Suggestions for the D-day!!!

Now that we are one day away from CAT, here, at the ripened age of 32 and with 8 years of experience of taking CAT (and excelling at my section) I hereby share with you 14 pro tips

 

1. Make 3 different copies of admit card and self-declaration and keep each at different places - one in your exam-day bag, one in the pocket of your trousers to be worn tomorrow and one in the vehicle in which you will go to the center. Each should have the same photo as was uploaded while filling CAT. Additionally, this year you are required to carry a certificate if you have a metal implant or pacemaker in your body. 

2. Pack your bag before you sleep- 3 admit cards at different places, a few pics (same as pasted on admit card), photo id, hand sanitiser, mask, money, handkerchief, water bottle, spectacles, some fruits, preferably apples and bananas, dark chocolate, money. Clothes should be pre-selected before you sleep. Avoid carrying your mobile. It becomes a cause for concern if the center does not have adequate arrangements for safekeeping, and oftener than not they don’t.

3. Sleep for good 7-8 hours tonight. I might take a couple of beers for a sound sleep, but then that's just me. Do not experiment tonight. Do what works for you to get a nice sleep.

4. Dress comfortably. I take exam in pyjamas/shorts, a loose T shirt and floaters (you will anyway have to remove the footwear outside the hall).

5. Take blessings of your parents before you leave, in person, preferably, or over phone, if you stay away. They are the only permanent well-wishers in your life.

6. Do not take the exam on an empty stomach. Have breakfast but not too much carbs... so no paranthas/rice. Instead, have sandwich or fruits or something with fiber. You can have roti with dal and subzi as well, but don’t over-eat.

7. Be absolutely sure of the exact location of your center. Use Google map and also call the center to ask the best way to reach it.

8. Do not forget to take the bag from step 2   :P

9. Keep buffer time for traffic /uncertainties. Reach well before time as they do not allow late entry and also it is not good psychologically to reach late as it works you up. The traffic can be nightmarish (happens every year with many students) and there are always other variables that can go wrong (Murphy’s Law). Do not drive yourself. Pool in with the friends who have the same center or book a cab.

10. Use washroom before the start of the exam at the centre, even if you don't feel like. Susu aur heart attack bata ke nahi aate.

11. Eat a dark chocolate before the start of the exam (the one you kept in your bag in step no. 2). You might have to smuggle it in. Dark chocolates relieves anxiety. Try some to know which ones you like in case you have never had any. For the benefit of the absolutely uninitiated- more the cocoa content, darker the chocolate...and darker the chocolate, better it is for health.

12. Close your eyes and put your head down at your desk till the start of the test. You may have some 30-50 minutes at the desk. Use this time wisely to calm yourself. Those last few minutes are crucial to preparing you psychologically. Breathe deeply and try to take a nap. Meditate on your seat if you are into it already. 

13. Enjoy the test. Test taking is somewhat like making love to your partner. You know you did well if you enjoyed the process. The uninitiated boys will one day understand the massive importance of this pro tip 😉

14. Leave the result to the almighty. In life, many a time, I did all I could and yet the result was unfavourable...and so often I could have done way better I still succeeded. Your journey is like a divine plan that you can never fathom but must always try to live to the fullest 😊 No matter how bad the exam goes, there will still be a tomorrow and there will be more opportunities. Regardless of your score in CAT, you will always be aces in my book.

 

All the best!!!!

Lokesh Sharma

 

PS- Free beers from me for all those who get less than 50 percentile, so that you have something to “cheer” about even if your CAT ends in a disaster.

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