<p>I have been having troubles staying attentive after 2 hours taking the SAT. My mind starts freezing and I will start missing easy questions, especially on CR.</p>
<p>Anyone has any tips?</p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>Bring a Red Bull sugar free for one of the breaks. Works like a charm.</p>
<p>I will say this:</p>
<p>If you have some sort of ritual food, drink, or procedure (breathing, stretching, whatever) that helps you calm down, clear your head, or stay focused, it wouldn't be a bad idea. If you consume energy drinks a lot, a Red Bull during break could be a God send for you.</p>
<p>My tips...
-Make sure you have a cold drink, preferably insulated, so it stays cold throughout the test. You can easily get dehydrated during that time, which is distracting and can give you headaches, even if you don't realize it.
-Try to minimize. It's not a fashion show, so don't worry about looking 100%. If you have long hair, restrain it (guys with gel, girls would probably use a ponytail). Try to minimize jewelry (wear none, if possible). If the most comfortable pair of pants you own is a pair of ratty old sweatpants, wear them! I've seen a lot of friends go to tests centers with "normal" clothes/hairstyles/jewelry, and when it gets in their way somehow, they're unconciously distracted.
-Don't plan ANYTHING that will cause you any anxiety (or require you to think at all really) on the day of your SAT. If you do, it's extremely easy to start thinking about your basketball game/homework/whatever and not about the test. In contrast if you can think "OK, I'm bored... I've already been here 3 hours, just another hour and a half and I'm free for the day!" It's easier. You can plan a fun activity, as an incentive to work hard on your SAT too, but it too can prove distracting as you think about what a great time you will have instead of the test.
-If you get headaches often (I get one EVERY time during section 2 or 3), sneak some medicine into the testing room, and be prepared to take it during the test (a very small ziplock that you pickup with your calculator). Even a bit of headache pain is extremely distracting during a high pressure situation. If your proctor is extremely attentive, or you're worried, just ask. I ask and the proctors have always understood, since all you have to do is put 1-2 pills in your mouth and swallow some water.
-If you're on some form of ADD/ADHD medication, you may need to up your dosage; talk to your doctor.
-I know it's boring to look at a paper for 4 1/2 hours, so make sure you get to see plenty of stuff during break. This sounds weird, I know. But if you stare at the same thing during break for five minutes, you'll still be bored when you get back to the exam. In contrast, if you see plenty of stuff, it'll be easier to look at the same thing for a while.
-On that note, try to pick a seat well. Often, you will be at a test center with friends. Try to avoid anyone that is sick, wearing distracting (color, slogan, etc.) clothes, or has any other nervous ticks/habbits. If you end in front of the guy that starts rapid-tapping his feet for 4 and 1/2 hours, it will suck. Also, if your classroom has something interesting to look at, try to sit as far away from it as possible.</p>
<p>Even with all of the above, there is still a factor of "fatigue". It is much easier for me to do sections 1-3 than 7-9. The fatigue is not unavoidable, but it can definitely be minimized with the above steps. </p>
<p>In addition to the above:
-If I'm getting distracted, I look towards the paper, close my eyes, breathe in deeply through my nose, open my eyes, and exhale through my mouth. Another weird thing, but it helps me clear my mind.
-I'm not afraid to mention to the proctor if someone is doing something disruptive. I usually have pity on sick people, but if someone is reading aloud, tapping their feet, etc. I have no qualms.
-I'm able to tell if I was able to prevent fatigue during the test by my fatigue AFTER the test. If I can still do calc, that's bad. If I can do my English homework, it's mediocre. If I was truly focused, I can't think about anything too intensely, and my work ethic is shot.</p>
<p>Phenomenal post, i agree with everything coopjust said, 110% percent.</p>
<p>Thanks for those tips Coopjust! :D</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for your advice!
(esp Coopjust)
I appreaciate it.</p>
<p>Thanks for your advice,
Im taking it again in oct and I always seem to fatigue towards the end. I got an 800 in math last time, so do you think I should just take it easy during these 3-4 sections since it doesn't matter and save up my energy? Or will that just look bad when they see all my scores even if they do superscore it?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>The overwhelming majority of schools will superscore it, even if you were to (somehow) get 800s on every section seperately on 3 tests (and when you didn't get an 800, you got a 200). Most schools would still consider the previous example to be a 2400.</p>
<p>My only concern is that if your Math score drops significantly (congrats, BTW), colleges would see it as a drop in your work ethic. I would focus during the math section, but I wouldn't get superconcentrated. No worries if you screw up, so just try to do the best you can- the stress factor should be low (you already have the 800), so it should reduce your fatigue as well.</p>
<p>I built my stamina by taking SAT practice test over and over again, with two breaks. After 3-4 practice tests, I found that I was very attentive even towards the end of the exam.</p>
<p>Hope that helps</p>
<p>Does red bull really help or does it distract you? o.o</p>
<p>@choi</p>
<p>Red Bull CAN help. The mistake a lot of people make is that they assume "Oh, Red Bull, it gives you wings lol! This SAT will be easy!!11!1!", not realizing that they don't drink Red Bull regularly.</p>
<p>There are a few problems with that:
-If you don't drink Red Bull regularly, you don't know that it speeds up your metabolism. Which can screw you during a standardized test if you need to go to the bathroom before the end.
-If you don't drink Red Bull regularly, the excess energy may leave you with nervous tics (feet tapping, finger tapping, noises, stroking hair, etc.), which can be distracting.
