The worst feeling

[pbear]

Started studying for my MCAT in May, like most people. My exam is on the 19th and I feel like I can't make it. I have never ever felt so fried, worried, stressed and careless all at the same time. I woke up this morning hoping to do an AAMC but instead did the physical sciences section, got SO tired by verbal and decided to take a nap. I couldn't fall asleep because my heart was racing. I am mentally so tired but my body won't let me rest. I don't know what to do. I wish I could just write my MCAT tomorrow and get it over and not care how I do. I don't know how some people can study all summer and not feel as exhausted as I do (or maybe they do and I just don't know it?). I feel like my brain has hit a saturation point..I cannot take any more knowledge or info in but I feel like there is still SO MUCH MORE TO KNOW. I have never felt this way.. not even during my heavy-course-load-semesters at school...so I"m not sure how to deal with this for another 2 weeks . I may sound melodramatic but I seriously just want to lie in bed for two weeks and SLEEP and eat and for the times I can't sleep I want to watch Monty Python.

[technicity]

You sound like you need a chill day... A day totally for yourself, in which you do absolutely nothing school/MCAT/med application related. Don't think about it either.

 

The other day I did just that... Took the morning to wander around Vancouver, biked with a friend in the afternoon, saw a movie, then chilled out with the family in the evening. I was so much calmer and collected after it's totally worth it!

[pbear]

You sound like you need a chill day... A day totally for yourself, in which you do absolutely nothing school/MCAT/med application related. Don't think about it either.

 

The other day I did just that... Took the morning to wander around Vancouver, biked with a friend in the afternoon, saw a movie, then chilled out with the family in the evening. I was so much calmer and collected after it's totally worth it!

 

I'd like a day like that...but would feel too guilty for having it two weeks before my test.

[Alchemist11]

You won't feel guilty when you realize that at this rate you're gonna do poorly.

 

If you can't even get through a practice exam in your pajamas with a glass of water next to you in your own house, you're never gonna make it through the real thing UNLESS you stop for a day, compose yourself, realize that it's just a test, and relax.

 

Then the next day, wake up, stretch, maybe get some exercise in, then attack the practice test and see how you do.

[Leon]

I'd like a day like that...but would feel too guilty for having it two weeks before my test.

 

A relaxing day will do more good than another day of inefficient studying and panic attacks. I woke up the other day at 1am thinking there was an earthquake- I could swear the room was actually shaking. This was followed by insomnia and gruesome nightmares, endless stress and worse ****.

 

Took a day off, did some stuff I enjoy doing and took some time to reflect on how unimportant the exam is in the grand scheme of the world and I felt better, lol.

[pbear]

A relaxing day will do more good than another day of inefficient studying and panic attacks. I woke up the other day at 1am thinking there was an earthquake- I could swear the room was actually shaking. This was followed by insomnia and gruesome nightmares, endless stress and worse ****.

 

Took a day off, did some stuff I enjoy doing and took some time to reflect on how unimportant the exam is in the grand scheme of the world and I felt better, lol.

 

Thanks Alchemist11 and Leon. Also, Leon, I woke up last year thinking there was an earthquake...turned out there was one @_@. It's such a scary feeling.

 

Anyway, I'll try taking a day off and do some things I used to love to do before I began studying for the test.

[lekarza]

I know exactly how you feel! When I wrote the MCAT for my first time last year I was doing way too many things and my brain was literally turning to mush. I redid the test this year and the biggest difference from last year to this year for me was that I took time for myself. Even if it is a week or two before your test don`t feel like you need to kill yourself. I went on a three day camping trip a week before my test this year and I definitely don`t regret it! It helped me to relax and let all of the studying sink in. Even though I was tempted to grab my study note I didn`t because I realized that my body needed to relax before the test day. Also, it seemed that every time I took a couple of days off I seemed to do even better on my practice tests. Just try to remember that in times like this you need to listen to what your body is telling you. You`re sooo close to being done so just think of the time off you will have after you write to relax! Hope I helped a little

[psychoswim]

I agree with the others.. Take a day off from studying and even remotely thinking about school stuff! Go on a bike ride, go for a walk, anything. Just chill out and you'll be thankful later. Our brains need breaks just like our bodies do

 

As for sleeping, do something relaxing and fun before going to bed.. Read a good book, listen to music..

[newcanmeds2011]

Hey PBear,

I totally get where you are coming from. After time, the self studying and never ending content can get to you. Its tough being able to take a day off to relax so close to the test date because your instincts don't want you too. What I recommend is leaving verbal, physical and bio for a day. Start watching the news, reading a newspaper you are interested in. This helped me two fold, I was studying in a sense for the writing sample even in the relaxed format and it also helped me feel connected to the global community outside my front door.

 

Hope that helps

[charmer08]

you'll do really well on the writing sample... you describe things really well and will have a lot to say on random stuff the WS tests us on

 

as people have pointed out, take a day off every now and then... you def don't need to study everyday of the summer to do well on the MCAT

[pbear]

I know exactly how you feel! When I wrote the MCAT for my first time last year I was doing way too many things and my brain was literally turning to mush. I redid the test this year and the biggest difference from last year to this year for me was that I took time for myself. Even if it is a week or two before your test don`t feel like you need to kill yourself. I went on a three day camping trip a week before my test this year and I definitely don`t regret it! It helped me to relax and let all of the studying sink in. Even though I was tempted to grab my study note I didn`t because I realized that my body needed to relax before the test day. Also, it seemed that every time I took a couple of days off I seemed to do even better on my practice tests. Just try to remember that in times like this you need to listen to what your body is telling you. You`re sooo close to being done so just think of the time off you will have after you write to relax! Hope I helped a little

 

 

Thanks! It did help! I really needed to read something like this today.

[pbear]

Thanks everyone! Such helpful posts. I've decided to do one less AAMC practice test and instead practice the guitar I've ditched for 3 months, grab coffee with some friends and go to the Drive-In at night.

[pbear]

you'll do really well on the writing sample... you describe things really well and will have a lot to say on random stuff the WS tests us on

 

as people have pointed out, take a day off every now and then... you def don't need to study everyday of the summer to do well on the MCAT

 

Hahahaha, why thank you!

[Pantaloons]

I seriously just want to lie in bed for two weeks and SLEEP and eat and for the times I can't sleep I want to watch Monty Python.

 

Good luck, bud!

I remember the first time I wrote the MCAT, I totally burned myself out. Doing practice tests

.

Did the exact same thing as lekarza the second time around (taking a bit more time for myself, not burning myself out by doing endless practice tests), and I then succeeded.

 

Hope you strike that sweet balance between work and relaxation.

Good luck.

 

And remember:

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[pbear]

Good luck, bud!

I remember the first time I wrote the MCAT, I totally burned myself out. Doing practice tests

.

Did the exact same thing as lekarza the second time around (taking a bit more time for myself, not burning myself out by doing endless practice tests), and I then succeeded.

 

Hope you strike that sweet balance between work and relaxation.

Good luck.

 

And remember:

![/size]

 

Oh man, that last clip is golden/my anthem.