Hello Everybody,
so just a bit of an update. Yesterday I took the GRE's. I would like to say that I was fully prepared. But it was obvious that I wasn't. And I am not so much talking about the test material, although its not so much the material that is difficult, it is the intensity in which you need to know the material.
The past week I have been getting up really early, and going to bed pretty late, due to studying. I haven't been in college for a couple years so I feel a bit rusty especially with stuff that I learned in high school. Anyway, mostly the content was fine. But the set up of the test is terrible.
And unfortunately I don't think I was ready for the intensity of it all.
I wanted to make sure I had plenty of time at the testing center so I left my house in good time, I made it the center about 1/2 hour ahead of time. Which was fine.
I left my house at about 11:45am, it takes around 30-45 minutes to reach the center from my house. I had a light breakfast as recommended. Filled out all of my initial paperwork. I waited patiently for all of the explanations and did the whole signing in process.
The test was going fine, I hadn't had lunch, but I figured that it was fine and I would get a break after the first three sections, which ended up being 3pm.
Maybe I am just used to snacking every few hours. And maybe I was a bit sleep deprived, maybe I had a bit too much adrenaline running through my system, with hour after hour of intense focus on the computer screen, racking my brain for the appropriate answer and re-reading phrases and lines to make sure every word has been understood and considered when putting my final answer. I finally got a 10 minute lunch break at the end of section three which happened to be 10 minutes long.
I was so kinda out of it, it was nice to have a break, but it kinda turns into a much shorter break, because you have to get up, sign out, go to the other end of the building to find a seat and eat your lunch. But I'm pretty sure my energy was so focused inside of my brain, there was nothing left for the functions of the stomach. As soon as I ate, I got a pounding headache. Goodness. I still had 3 more sections to go, which could easily be a couple more hours.
I rushed back to my test, because if you are a second late, the test starts without you. You aren't allowed to have water or food at your seat, and I'm pretty sure I got pretty dehydrated.
After the first session after lunch break, I was really feeling ill and terrible. It had been about 40 minutes. I still had 2 sessions left. I pushed through the second session and by the last session, I could just see myself projectile vomitting all over the place if I didn't get of there soon.
Even as much pain I was in.. both nauseous and pounding head, I'm not really sure how I managed to stick out the rest of the test but somehow I did it. You aren't allowed to take your notes out of the testing room, so I was trying to memorize the scores that it presented to me once I finished. My brain was so fried at that point. The scores that I 'remembered' actually were good! Well good enough for the school I am applying for. However, I am just hoping that I remembered them correctly. I really have no idea at this point. I got done with the test at 5pm. I was famished, dehydrated, sick and headachy. I can honestly say that it was one of the worst experiences of my life.
Somehow I managed to get home, but as soon as I got home I completely fell apart. I felt so sick, I kept trying to vomit to get the sickness feeling out, but there was absolutely nothing in my stomache.. I know this is way too much information. But I just feel that when they ask you at the beginning of the registration if you are diabetic or have other health issues (or normal person needs!).... TAKE IT SERIOUSLY. I definitely didn't and if I had known the test would have been that strict, I think I would have really spoken to someone about it.
I was too scared to take pain killers on an empty stomach but I was so nauseous that eating food was the last thing that appealed to me. My family convinced me that I needed to if I wanted to feel better.. so I forced a half of an avocado down.. and finally took some pain killers.. It wasn't until late that evening that I felt okay.
Anyway.. Today I feel awesome. I feel so lucky that my body and mind survived! I hate to say that sometimes feeling so miserable can be a good thing.. the one good thing that comes out of it.. is how absolutely amazing you feel when you are back to normal! I just have so much gratitude for my body having come out of that as well as it did. If I had been any worse yesterday, or if I hadn't forced myself to eat.. I think I would have ended up in the hospital..
Not to scare anyone soon to be GRE test taker out there. But if you are a slow test taker like me and like to be early/ ontime.. eat a proper breakfast, and make sure you eat and drink enough before you go. Speak to your facilitator about taking breaks, or contact ETS to see if they will allow a few breaks with adequate time to visit the toilet, eat some food and drink some water.
Goodluck!
