Exam Food/Drink

**Timbuk2**

When doing exams, what food do you eat?

What would you eat for breakfast, lunch, snacks, etc.

Also should you drink water before/during an exam?

How can you ensure that you have just as much energy in the evening exam as you did in the morning exam?

Thanks!

gemxpink

(Sidenote: I'm loving all your questions/threads, keep em coming!)

dambarude

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

Also should you drink water before/during an exam?

Well I wouldn't drink too much. When I'm nervous/worried/panicky, and there's a bottle of water/coke/orange juice, whatever it is to hand, I tend to keep drinking it. Wouldn't be a good idea in an exam, or before it. (Unless you plan on hiding something in the cistern:D)

Rossie17

Eat a good high fibre diet. Then you shall have no problem having a good poo on the day. Delighted.

Kersmash

I have a shït diet. I basically live on sugar and very little sleep. I wouldn't reccomend it anyway!

Evan93

I usually bring a litre bottle of water in with me when doing exams. I suppose it's personal preference though.

witchgirl26

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

When doing exams, what food do you eat?

What would you eat for breakfast, lunch, snacks, etc.

Also should you drink water before/during an exam?

How can you ensure that you have just as much energy in the evening exam as you did in the morning exam?

Thanks!

Ok I know I'm a long time past Leaving Cert but I did some big exams last year so thought I as well share.

For breakfast - I'm generally sick the mornings of exams from nerves so just try to eat something small before leaving the house but bring something else with me coz guaranteed by the time I get to the exam hall, I'll be starving.

Lunch - something high in protein & carbs like a chicken salad or egg salad generally works well for me.

Snacks - chocolate for during the exam to give me a sugar boost. There's nothing worse than crisps in an exam hall though so wouldn't ever eat that.

To make sure you have energy for the evening exam as well as the morning, I generally take a complete break in between the two. Ok glance over a couple of things but take it easy. If you have the time, maybe even take a bit of a nap (just set the alarm on your phone to go off well before the exam!). Maybe even have a few glucose sweets before starting into the evening exam as it'll boost your sugar levels & thus your energy. I've often found that if I can start the exam with energy then I get more done even if that energy lags mid-way.

Ah the water thing - how much do you drink so that you get enough but don't need to pee! Best thing I found is to make sure you go to the loo before the exam but factor in bout 10mins of your exam time just in case you need to go again. Drink as much as you feel you need to but if you find your drinking as a nervous habit than try to stop that.

Hope this helps in some way & doesn't sound in any way condescinding coz I hated that when doing my Leaving.

kev9100

Chewing gum. Lots of chewing gum.

Konata

Definitely bring in water anyway, I always find it reassuring to sip on something when I'm thinking. As mentioned previously, try and go to the toilet at the last available oppurtunity before the exam. Personally I hate going to the bathroom during exams. It disrupts my thought process and is certainly detrimental in exams where you're stuck for time.

For breakfast you should try and eat something with carbs and protein in it. Maybe a small bowl of porridge with natural yogurt and seeds, 1 or 2 eggs (scrambled, boiled) with a slice of wholegrain toast, sugar-free muesli with nuts and seeds etc. Major point is to avoid sugar as it may leave you feeling tired or sluggish by the time you get to your exam. Eating too much will also have a similiar effect.

For snacks in the exam hall, I recommend dried fruit and nuts. They provide a low-fat sugar boost and the protein in nuts will help sustain you through the exam. If you must have chocolate go for it but it could leave you with a sugar crash. Definitely avoid crispis/popcorn as the rustling packet and crunching will disrupt those around you.

For lunch you need more protein and carbs and no sugar! Try a chicken or egg salad with a small portion of brown rice, wholewheat pasta with veg and chicken/turkey/tofu/quorn, Soup with wholemeal bread, goat's cheese salad and a rice cake or a wholemeal sandwich with egg/chicken/turkey/smoked salmon/cottage cheese and plenty of salad. Any of these will keep your glucose levels stable throughout the afternoon, providing you with energy aswell as keeping hunger and cravings at bay.

And drink lots of water throughout the day in order to stay hydrated. Good luck!

seanbmc

I didn`t know you could bring food into the exam halls. I`m not allowed for my mocks anyway.

OP bring water for the exam(just don`t spill it on your paper :pac:). Water hepls concentration. Don`t skip breakfast! Even if your nervous have something,you will need the energy.

H2student

I bring in bottled water in the exam, because I hate drinking cold water so I won't drink it all the time but I still have something to drink when I'm thirsty (I end up drinking it all by the end anyway ). That's what I did the for the mocks and what I plan to do in the HPAT + Leaving cert anyway. I might bring in some sweets as well(nuts is a good idea), I wasn't too sure whether or not food was allowed in the leaving cert.

