14th Feb : D-Day

With 14th Feb fast approaching, you must be in high spirits. Couldn't they select a better day for conducting the examination. Well lets not think about that. Here are some points that might just come in handy on the D-Day


Day before the Examination

• Have a few chocolates, ice creams etc. and try to keep yourself cool and composed.
• Prepare a list of inventories that you should take to the exam hall. This list includes Hall ticket, 2 Pencils, Erasers, Sharpener, a pen, 2 calculators( Advanced + Basic one), lucky kerchief etc.
• Decide on the mode of transport and have a back-up plan as fail-safe. 
• Do not forget to think about the worst thing that might happen and develop the mental strength to overcome that. Expect a really tough paper. If the paper turns out easy, you win. If it is tough, then too u win.
• Revise all the topics. Do not try to remember them. Just browse through the material you have. Do not criticize yourself if you are not able to remember certain things.  Because it happens !!
• May be you can go to your terrace(or some lonely place) and have a peaceful few mins there.  

On the Day of the Examination

• Reach the Examination hall 1hrs(ideally 1.5 hrs) before the examination time. This is very essential. After all, who can take up the examination in a surrounding that one does not feel comfortable in.
•  Take one of your reference books(preferably a small one) so that you can get into the rhythm (warming up) well before the exam starts. Do not forget to leave the reference material outside the exam hall.
• Once you enter the exam hall, check your pockets for unwanted material. Also check if you have all the necessary items.

During the Examination

• Try to remain flexible in your approach to answering the paper. If your strategy doesn't work, realize that it JUST DOESNT WORK. Try to adopt a different strategy before it is too late.
• Quite often people(like me) tend to self-criticize themselves during the examination. Some even think about what they should have done in the past. Some have the urge to think about some concept(not asked in the paper) that they studied 2 days back. Such Things SHOULD BE AVOIDED.
• If the paper turns out to be Really Tough, do not lose hope.  "If it is tough for u, it will be tough for the others too". Sooner one can understand this fact, better is the possibility of him/her emerging out successful. 
• Last but not the least, mark all the answers properly. IF you mis-mark 1 answer, all the following answers will also go wrong( marking the answer for Q37 on Q38's slot will shift all your answers by 1 slot).
• Ensure that you darken the bubbles properly. IF you are unsure, erase it and mark it again. Sharpen your pencil from time to time. Most likely you wont realize that it has gone blunt

Wishing you all Success in GATE 2010. More than anything, think of this exam to be a game and Enjoy it !!