Waking up on the day of your exam, hopefully 99% of the work is already done. You’ve studied and all you have to do now is take the test! Treating your test prep like a marathon and planning for every possibility is a way to succeed. Let’s talk about strategies that will help you be ready to rock on “game day.”

1) Practice like you test

I am a big proponent of the “practice like you test” strategy. Review of material is one thing, but I highly recommend at least the month before leading up to your test, you should start buckling down on practice tests. Take them whole, take them within the time limits, take them at the same time you will on test day, and take them in a place similar to your test day environment. What does this look like? It means going to the library or finding a quiet classroom, setting your timer, and taking the test as if it were the big day! Star questions you’re not sure about, but do not look at the answer choices until you’re all done. If you find you’re taking too much time or too little to complete a session, adjust accordingly. This way on test day, there will be no surprises and no rushing through sections!

Eat like a champion

Do you have a favorite granola bar? Are you a big proponent of peanut butter and jelly, or do you prefer turkey and cheddar? Whatever it is, test day is not the day to grab something random to eat and hope it works out. We are trying to avoid variation, right? Especially if you are taking a day-long test like the MCAT, it is crucial to have your meals planned out (just like an athlete!). You don’t want to have an energy crash or stomach ache on the big day. When you’re taking those practice tests that we talked about above, eat the same thing every time. Losing focus by hour three? Maybe you need to add in some carbohydrates or protein. Feeling sluggish? Consider whether the meal you’re having for breakfast or lunch is too heavy. And, if you're a coffee drinker, don't do anything wildly different on test day: have the same number of cups you normally do. Also, plan your bathroom breaks accordingly! I know it sounds crazy, but you’ll figure out what works for you and on test day there will be no surprises.

3) Warm up and cool down

Athletes don’t take the field without warming up, and neither should you! Especially if you’re not a morning person, it's crucial to wake up your brain before test time. Here’s my go-to strategy. Before you leave for your test, sit down in a quiet place for ten minutes. Do three or four practice questions from different sections of your test. But – this is crucial – don’t look at the answers! How freaked out would you be if you got four wrong right before your test? We don’t want that! Do the questions to stretch out your brain cells, but then close your book and go get ‘em.

4) After the test, don’t forget to chill out

Even if you can feel your wheels still spinning, and you want to plot out all the possible upcoming scenarios, you should not discount what you just accomplished. Your brain needs a break! Hydrate, nap, get some ice cream: do what you need to to zen out.