Fad

Weetabix!

I had a mild freak out during the leaving and lived off coffee/red bull/berocca (Berocca boost is like cocaine in effervescent tablet form......)

jumpguy

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

When doing exams, what food do you eat?

What would you eat for breakfast, lunch, snacks, etc.

Also should you drink water before/during an exam?

How can you ensure that you have just as much energy in the evening exam as you did in the morning exam?

Thanks!

Healthy, good food. Try to avoid sugar highs and rubbishy foods. Eat healthily and make sure you get all your nutrients. Keep a good fibre intake, you don't want constipation during exams! Never over-eat, you don't want a sick stomach stomach during the exams either.

Breakfast - nothing too filling, but nothing that won't keep you going until noon either. Maybe 2/3 Wheatabix (depends how long it lasts you) or something?

Don't be thirsty, and make sure you go to the toilet before the exams. But don't go made on water either, like don't drink a bottle just before/early in the exam. Some people may agree or disagree with this advice, but I'd also advise against diuretics (make you pee) before the exam, like a big mug of tea!
Basically, keep hydrated always, it'll be June and could be very hot, so you don't wanna be thirsty, but you don't want to be bursting to go to the jacks either.
Bringing water into the exam is up to you, as long as you don't get tempted to drink it all early, and don't get distracted too much by it either, then by all means carry it in.

Two answers to this one: Plenty of sleep and plenty of good food! It'll be June then, and it will be bright long into the evening. I actually loved this in the JC, because I get tired of studying fairly quick, especially if it's dark. I drank Berocca, placebo effect or not I definetly felt it helped when I was tiring, in the evening. The exam pressure is enough motivation to study by then though (hopefully)!

Good luck 2010'ers!

**Timbuk2**

Is Berocca boost helpful while studying, or should it be avoided?

Thanks for the answers everyone -they were great!

H2student

That's it, I'm giving into the peer pressure from you guys. I'm gonna go try some Berocca boost tomorrow.

WHirl7

A bowl of Ready Brek in the morning is all that's getting me through these mocks!!

Making It Bad

What are the actual rules for taking drinks into exams? Do labels have to be taken off etc.?

Dubs

Making It Bad wrote: »

What are the actual rules for taking drinks into exams? Do labels have to be taken off etc.?

I dont think theyre meant to have labels on them, depends on how strict your supervisor is though really.

We were told by the priest at our grad last year that a banana is the way to go. Now not to make the connection beween catholic priests and bananas but by the end of the 2 weeks we went through something like 1000 bananas in total, so our year found them helpful!

Fad

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

Is Berocca boost helpful while studying, or should it be avoided?

Thanks for the answers everyone -they were great!

Like I said, it's like cocaine (In my blatant in depth knowledge of what cocaine is like >_>) I took it when I was getting tired.

It's quite expensive though. And isnt exactly nice imo.

Konata

Fad wrote: »

Like I said, it's like cocaine (In my blatant in depth knowledge of what cocaine is like >_>) I took it when I was getting tired.

It's quite expensive though. And isnt exactly nice imo.

I discovered Berocca tablets the other day. Same effect but cheaper (12 euro for 30 vs. 18 euro for 30 dissolvable ones) and no possible rank taste.

Ruski

Oats porridge. Every morning. Followed by a tablespoon of citrus-flavoured fish oil from Boots. Brain food and a half.

No coffee or black afterwards. Have a little bit of water when you get to school. If you drink after you eat you'll feel sick for the rest of the day.

Then have a sandwich or something for lunch.
Personally, I have a small sandwich in school. Then I have to starve until 7 in afterschool study.

zam

Since when are you allowed to bring food into exams?! Exciting new development

MeganM

My teacher is advising us to buy some of those lucozade energy tablets for the exam, apparently they do the trick.

spurious

zam wrote: »

Since when are you allowed to bring food into exams?! Exciting new development

People with a medical need such as someone with diabetes have always been allowed take in required food to the examinations.

For other people, as in most things, a bit of cop-on goes a long way.
No stinky breakfast rolls or bowls of curry, no noisy stinky crisps, rustly sweet wrappers, etc.

Anything that makes undue noise while opening or eating is a no-no, similarly anything which gives off odours which may bother other candidates, or anything that brings a danger of spillage with it. I can't remember if there is any specific mention of this in the candidate's handbook.

unknown13

I prefer water as my drink but for the Leaving Cert I might purchase some mini chocolate bars as I have minutes for breaks for my Leaving Cert.

Fad

spurious wrote: »

bowls of curry

I'd freakin' love to wander into an exam with a curry!