My Exact Architecture Exam Day Routine | ARE 5.0

Updated: Mar 10, 2023

Alright, it's the big day...exam day! You've been preparing for this for a while. Now it's time. Do you have a routine? Do you wear the same underwear? Do you schedule on the exact same day? Everyone has their routine. Here's what worked for me.

Note: this routine was explicitly for testing in a test center, but a similar routine for at-home testing would also work. Watch the full episode or listen to the podcast to find out more.

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Step 1

I would always schedule the same time for my exams: first thing in the morning. By scheduling the very first exam time, I was at the test center early before any distractions of the day could get to me. There’s something peaceful about the early morning hours before the rest of the world is up and the sun is just starting to rise. Believe me, I'm NOT a morning person (except being forced to be as a mother of two), so I'm not just saying this because I like getting up early. There's a simplicity to the early morning hours that allows the focus to be simply on the exam.

Photo of [NOT] me enjoying a meditative morning coffee...this was definitely not my situation as I would typically wake up disheveled after not sleeping [because of parenthood], roll out of bed, grab a cold brew, and stumble my way to the car. But one can dream, right?

Step 2

Sit in the car in the testing center parking lot and read my notes until the very last minute before I need to check in. This was usually about 30 mins before the exam. This allowed me to focus on last-minute notes without other people's energy in the test center.

Step 3

Go check in...it's game time baby!

Step 4

Go to the bathroom and take 3 big deep breaths (and go to the bathroom of course). Relax. Time for a little pep talk...

“You got this, you’ve studied hard, you KNOW the information. Just breathe. Take one question at a time.

Step 5

Go back to the waiting room and focus on breathing and relaxation. Any additional studying isn’t necessary – you know the information!

Step 6

Once I’m in the room I get comfy. Make sure my seat is at the right height. The computer and keyboard are precisely where I need them. Headphones are on if I’m using them (ps if you wear glasses, the headphones can be uncomfortable, so I would use earplugs or headphones and contacts). Everything is in place and ready to go.