. I definitely switched during every other LG game. My handwriting is messy enough so I need the sharp tips for it to be legible.
    When I PTed I pretty religiously switched pencils per section and for each game. Just felt kind of calming and confidence boosting to have a new pencil.

  • sandypantssandypants Alum Member
    231 karma

    I used about two pencils per section! I brought 12 pencils I think to the July LSAT, and sharpened the ones I used during the break. I love a sharp tip, and my pencils were actually 2B not HB so they are a bit softer. There's definitely something refreshing about switching pencils.

    I was SO scared for and a little impressed by the boldness of a fellow test taker---as we were sitting and waiting for the test, all he had was ONE pencil on his desk and no sharpener! Talk about utter faith in a pencil, I should've asked what brand it was.

  • eRetakereRetaker Free Trial Member
    2038 karma

    @sandypants said:
    I used about two pencils per section! I brought 12 pencils I think to the July LSAT, and sharpened the ones I used during the break. I love a sharp tip, and my pencils were actually 2B not HB so they are a bit softer. There's definitely something refreshing about switching pencils.

    I was SO scared for and a little impressed by the boldness of a fellow test taker---as we were sitting and waiting for the test, all he had was ONE pencil on his desk and no sharpener! Talk about utter faith in a pencil, I should've asked what brand it was.

    Lol that sounds like the type of guy that takes math tests with pens

  • Leah M BLeah M B Alum Member
    8392 karma

    @sandypants said:
    I was SO scared for and a little impressed by the boldness of a fellow test taker---as we were sitting and waiting for the test, all he had was ONE pencil on his desk and no sharpener! Talk about utter faith in a pencil, I should've asked what brand it was.

    That's a baller move right there.

  • BamboosproutBamboosprout Alum Member
    1694 karma

    I made it a habit to switch pencils every section so that I don't have to think about it. I sharpen them during the break as well. I bring 4 new pencils and 3 old ones to every test, and typically use them all by the end because I need 4 or 5 for the essay.

  • SLP_futureJDSLP_futureJD Alum Member
    464 karma

    @sandypants said:

    I was SO scared for and a little impressed by the boldness of a fellow test taker---as we were sitting and waiting for the test, all he had was ONE pencil on his desk and no sharpener! Talk about utter faith in a pencil, I should've asked what brand it was.

    Thinking of this scenario gives me anxiety. I have already run through putting things in my clear bag to make sure everything fits. I have ~6 pencils AND my sharpener on the desk with me when I take a test. This guy is my opposite and kind of my hero...but also not, because SERIOUSLY what would he have done if his pencil broke?

  • sandypantssandypants Alum Member
    231 karma

    @SLP_futureJD

    Right? I had to stop looking at his desk because it made me nervous lol. Definitely a baller move like @"Leah M B" said. I almost wanted to give him a couple of my pencils since I clearly brought too many!

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