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Caffeine before an exam?

Is it a good idea to consume caffeine before entering the exam hall?
What are your experiences with caffeine and sitting an actual exam?
Does it help? Did you end up doing well in the exam? Or worse?
It's hard to know about its effectiveness when there are so many myths regarding it.






(Sorry if there already is a thread on this, couldn't find one exactly related to caffeine and sitting the actual exam)

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I wouldnt recommend it, the caffeine may give you a boost at the start, but soon wears off, making it more difficult to concentrate. Caffeine is also a diuretic, meaning it is more likely you will need the toilet during the exam!
Reply 2
My tutor said no to us and caffeine! He said that caffeine is a long term energy boost that takes a while to actually kick in, he recommended sugar and told us to have like a bottle of coke and a mars bar as thats quick acting energy to get you through!
I never take pro plus or anything beforehand because I'm scared I'll crash and burn half way through. Also when I'm all hyped up I don't remember stuff clearly so I'm more likely to write really crappy essays.

A good nights sleep before the exam is an old trick but it is a really good idea. Also, I know you're a boy, but just to any other girls reading this ... Don't go into the exam hall in like your standard no make up, sack like clothes and your hair all piled on top of your head. I find if I get dressed properly like I would for a normal college day, I concentrate SO MUCH better and think more calmly and logically and less ohmygod-major-panic-i-desperately-want-to-get-into-Leeds kind of way :P

I always do this for revising at home too. Get properly dressed. Lazying around in PJs can be done when there isn't work to do :P
manz eats bananas for dat slow release energy init
Reply 5
I find marijuana helps me for English literature. Joke.

but seriously eat a good breakfast water unless you have made sure you can handle it caffeine can lead to an urge to urinate and headaches so keep way unless you are sure.
Reply 6
Caffeine is more effective than revision. FACT.
Unless you have a colourless caffine drink with you in the exam hall (in a water bottle without any labels :biggrin:)

But id much rather stick to ice cool water.

I always buy a cold bottle of water before i walk into school just before my exam...
Original post by ColdKant
Is it a good idea to consume caffeine before entering the exam hall?
What are your experiences with caffeine and sitting an actual exam?
Does it help? Did you end up doing well in the exam? Or worse?
It's hard to know about its effectiveness when there are so many myths regarding it.






(Sorry if there already is a thread on this, couldn't find one exactly related to caffeine and sitting the actual exam)


I do it, mainly because I'm a last minute person so I have to stay up the night before revising and have to ensure I don't sleep in my exam! But drink it like an hour before as it does take some time to kick in ... And try caffiene + chocolate for an extra boost :cool:
It depends how much. We all want to avoid having a Will-from-The-Inbetweeners accident...
Reply 10
I drank red bull before an economics exams ..... i was too jittery to even write or think straight . ON TOP OF THAT it took so much energy just to remember what i had revised.... NEVER AGAIN!!!:mad:
If I don't I get headaches and can't function properly. I drink too much coffee >:
Unless you revised while drinking caffeine, I can't see how it would help.
Reply 13
I stayed focused better with caffeine but if yo get the caffeine through coffee then it may make you need the loo! :s-smilie:
For Gods sake, don't take it on an empty stomach.
Reply 15
Only have caffeine if your a regular. If your an addict, I'd recommend buying a pill crusher and pro plus, crush up two pills and put it into an ice cold bottle of water. For me, caffeine takes about 7 minutes to start working, and wears off after 1 and a half hours. So, having a little extra boost near the end of an exam is good :tongue:
My English teacher said that you should eat a banana 30 minutes before your exam as it releases pottasium on the brain x


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*in


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COFFEEEEEEEE!!!!!! yeah, but don't.
Reply 19
It depends on your sensitivity to it and how much you drink. But, you personally should know your own effects to it. I'm pretty sensitive to it, so I only drink 1 cup and that wakes me up and makes me focus, especially since usually I wake up earlier on exam days to cram. But drinking say, 2 cups as well as my tiredness can make me a bit hysterical and I laugh over nothing and can make my hands a bit shaky. If you have an abnormally fast heart beat anyway (like I do), the coffee will increase your heart rate even more and you're breathing can get a bit weird as you can get (I think it's called) heart palpitations, which has happened to me quite a bit. But it's nothing major, it just increases your nervousness in the exam. Take 'rescue remedy' for that :3

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