Exam nerves

[misssweden]

I'm getting towards the end of my apprenticeship (yaaay) and I've got practical assessments (eeek) and eventually my trade test (EEEEK!  :_| )  coming up. Trouble is, I get really nervous when it comes to practical assessments. Written tests I'm fine with, but when it's practical and I get put on the spot I get severe exam nerves and I feel like everything I know just goes out the window, my mind goes blank and my hand start to shake (not good in my line of work!). 

Does anyone else get this? And how do you deal with it? 

 

[Andy™]

just think of it as another normal day but with an extra person watching?

 

[kerching]

Take it slowly

stop,and think

try to,think two steps ahead

lay out your tools materials,tester in the order you need the stuff

keep work area clear...if you only need something once then use it then put it to one side

DONT improvise...use the right tool for the job

everybody had to,start at the bottom

do,it HOW younwere shown

keep,testing it for,dead

do you need to test your gloves-/boots for holes/leaks before starting?....if so then be meticulous over it 

 never stand for 'that'll,do.'...or...thats 'good enough'....do it right, do it once

and RELAX

If you think it  is going wrong...STOP...take a minute....carry on

......and pass!

 

[sprocketflup]

alcohol. Spliffs

 

[Andy™]

Take it slowly

stop,and think

try to,think two steps ahead

lay out your tools materials,tester in the order you need the stuff

keep work area clear...if you only need something once then use it then put it to one side

DONT improvise...use the right tool for the job

everybody had to,start at the bottom

do,it HOW younwere shown

keep,testing it for,dead

do you need to test your gloves-/boots for holes/leaks before starting?....if so then be meticulous over it 

 never stand for 'that'll,do.'...or...thats 'good enough'....do it right, do it once

and RELAX

If you think it  is going wrong...STOP...take a minute....carry on

......and pass!

and then go back to the way you have always done it

 

[kerching]

I was going to say that then i thought better of it :innocent

let the examiners see what they want to see in order for you to,pass the test

 

[apprentice87]

Ok......

Now, written exams to not worry me in the slightest, BUT i cannot do ANYTHING with people watching me.

However, i have for example, just passed my motorbike test about 2 years ago, no course or anything, just turned up and did it on my own bike, [Suzuki 600] and had 1 point on the module 1 and no points at all on the module two....

So, how did i do it???

Right, when you do the practical test, DO not turn up with the attitude "this person is testing me" Turn up with the attitude that you are teaching THEM..

Right, watch this..... ....Here is how you do a service joint....LOOK AND LEARN  you muppets!!!!! Talk yourself through each step in your head like you were teaching them

Totally different mindset see......

john....

 

[OnOff]

I was going to say that then i thought better of it :innocent

let the examiners see what they want to see in order for you to,pass the test

Used to suffer from high BP before I dropped the weight. Quacks wanted to put me on drugs but I told them to poke it. Going in to do the 17th and I had a killer of a headache, felt sick the lot. Even asked the examiner if there was anywhere I could get some Neurofen (which I used to live on) to which he replied "No, weird you can't get drugs in a college!". Walked in sat down and did it in fifty something minutes. Didn't check a thing. Walked (ran) out found the nearest loo etc. My mate still in the exam thought I'd bottled it and given up. Anyway I got I think it was 98.3%.

Or does it just suggest the 2382 isn't rocket science if a fat bloke with a migraine can do it?

 

[misssweden]

Take it slowly

stop,and think

try to,think two steps ahead

lay out your tools materials,tester in the order you need the stuff

keep work area clear...if you only need something once then use it then put it to one side

DONT improvise...use the right tool for the job

everybody had to,start at the bottom

do,it HOW younwere shown

keep,testing it for,dead

do you need to test your gloves-/boots for holes/leaks before starting?....if so then be meticulous over it 

 never stand for 'that'll,do.'...or...thats 'good enough'....do it right, do it once

and RELAX

If you think it  is going wrong...STOP...take a minute....carry on

......and pass!

Thank you kerch, that is really helpful. I'll

make sure I have a clear out in my toolbox as well before the assessment, it will be easier to find things without all the spare fittings/spanners/bits and bobs that doesn't really need to be in there. And I must remember to make sure that I have all the tapes and TC wire... Oh god, how am I suppose to remember to breathe?! 