-The boost from the Red Bull can be extremely distracting.</p>
<p>If you drink coffee/Red Bull regularly, go for it at break. Otherwise, stay far, far away.</p>
<p>isn't drinking red bull regularly... er.... not healthy?</p>
<p>If not, I might start drinking now, and experiment with the pros and cons.</p>
<p>Well I do drink coffee regularly. I drank red bull once for an all nighter, and I remember the boost in focus, but I can't remember if I had to use the bathroom regularly or anything lol. </p>
<p>I guess since we have 2 weeks left its good idea to experiment and see.</p>
<p>Great posts guys! I was just worried about this. :D</p>
<p>@choi</p>
<p>Everything in moderation. One Red Bull a day is not unhealthy for you, but you should really avoid having two, and definitely not 3 or more.</p>
<p>@celita</p>
<p>Usually, the bathroom thing is for people with small bladders or really quick metabolisms, although I've seen a couple of people with normal metabolisms use the bathroom constantly after drinking one Red Bull.</p>
<p>Definitely give it a shot.</p>
<p>We'll call this the Red Bull Experiment</p>
<p>Alright, I'll tell you what I'll do.</p>
<p>Tonight, when I'm really tired and stuff and losing focus, I'll try drinking some red bull to see if it will improve my focus to study...oh... vocab or something. I'll report back tomorrow morning to see how long it takes to affect me, if I had to use the bathroom, how long the boost lasted, and whether I got hyper or not. Just keep in mind, I don't usually drink red bull.</p>
<p>I have a feeling that red bull is stronger than coffee, so I'm not going to try this with coffee.
Also, we have to keep in mind the "placebo effect"</p>
<p>haha, yeah, placebo effect I think probably accounts for most of the energy too. lol. </p>
<p>Btw, I think its highly not recommended to drink red bull with coffee, unless you want a heart attack. </p>
<p>Good luck with the experiment Choi :P</p>
<p>the average person doesn't realize that a red bull a day is VERY bad for you. A person really should not be drinking that much caffine and red bull has a LOT. it a lot worse than you think. don't take advice from a teenager obviously when it comes to advice on energy drinks. talk to a doctor. they'll let you know the real truth.</p>
<p>I am usually dead after section 7. You just feel like giving up at that point.</p>
<p>I found that I can handle it much better if I'm in an environment I like. I took it last time at a community college and I didn't like it because the desks were crap. But when I took it at a high school I was a lot more comfortable and I didn't feel all anxious.</p>
<p>@imaginationpower</p>
<p>Which is exactly why we should take your advice? :?</p>
<p>A typical serving of coffee contains MORE caffeine than a Red Bull (100mg in the coffee vs 80mg in the Red Bull). As evidence to back up this assertion, I present a source: [Coffeefaq[/url</a>]. Additionally, many people require more than one cup of coffee to wake up. The reason why Red Bull gives you more of a short term buzz is because it has 27 grams of sugar, which humans have digested and researched for thousands of years. </p>
<p>As evidence to back up the fact that Red Bull is safe, if the user drinks in moderation, I present a report commissioned by the Irish Food Safety Commission Board:
[url=<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20060406094037/http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/consumer/red_bull.shtml%5DWeb">http://web.archive.org/web/20060406094037/http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/consumer/red_bull.shtml]Web</a> archive link of from April 6th, 2006: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/consumer/red_bull.shtml%5B/url%5D">http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/consumer/red_bull.shtml](<a href="http://coffeefaq.com/site/node/22%5DCoffeefaq%5B/url">http://coffeefaq.com/site/node/22)</a></p>
<p>They found that:
1) "stimulant drinks should be labelled with an indication that they are unsuitable for children (under 16 years of age), pregnant women and individuals sensitive to caffeine" It's also recommended that people under 16 don't drink coffee for the same reason, caffeine isn't good for developing bodies.
2) "they should be classified with other beverages of high caffeine content" (coffee & vault soda, mountain dew fall in this category)
3) "the consumption of stimulant drinks by children under 16 years should be discouraged" (see #1)
4) "caution should be exercised in the consumption of stimulant drinks with alcohol" (some morons believe it cancels out, plus many people will have 3 Red Bulls while drinking- 1 is fine, 3 is WAAAY too much.)
5) "they should not be consumed in association with sport and exercise as a thirst quencher" (Duh, it gives you "wings", and caffeine irritates the bladder, so it dehydrates you- that's why you should drink water too).
6) "promotion of stimulant drinks consumption in association with sport." (see #5, it's not promoted as a sports drink)</p>
<p>This study was commissioned by doctors AFTER an Irish basketball player died after drinking Red Bull before a game. The moron, instead of drinking water, had 3 Red Bulls (one after the other), and then went into a streneous physical activity dehydrated and with a ton of caffeine.</p>
<p>The other main ingredient in Red Bull, Taurine (Taur- for Ox/Bull, since it originally came from Ox Bile- it's an organic amino acid that is now produced artificially) has been shown to be safe and have some body building benefits. Red Bull has one gram of Taurine, the government considers anything above seven to be "unsafe". </p>
<p>So, just like anything, Red Bull is good- in moderation. I wouldn't personally drink more than an 8oz can in one day, and my physician told me that one can a day is not detrimental to my health at all.</p>
<p>If you have evidence backing up your claim that Red Bull is unsafe, I'd be happy to look at it.</p>
<p>What's everyone's experience with temperature? I just have this feeling that the test center will be freezing cold, and I get cold really easily since I'm just skin and bones. I'm thinking of dressing extra warm (2 layers of long sleeves plus one of short sleeves), as if it was January instead of October. Is this a wise decision?</p>
<p>Additionally, I live in an area where virtually no one takes the SAT, so I look for the test center to be less than crowded, and only one person I know will be there. Should I just sit as far away from everybody as possible, to be less nervous?</p>