How to Take Tests

I have found the key to scoring well on exams in the Testing Center. You must develop a unique routine and stick to it every time.

The following ten steps, in this precise order, make up my routine for taking tests:

1. If you have multiple tests in a week, decide which test will be the most difficult take and study for that one first. Get the hard one out of the way.

2. Fill out and memorize the study guide. You can expect that all the concepts on the study guide will be on the test. Sometimes the exact questions from the study guide will be on the test, and those are easy points.

3. Review the Power Point slides from class if they are available. If it is important enough to cover in class, it is important enough to be on the test.

4. Buy a package of Pop Tarts before you walk in the door. Eat one. The other one will be your reward after the test.

5. Walk in the Testing Center like you own the place. Walk in like you are about to take the easiest test ever.

6. Sit down and say a silent prayer. If you have done all you can to prepare, you have the right to God's help.

7. Use the same pencil on every test you take in a semester.

8. Begin the test. Skip the hard questions and come back to them later. Once you fill in a bubble, commit to your answer and don't change it. The only exception is when another question directly answers one of the previous questions on the test.

9. Turn in you test. Walk down the stairs and look for the words "Fantastic!" or "Great job!" on the TV monitor. You will be able to locate your score easier.

10. Call you mom and tell her how well you did. She will be proud.

So what?

Once a habit or routine is formed, tasks are accomplished with greater efficiency and effectiveness.

Now what?

I am going to trust in my routine. I think confidence in my routine will give me even greater confidence during the test. My routine has proven itself time and time again. I am not going to change something that works. I can also use my routine to help others do well on their tests. I am definitely going to recommend it to others. Lastly, I will develop routines for other aspects of school like homework.

Ultimate

I'm on an intramural ultimate Frisbee team. I must say, we're pretty good. Most of us have been playing together for a long time--minus a two-year break. However, we have always played casually. We were always competitive, but we were never sticklers on rules.

We won our first game. We were feeling really smug because we were down 1-5 at the beginning of the game but came back to win 12-9. After practicing over the weekend, we were feeling confident about Thursday's game. We came out strong. In less than five minutes we were up three-zero. But then they started calling fouls.

We were super annoyed because one of our players got hit hard on one of the plays. He good-naturedly said he was fine and told the other guy not to worry about it. Right after that, my friend caught a frisbee while running and took a second to come to a complete stop. One of the opposing team members yelled, "Travel!" We couldn't believe our ears. Then, one of our players slightly bumped another guy in the end-zone and he called pass interference. Even though the other team was playing even dirtier than we were, we resisted calling fouls.

So what?

We lost.

Now what?

If we are going to enter a competition, I guess we have to know the rules. I wasn't completely sure the other team wasn't making up rules. But in a game where no referee is provided and you call your own fouls, reviewing the rule book would be a good idea. Apart from that, we need to learn how to man up and call fouls, epecially if the other team is going to play that way.

Last of all, we need to take out our frustration on this week's competition.

Good one, Lance

I am currently employed at the Cougareat on BYU campus. In order to work in food, you have to go through extensive, online trainings that are a huge pain. One of those trainings is cashier training.

I decided to get a head-start on the the trainings awhile ago. I watched the cashier training video and checked it off my list. But then, two weeks later I realized that there was an online certification test that needed to be completed with the training video in order to be fully qualified to be a cashier. I went to review the material but the site wasn't working. I couldn't remember everything from the video, but I figured that the test couldn't be too hard. I took the test and failed.

But I just clicked on the test and started again. I failed again.

Then I failed again.

After another attempt, a message box appeared that said I had attempted the test too many times. I still hadn't passed, and now I couldn't take it anymore. Good one, Lance.

Now what?

I didn't get fired, at least. I emailed my boss and she said I had to go schedule an appointment with the head money lady and take the test with her. Great. From now on, however, I will call IT Tech before I get impulsive and take a test unprepared. I will at least call my boss before I'm in the hole. I need to be ready, in general, for Internet failure. It's a common occurence. I will never put my employment at risk because of a computer malfunction.

My Top 4 Stresses of School

College can be very stressful. I've reviewed my week and have pinpointed the top four sources of my stress (not necessarily in this order):

1) I have a class at 7:00 a.m. three times a week and I'm tired.
2) On top of work, I have work training, which I have to do in my own time and still get all my homework done.
3) I'm having a difficult time balancing all my classes and remember what is due and when.
4) According to the Prophet, I'm supposed to be searching out my eternal companion and I barely have any free time.

So what?

1) Next semester I will be home during registration instead of on my mission. Mom will no longer be in charge and I can eliminate that unfortunate decision.
2) I need to focus on getting all the trainings done and out of the way. Once that happens, I will free up a lot of space in my schedule.
3) I need to print out the syllabus of each class and stay organized. I can also designate a specific time in my schedule to do the assigments that reoccur weekly.
4) Instead of heading for the first empty chair I see in class, I need to look around and sit by the potentials. I need to be more picky about who is in my study group.