May everyone else taking the GRE's be healthy and happy throughout!
so just a bit of an update. Yesterday I took the GRE's. I would like to say that I was fully prepared. But it was obvious that I wasn't. And I am not so much talking about the test material, although its not so much the material that is difficult, it is the intensity in which you need to know the material.
The past week I have been getting up really early, and going to bed pretty late, due to studying. I haven't been in college for a couple years so I feel a bit rusty especially with stuff that I learned in high school. Anyway, mostly the content was fine. But the set up of the test is terrible.
And unfortunately I don't think I was ready for the intensity of it all.
I wanted to make sure I had plenty of time at the testing center so I left my house in good time, I made it the center about 1/2 hour ahead of time. Which was fine.
I left my house at about 11:45am, it takes around 30-45 minutes to reach the center from my house. I had a light breakfast as recommended. Filled out all of my initial paperwork. I waited patiently for all of the explanations and did the whole signing in process.
The test was going fine, I hadn't had lunch, but I figured that it was fine and I would get a break after the first three sections, which ended up being 3pm.
Maybe I am just used to snacking every few hours. And maybe I was a bit sleep deprived, maybe I had a bit too much adrenaline running through my system, with hour after hour of intense focus on the computer screen, racking my brain for the appropriate answer and re-reading phrases and lines to make sure every word has been understood and considered when putting my final answer. I finally got a 10 minute lunch break at the end of section three which happened to be 10 minutes long.
I was so kinda out of it, it was nice to have a break, but it kinda turns into a much shorter break, because you have to get up, sign out, go to the other end of the building to find a seat and eat your lunch. But I'm pretty sure my energy was so focused inside of my brain, there was nothing left for the functions of the stomach. As soon as I ate, I got a pounding headache. Goodness. I still had 3 more sections to go, which could easily be a couple more hours.
I rushed back to my test, because if you are a second late, the test starts without you. You aren't allowed to have water or food at your seat, and I'm pretty sure I got pretty dehydrated.
After the first session after lunch break, I was really feeling ill and terrible. It had been about 40 minutes. I still had 2 sessions left. I pushed through the second session and by the last session, I could just see myself projectile vomitting all over the place if I didn't get of there soon.
Even as much pain I was in.. both nauseous and pounding head, I'm not really sure how I managed to stick out the rest of the test but somehow I did it. You aren't allowed to take your notes out of the testing room, so I was trying to memorize the scores that it presented to me once I finished. My brain was so fried at that point. The scores that I 'remembered' actually were good! Well good enough for the school I am applying for. However, I am just hoping that I remembered them correctly. I really have no idea at this point. I got done with the test at 5pm. I was famished, dehydrated, sick and headachy. I can honestly say that it was one of the worst experiences of my life.
Somehow I managed to get home, but as soon as I got home I completely fell apart. I felt so sick, I kept trying to vomit to get the sickness feeling out, but there was absolutely nothing in my stomache.. I know this is way too much information. But I just feel that when they ask you at the beginning of the registration if you are diabetic or have other health issues (or normal person needs!).... TAKE IT SERIOUSLY. I definitely didn't and if I had known the test would have been that strict, I think I would have really spoken to someone about it.
I was too scared to take pain killers on an empty stomach but I was so nauseous that eating food was the last thing that appealed to me. My family convinced me that I needed to if I wanted to feel better.. so I forced a half of an avocado down.. and finally took some pain killers.. It wasn't until late that evening that I felt okay.
Anyway.. Today I feel awesome. I feel so lucky that my body and mind survived! I hate to say that sometimes feeling so miserable can be a good thing.. the one good thing that comes out of it.. is how absolutely amazing you feel when you are back to normal! I just have so much gratitude for my body having come out of that as well as it did. If I had been any worse yesterday, or if I hadn't forced myself to eat.. I think I would have ended up in the hospital..
Not to scare anyone soon to be GRE test taker out there. But if you are a slow test taker like me and like to be early/ ontime.. eat a proper breakfast, and make sure you eat and drink enough before you go. Speak to your facilitator about taking breaks, or contact ETS to see if they will allow a few breaks with adequate time to visit the toilet, eat some food and drink some water.
Goodluck!
May everyone else taking the GRE's be healthy and happy throughout!
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