What do you eat the night before, morning of, and/if during your exam??

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What do you eat the night before, morning of, and/if during your exam??

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Started 1 year ago by Vince
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Vince

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Since I started studying the CPA Ive been doing these exam superstitions(if you can call it that) where I eat pasta the night before, which I probably got from what athletes do before a big run or something. Breakfast consists of a bagel, fruit, one egg to build energy for the day. Then a pretest deuce, got that from Van Wilder, since thats probably the worst thing to knock your A game off. And then immediately head to the bar after the exam. Maybe I have been watching too much Deadliest Catch, but it seems to keep the bad juju away.

So Im wondering do yall do something like this and if so what do you eat?? Im taking AUD next sat and its a long exam. I might take a break and eat something I would bring but dont know what. Maybe a coffee shake as a drink to keep me up half way through. Or am I just weird like that? lol

FAR (Feb. '10) - 83
REG (Apr. '10) - 88
BEC (May '10) - 79
AUD (Aug '10) - 80
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Posted 1 year ago #
big shot cpa

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I plan these things in advance as well and cook breakfast the night before (haha yeah I have mashed potatoes for breakfast or what not). Pasta is def good for the night before, adding some meat also helps. Vitamin C & Bs in the morning for energy! I ended up not eating anything before my 4 hour FAR exam because I just was so exhausted, no appetite. And I was so into that exam that I didn't realize how hungry I was till after! Definitely try to have a filling breakfast, 5 hours is a long time! I don't think bagel and fruit will do it, eggs maybe.

Becker 2010/2011.
FAR 96(7/23/10), AUD 96(8/16/10), BEC 85(8/31/10), REG 73(11/28/10), 82(2/27/11).
'There’s no comfort in the growth zone and there’s no growth in the comfort zone.' ~ 'Nothing will work unless you do.'

Posted 1 year ago #
CAcpahopeful2010

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i have many supersitiutions, ill share one of them. i eat exactly 5 almonds every single day. cant say if it works, dont know my results yet. hehe

Passed REG, FAR, BEC.AUD. Struggling ETHICS. CALIFORNIA

Posted 1 year ago #
CPAWannaBe

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Xanax.

REG - 75 (expired, retake July 2011)
FAR - 69, 64, 67 <-Becker, 80 <-Yaeger
AUD - 82 ETHICS - 100
BEC - 72 (retake May 2011)

Posted 1 year ago #
big shot cpa

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5 almonds? this is the funniest superstition i've ever heard of. why almonds, why 5? I prefer hazelnuts & pistachios, will it work for me? Just kidding, I'd never eat just 5, I finish the can :-)

Becker 2010/2011.
FAR 96(7/23/10), AUD 96(8/16/10), BEC 85(8/31/10), REG 73(11/28/10), 82(2/27/11).
'There’s no comfort in the growth zone and there’s no growth in the comfort zone.' ~ 'Nothing will work unless you do.'

Posted 1 year ago #
FL_CPA2010

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Vince - I read a post on here where someone said they ate pizza the night before every exam that they passed. When they didn't eat pizza, they didn't passed...and it held true for their brother as well. Not sure what it is about pizza, but I made sure that I ate pizza for dinner the night before my very first exam (REG), and I passed. I don't know what was going on for audit and BEC on the nights before, but I didn't get pizza...and...well..........................
I'm retaking BEC on Friday, and I am taking it in Tampa (I passed REG in Tampa, and failed audit and BEC in Jacksonville, FL)...so that is another thing...going back to my "safety testing center" so to speak. And I am eating pizza the night before :-)

REG 79 (Becker); BEC 63 (Becker) 70 (Yaeger); AUD 66 (Becker; 11/30 - Becker); FAR 11/24 (Yaeger/Wiley)

Posted 1 year ago #
connieCPAin2010

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Oh yes, I have pizza the night before every exam. And a corona light. On exam day I wear my test "uniform" LOL. I wore the same outfit to my first 2 exams, then I had to switch it up because it was much too hot to wear the same thing at the end of May. I still passed, so I will wear May's "uniform" to my exam next week! LOL

BEC 79 (1/05/10)
REG 80 (3/05/10)
AUD 82 (5/28/10)
FAR 79 (8/27/10) I'm DONE!

Posted 1 year ago #
CPAinWV

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My breakfast meal for success was 2 Bacon/Egg/Cheese McGriddles for McDonalds before every test! Best food ever for brain energy lol and it worked for me...

