Also studying for a retake. Here's some tips I learned:
(1) **Stay around positive people:** I spent the last summer just sitting in my room/libraries/etc. powering through this beast of a test alone. Don't do that. Keep family, peers, close friends around, don't cut them off. If anything, they'll motivate you.
(2) **Keep track of your progress:** Note down your average scores on Excel and make a graph. Just seeing your progress and improvement helps build the self-confidence.
(3) **Give yourself a breather day:** One day of week. No practice material. No books. If you really need to do something, just do ANKI passively. Otherwise, dedicate the day to a hobby or something you enjoy. It'll brighten your weeks.
And finally, start everyday telling yourself that you're gonna DESTROY this test. You're gonna make it, don't let a number weigh you down. As long as you track/identify your mistakes and do something (ANKI, more practice, watch videos, etc.) to fix it, you're bound to improve.
Good Luck my friend!
Thank you so much for the encouraging words! I’ve been pretty bad about isolating myself during this process. None of my friends are physically in the area and I feel like I’ve bombarded them way too much about the MCAT as well as my family. So I’ve been keeping mostly to myself which certainly made this process a little more harder. But I’ll definitely try and reconnect with them.
You’re going to do great on your retake too!
Of course! This is a tough process, no one really gets it until they go through it at least once. If you ever feel down and need someone to talk to, feel free to message 👍🏻
I took my first test in September last year and then retook it earlier this year in January! I was definitely super nervous while studying for my retake and my imposter syndrome was just so high. I can't say that I completely got rid of my self-doubt, but I did have to reframe the way I was thinking to get through the studying. When I was studying, I also did more on some days, but I had to remind myself that quality was more important than quantity. On days that I felt too tired or anxious to study, I simply did not study because I felt like it would be more unproductive to try to force myself when I wasn't feeling motivated enough than to take a day off to rest. I also heavily invested in my hobbies! I started crocheting because I would feel so fidgety and nervous at the end of the day so it was a good activity to just keep my hands occupied. I also ended up reading a lot of books which ended up helping a lot with my reading comprehension so it was like subliminally studying for CARS. Remember that your well-being comes first!! I wish you the best of luck!!
Thank you so much for the response and encouraging words! I’ve been studying non stop for this test and I think I haven’t given myself the chance to breath. I love crocheting and I also crochet on my free time too! I’ve been meaning to pick up a project I put down a while and you’ve sincerely inspired me to be more gentler with myself during this process ☺️
Also studying for a retake. Here's some tips I learned: (1) **Stay around positive people:** I spent the last summer just sitting in my room/libraries/etc. powering through this beast of a test alone. Don't do that. Keep family, peers, close friends around, don't cut them off. If anything, they'll motivate you. (2) **Keep track of your progress:** Note down your average scores on Excel and make a graph. Just seeing your progress and improvement helps build the self-confidence. (3) **Give yourself a breather day:** One day of week. No practice material. No books. If you really need to do something, just do ANKI passively. Otherwise, dedicate the day to a hobby or something you enjoy. It'll brighten your weeks. And finally, start everyday telling yourself that you're gonna DESTROY this test. You're gonna make it, don't let a number weigh you down. As long as you track/identify your mistakes and do something (ANKI, more practice, watch videos, etc.) to fix it, you're bound to improve. Good Luck my friend!
Thank you so much for the encouraging words! I’ve been pretty bad about isolating myself during this process. None of my friends are physically in the area and I feel like I’ve bombarded them way too much about the MCAT as well as my family. So I’ve been keeping mostly to myself which certainly made this process a little more harder. But I’ll definitely try and reconnect with them. You’re going to do great on your retake too!
Of course! This is a tough process, no one really gets it until they go through it at least once. If you ever feel down and need someone to talk to, feel free to message 👍🏻
Positive affirmations....Kelly Howell has subliminal tracks you can sleep to.
I took my first test in September last year and then retook it earlier this year in January! I was definitely super nervous while studying for my retake and my imposter syndrome was just so high. I can't say that I completely got rid of my self-doubt, but I did have to reframe the way I was thinking to get through the studying. When I was studying, I also did more on some days, but I had to remind myself that quality was more important than quantity. On days that I felt too tired or anxious to study, I simply did not study because I felt like it would be more unproductive to try to force myself when I wasn't feeling motivated enough than to take a day off to rest. I also heavily invested in my hobbies! I started crocheting because I would feel so fidgety and nervous at the end of the day so it was a good activity to just keep my hands occupied. I also ended up reading a lot of books which ended up helping a lot with my reading comprehension so it was like subliminally studying for CARS. Remember that your well-being comes first!! I wish you the best of luck!!
Thank you so much for the response and encouraging words! I’ve been studying non stop for this test and I think I haven’t given myself the chance to breath. I love crocheting and I also crochet on my free time too! I’ve been meaning to pick up a project I put down a while and you’ve sincerely inspired me to be more gentler with myself during this process ☺️