By Makenna Lewis
When it came to sitting down and writing this piece, the only thing that came to mind was a quote from M. L. Rio’s If We Were Villains: “For someone who loved words as much as I did, it was amazing how often they failed me.”
In all honesty, every time I thought of writing this, the words failed me.
I don’t prepare for tests. I don’t study, or make flashcards, or take encyclopedia-length notes. I’ve never had to. From a young age, I’ve been academically gifted, so ninety-nine percent of the time I do well without having to put very much effort into it. Maybe this is a bad mindset to have, but it’s the truth—my truth—and I find it’s better to share that than be overtly motivational when I feel the complete opposite. In fact, actively preparing for tests causes me more anxiety than it relieves.
The only one thing about my “test preparation” that stands out is this: the night before a state test, I intentionally do not focus on school. This helps my stress levels come down. When I was younger, I would color in a coloring book. Now, I read, even though I do it without an approaching test—but, specifically, because the thoughts that then circle my mind don’t belong to me. My anxiety has more to do with the lead-up than the actual test, so I’m able to push through just fine when it comes to it.
I realize that this isn’t remotely helpful to the average person, but I couldn’t lie about all the great things I do to prepare for tests when it isn’t true. Studying, in any way, shape, or form, doesn’t really work for me. If anything, this is a good example of how everyone’s test-taking routine is a little different. After all—what works, works; what doesn’t, doesn’t.