 

[misssweden]

Right, when you do the practical test, DO not turn up with the attitude "this person is testing me" Turn up with the attitude that you are teaching THEM..

Right, watch this..... ....Here is how you do a service joint....LOOK AND LEARN  you muppets!!!!! Talk yourself through each step in your head like you were teaching them

Totally different mindset see......

john....

Thank you john, I will try to think like that.

I'm feeling pretty confident with the actual task that's I've got to do for my first assessment (a wavecon termination into a linkbox and a wavecon-consac breech joint), so that does help a bit. I just need to hold it together...

 

[apprentice87]

Oh, and misssweden, can i give you one more bit of advice....

My mum was a school teacher for 44 years. Her mum was a school teacher all her life. Her mums, mum, was a school teacher all her life.

My mum knows a bit about teaching.. Yes????

Now, my mum would tell you that all the kids that came back from exams saying; "it was easy" etc, ALL tended to fail...

On the other hand, those that were very nervous, and came back worried sick that they had failed, ALL GENERALLY PASSED BY A MILE.....

As i say, talk yourself through it in your head as if you were teaching them, or even, if possible, talk to the examiner and explain WHAT you are doing, WHY you are doing it, and points to watch out for AS you do it. This shows UNDERSTANDING, and not just, "because i was told to do it like this"

john..

 

[Blue Duck]

Cant compete with the advice from John & Kerch!

All I will say is make sure you give your tools a good once over and empty out your tool bag the night before.

I also carry a small centuries old ivory rat given to me by my mother. I'm not superstitious but sometimes it helps.

The best of luck!

:Salute

 

[misssweden]

Cheers Duck. Now, where can I get an old ivory rat...?

 

[binky]

preparation is the key to all exams. If you are well prepared it helps with confidence. You have been taught key-points, the exam will be looking for these key points, so if you have a question like Ohms law, V=IR etc etc then the answer will be related to what you have been taught about Ohms law.

Listen to or read questions carefully, think for a minute then get stuck in.

Personally I've got good at 'winging it' but that's a skill developed by being about twice your age :slap

 

[Blue Duck]

Cheers Duck. Now, where can I get an old ivory rat...?

eBay of course

 

[misssweden]

eBay of course

£4.99 for improving my chances of passing assessments... Gotta be worth it!

 

[Essex1]

Just remember that you have got to where you are because you a great at what you do. Feel confident. Keep telling yourself that you are being assessed on stuff you have done many times. 

Good luck. You will be great. 

 

[Evans Electric]

I was nervous doing the 17th  .  I'd had to do the full course at night school and didn't want to fail as it cost me £400 for a start.  

So , a bunch of apprentices , some sparks under 25  and one old phart who last went to college just after England won the World Cup .

Anyway  2/3rds failed , old phart passed at 99%   but like everything , I couldn't remember much  now without refering to the book. 

No one likes being watched , well theres Stepps, but thats another story,  everyone hates the driving test ,  but I'm guessing the tester will be an ex jointer and they know you are nervous .

When you see the tee joint or whatever , just stay calm , & start planning how you will go about it , you've done them before , you'll be fine .

Something I DID notice in the 17th  and the sample exam I had on disc , which helped a lot , was that quite a few questions were in the negative , if thats the right word , I've heard some on the TV in The Chase  where the contestant does the same as me and reads the question wrongly . 

Its like  " Which of these is NOT the correct way to through crimp these cables" ?        And I answer it wrong by choosing which is the RIGHT way.  

 

[misssweden]

preparation is the key to all exams. If you are well prepared it helps with confidence. You have been taught key-points, the exam will be looking for these key points, so if you have a question like Ohms law, V=IR etc etc then the answer will be related to what you have been taught about Ohms law.

Listen to or read questions carefully, think for a minute then get stuck in.

Personally I've got good at 'winging it' but that's a skill developed by being about twice your age :slap

It is possible that "winging it" may not be the way forward for a practical live jointing assessment...

Last time I was this nervous was when I had to do a few practical tests as part of a job interview and my hands were shaking so much I could barely hold the pliers.

 

[Evans Electric]

Oh  and you'll need an ivory rat  and  could try wiggling your ass as you are hacksawing .  :innocent

Who was that well blessed lady on that gardening programme ??

Sorry sexist remark ... I apologise!