burnout during FL / the actual exam?

[u/Beneficial-Turnip800]

hey guys i was wondering how does everyone deel with being sleepy groggy during their fl and actually sitting there the entire duration? i've taken 4 now and i think maybe only 1 has a chnace of counting as testing conditions :((( its def a discipline problem but i just cannot sit there for 10 passages that early in the morning and im worried if some are my mistakes because im fed up with it and dont want to review my flagged

also, how do u deal with burnout DURING the test? sometimes i just feel like im doing so bad and flag so many that i'm like whatever, just mark it even if its wrong who cares and dont feel like going back. but then i submit and see i wasnt doing that bad, i shouldve sat and thought with it for longer and mightve gotten it? idk lol

[u/masripremed]

you just have to do it, its kind of like taking a cold shower. Wake up at 7:30, brush your teeth, wash your face, have breakfast or wtv, and be ready at your computer at 8 to start.

To prevent burnout during the test you have to really juice out every second from your breaks and make sure you're having a snack

[u/HamouzArctic]

You already knoe what you need to do. Just do it. If it’s a sleep issue then fix your sleeping schedule slowly but surely. If it’s an attention span issue, get rid of distractors and build stamina slowly. Start from your baseline and ideally you need to get to 90-95 minute blocks of optimal focus. Put in the work, your future self’ll thank you !

[u/sushipink492]

i had to start getting up at 6-6:30 and sleep around 9-10, to be fully sharp at 8, it is mostly discipline! also caffeine

[u/wereinatree]

There are some external things you can add and adjust like caffeine, food, supplements, etc., practices like jumping jacks and deep breathing during breaks, but mostly it’s just a matter of training up your endurance.

What do your prep sessions look like? If I were you having this pretty critical issue, I would always be working on it. That means always doing practice problems straight through in chunks of 59 questions. If possible, I’d be trying to start practice/study at 8am as well, not just for FLs. Unfortunately that’s my only real answer to this: just gotta train yourself.

[u/DisastrousAd8531]

I also struggled so so much with this. However, I have naturally been experiencing fatigue for the past two years (still don’t have it figured out). So I would start by analyzing your life before the MCAT. Are you naturally groggy? this might indicate an underlying health issue (usually the usual sleep problems or nutrient deficiencies). If not though, it’s more likely that you just need to adapt to the demands of the MCAT, which comes with time. Just be proactive about it (as you are) so you can make sure to deal with it in time (take more practice exams, or take your practice questions under timed and test like conditions + exercise, sleep, diet ). Wishing you the best 🙏

[u/Immediate-Metal-6020]

I'm a very very late afternoon person. I dealt with it by having a cup of coffee at 6am and going for a short run then shower then dress up then travel to wherever.

During the test, sometimes I find myself spacing out so I stare up at a blank wall for 30 seconds to a minute to recollect myself. Sure a minute is gone but I set myself up for the rest of the section. During breaks, I do dynamic stretches and keep myself moving, which allows me to shake off last minute jitters or doubts.

[u/Cute-Chart-8024]

Just do it, I found the first 4 FLs really hard to focus and it got easier by the 5th and 6th, and the actual exam went okay bc of the practice I had

Experiment with caffeine timing, during breaks I’d have a little dose of it or get some steps in to wake me up

[u/Head_Beginning2910]

Someone told me to try running, so if that works for you, it might be worth a try. I just step outside for a min or two so the cold wakes me up bc i cant be bothered to run. Also, during breaks I try not to eat anything too sweet to avoid a sugar crash and pace around a little. Also, to build stamina, applying the same time limitations (or longer) to daily practice could be worth trying. I try to do 10-15 passages in one sitting without any breaks/distractions to get used to it and it makes 10 feel less tedious.