No matter what exam you’re taking, there are certain things you can do in the days before to ensure a successful experience. It makes sense to review what you’ve learned, but eating well, sleeping, and taking time to relax go a long way, too.

Read on to learn what to do — and what not to do — in the days before your test. Not only will it help calm those nervous butterflies…it will assist you in achieving the mental clarity you need to do your best.

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Sleep

It is important to be well rested. Make sure to get a good night’s sleep in the few days before the test. If you don’t sleep well the night before the test, don’t worry about it! It is more important to sleep well two and three nights before. You should still have the energy you need to perform at your best.

Diet

Don’t change your diet right before the test. Now’s not the time to try new foods, even if they are healthier. You don’t want to find out on test morning that yesterday’s energy bar didn’t go down well. In the few weeks before the test, try to work a light, healthy breakfast into your daily routine. If you already eat breakfast, good for you — don’t change a thing.

Stress

Stress means different things to different people. Try to be aware of whatever anxiety you’re feeling before test day. The first thing to remember is that this is a natural phenomenon; your body is conditioned to raise the alarm whenever something important is about to happen. However, because you are aware of what your body and mind are doing, you can compensate for it. Spend some time each day relaxing. Try to let go of all the pressures that build up during your average day: homework, friends, tests, extracurricular activities, or family. Visualize a successful test day experience. You already know what to expect on test day: when you’ll get each test section, how many questions, how much time you’ll have, etc. You also know where you are strong and where you are weak. Picture yourself confidently answering questions correctly, and smoothly moving past trouble spots — you can come back to those questions later. Find a family member or trusted friend with whom you can talk about the things that stress you out about the test. When this person tells you that everything is going to be OK, believe it!

Tests with Math Questions

The most important thing to remember is that you don’t have to break new ground. Every single math question is designed to test things you’ve already learned. When you get a geometry question about triangles, and you don’t know where to begin, think about all the different things you know about triangles. Can you apply one of them to this problem? If so, you’ve gotten the ball rolling! Always look for the question behind the question. When the question asks, “How many minutes does it take to travel 250 miles at 150 miles per hour?” you should think, “Aha, this is a rate problem. Distance equals rate multiplied by time. The question gives me distance (250 miles), and rate (150 miles per hour), and asks for the time in minutes. I need to plug these numbers into the formula, and make sure to express my answer in minutes.” So the question behind the question is, “If I give you distance and rate, can you calculate the time?”

Tests with Verbal Questions

When reading passages, always remember to look at the big picture. Memorizing details isn’t important; figuring out the author’s main idea and an outline for the passage is important. Most passages are followed by a main idea question. Many are followed by a detail question. If you understand the outline of the passage, you’ll know right where to look for the detail. If the question is asking about a rule of grammar or usage, you can often go with your ear. Read the sentence, hearing the words in your mind. Does anything sound out of place? Very often, that will be where the problem lays. When a question involves a tough vocabulary word, you will often have several clues to help you: In a passage, read the surrounding text and try to figure out what the word means. Do you recognize part of the word? For instance, the word “exculpate” has the root “culp”. “Culpable” is another word for guilty, and “ex” is a negative prefix, meaning “out”, so exculpate means “to find not guilty”.

Tests with Writing

Remember that one or two spelling or grammar mistakes are tolerable, but you want to try to eliminate as many of those as you can. Try to vary your sentence length. Make the essay as interesting as you can in the time allowed. You can practice writing at almost any time. Make sure to give it your best every time you practice. Outline and pre-write! Spend a few minutes outlining the argument you want to make: What is your main argument (the thesis)? It belongs at the end of the first paragraph. Figure out what major point should be made in each paragraph. Outline what evidence you want to use to support each point. How will you wrap things up and conclude your argument?

Cramming

Don’t do it! Think about it realistically. You aren’t going to remember most of what you “learn” while cramming. What are the odds that one of the few things you may remember happens to be something that is tested? Very slim — that’s why cramming is a bad strategy. Save all that energy for the test. Instead, in the few days before the test, do a review of the skills and concepts in which you are strong. Be confident as you review everything that you know — and remember that confident feeling as you take the test.