How to Survive: AP Testing

Courtesy of Google Images

Courtesy of Google Images

AP testing recently passed, and with it came tears, cramming, and lots and lots of comfortable clothes. The testing ran from May 2nd to May 14th and included a range of subjects anywhere from AP Literature to AP U.S. History to AP Euro. As a student who has gone through two years of AP testing, I can strongly affirm that the following tips will aid you in all of your AP tests that are yet to come.

 

  1. FIND A LUCKY SWEATSHIRT (AND STICK WITH IT)

Yes, lucky sweatshirts are a thing. Whether it’s a college sweatshirt (Harvard!) or just a touristy one from a random destination (Dana Point! Pismo Beach!), designate one as your lucky sweatshirt and wear it everywhere: review sessions, practice tests, and the actual AP test itself. If you designate comfort with a certain article of clothing and then wear it to the test, you’ll be more relaxed when you take it and therefore do better.

  1. SLEEP OVER STUDYING

It’s the end of the class. Hopefully you have studied and learned the coursework throughout the year, and at this point, if you don’t study, it won’t make much of a difference. Cramming is not the key; if anything, sleep more. You’ve been sleep-deprived this entire year; take advantage of the fact that there’s nothing left to do except take the test!

  1. EAT GOOD FOOD

Fuel is one of the most essential things one needs in order to do well on tests.

Be healthy and choose the right foods, but don’t forget to eat enough to keep you going, and then some. Avocados, toast, fruit, vegetables, meat–if you have access to it, eat it. The night before the test, eat a good–not necessarily heavy–dinner, and then a decent breakfast. Don’t weigh your stomach down or cause a food coma, but eat as much as you want. And if anyone questions your eating habits, just use AP testing as an excuse. “Drink grams, not milligrams of caffeine,” AP testing veteran Gavin Gondalwala (12) said.

  1. REMEMBER THAT IT’S JUST THREE HOURS OF YOUR LIFE

While AP tests are important, ultimately they’re not the most important three hours of your life. In fact, the hours you have in your life will get progressively more important as you age. Weddings, funerals, dates, hangout sessions–those are more important.

No, the most important thing to remember when considering your AP tests is knowing that these tests are just minor obstacles that precede greater defeats–and victories–to come.