Test day ritual?

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Jun 13, 2015

I always get up early that day. I may just dilly dally around or I may study. Seriously, I get up between 4-5 on test days. I think I get too amped up. But I also stop at the convienence store and get a Twinkie!! It's the only time I ever treat myself to something like that!!! I think just the pleasure signals I get from my brain with eating that calms me beforehand. I've missed those since I've been on break!!

CT Pixie, BSN, RN · Jun 13, 2015

I found myself wearing the same outfit on test days. Not sure if it was coincidence or unconscience but it always seemed I had the same jeans/top on. :)

My conscience decision was I HAD to use the same pen for every test. Luckily that pen lasted the entire LPN program and my pen for my RN program also lasted.

pixiestudent2 · Jun 13, 2015

I wear my favorite band's t shirt and I use the same mechanical pencil, it's blue and fatter than a typical pencil.

nlitened · Jun 13, 2015

I have a lucky pencil:)

NICUmiiki, DNP, NP · Jun 13, 2015

My test day ritual was always sleeping until the last minute and then rolling up in the classroom at the very last minute. Yea I was THAT girl. I always got some really snooty looks as I squeezed by everyone to shuffle to that one open seat. I really don't regret it though, because I got to skip the pre-test last minute cram that only made me less sure of myself. I had no time to be nervous.

babilidose · Jun 13, 2015

I always had a bag of crayons and a coloring book. Before tests, I would seclude myself and color. People laughed at me, but by the end of nursing school, some of my classmates would color with me and my professors knew it was my thing. Only stipulation to sharing a page with me was no talking about test materials. Only regression and jokes. Lol my peds teacher appreciated the coloring in criss cross applesauce the most.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Jun 13, 2015

This thread made me smile :)

I had "lucky earrings"! Even wore them to clinicals when I felt it was going to be a rough day or whatever. Sometimes, it was true, that my lucky earrings didn't seem to help so much, LOL, but....I still stuck to wearing them if something important was in the air!!

And whenever I reach for that pair now, I immediately flash to the 'lucky' days...and then think "maybe it'll be a better day today now that I'm wearing them"!

Humans really are freaks, aren't we?

Sizzline · Jun 14, 2015

I have a lucky pencil, and I always make sure that I take time with my appearance. No rolling into class in jeans and a hoodie on test days! I wear something I feel good in, take time with my hair, and do a tiny bit of make-up (which I never wear otherwise). I find that feeling good about how I look gives me a little boost of confidence so I'm not quite as panicked walking into the test room.

AlwaysLearning247, BSN · Jun 14, 2015

This sounds so weird but before nursing tests I always got a ham, egg, and cheese on a bagel from Dunkin Donuts with an apple juice and wore my favorite necklace. The one time I didn't, I didn't do well on the exam.

IHeartPeds87 · Jun 14, 2015

I always walked to the school bookstore, purchased a scantron and a 2.95 pack of zebra pencils. the one time I didn't, I got a bad grade so this was my routine.

honestly I think it was more an anxiety thing and that walking away from the crowd of people cramming at the last minute helped.

SavvyNurse91, BSN, CNA · Jun 14, 2015

Test day- I found a dollar before one of my final exams that I wear over my heart for luck. I wear loose fitting, comfortable clothes and a hoodie (since we cant wear jackets and I get cold easily). Then right before an exam I do deep breathing excercises to decrease my TERRIBLE test anxiety. Then I pray. :)