FAR - 84 AUD - 81 BEC - 84 REG - 89

The End.

Posted 1 year ago #
italianCPA

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It really depends.
I don't have a track record yet.
I took FAR at 2pm and it wasn't in a nice area of Los Angeles so I had to settle for Quiznos, which was pretty good by the way.
I took AUD at 11:30am. Got a couple of espresso in the morning (I was also jetlagged) and a small pastry at Starbucks.
Of course I came out of the exam hungry as a lion, got a big rice bowl with raw salmon.

Hey, if I find out I passed FAR but not AUD, quiznos will become my pre-test meal! :)

FAR - 7/26/10 - 95
AUD - 8/10/10 - 88
BEC - 8/31/10 - 88
REG - 10/15/10 - 95

Posted 1 year ago #
melgem

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I don't have any food preferences, but the first two exams I took (and failed) there was this really nice older woman working the Prometric desk. When I took, and passed, BEC, there was this really crazy old guy working the desk. He was smelly and had a crazy, bushy beard that had parts of his lunch still in it and an enormous afro(for an old man). He was also working when I took AUD last month. If it turns out I passed, then he will officially be my good luck charm and I will then look forward to seeing (and smelling) him when I retake REG on the 26th of this month!!! LOL

Posted 1 year ago #
Vince

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Pizza, Bacon/Egg/Cheese McGriddles... does that food not make you lazy??? It does for me.

connie, I have a few uniforms myself. for FAR, I wore some really really baggy sweatpants, t-shirt, and long sleeve. I changed it up for REG and BEC because I looked a bit retarded and thuggish so it was jeans and a certain button down shirt. All with a hand picked underwear and socks several days before the exam.

FAR (Feb. '10) - 83
REG (Apr. '10) - 88
BEC (May '10) - 79
AUD (Aug '10) - 80

Posted 1 year ago #
cpa journey

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Thiught I would give a word of caution:

There appears to be a problem with McDonald's patrons when there are no Chicken McNuggets to be had - they have been known to call 911 or break the take out window. Just saying..... this could cause a delay.

That is why I go to WhataBurger - they never run out of chicken McNuggets :D

Posted 1 year ago #
CouldPassAgain

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I go with chicken breast with chicken rice and a vegetable. It's very easy on the stomach. I don't know how you guys can do the McDonald's. I think that's a little risky.

Posted 1 year ago #
italianCPA

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I don't know how you guys can do McDonald's REGARDLESS of the test.... Lol

FAR - 7/26/10 - 95
AUD - 8/10/10 - 88
BEC - 8/31/10 - 88
REG - 10/15/10 - 95

Posted 1 year ago #
Miceli2003

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I have been thinking about what I am going to do for my second exam next week. I thought about wearing the same outfit but as far as eating the same thing, not sure that is going to work out for me. I grabbed some sort of muffin and a small cup of milk on the way out of the hotel I stayed at. I am not staying at a hotel this time so I may have to stop at a Sheetz or some convenience store to find a muffin and milk. The last exam was only 2.5 hours, this on is 4.5 so I may need a little more than a muffin. The night before my last exam I had Wendy's, not so sure I'll do that either, maybe I should try the pizza thing! Seems to be working for a lot of you. :) Hopefully my exam results come out before next week, I think the prediction is tonight...Yikes!!

BEC - 53, 67, retake 2/28/11
AUD - 54, retake 05/28/11
FAR - ?
REG - ?

Posted 1 year ago #
cpawannabee

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Each exam day...I wake up early (5:00am or so) and "cram" for a few hours while drinking 2-3 cups of coffee. Once I'm sick and tired of studying....I call it quits and head to the exam (they always take you early.)

I always swing by Dunkin Donuts and get an Xtra-coffee and a bagel breakfast sandwich. I want the caffeine and the carbs.

I always bring a 1 liter bottle of water and a protein bar and take a break at the end of the MCQ's but before the Sims. Bathroom and food.....gotta do it when you're over 40!

BEC-70 74 71 77 AUD-69 74 74 72 81
REG-64 79(exp)78 FAR- 51 69 77

Posted 1 year ago #
financeguy

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I never had a tradition, but after reading this thread I am eating pizza the night before my Aug 30 REG exam

AUD - 81, BEC - 74, 80, FAR - 82, REG - 81
Done!

Posted 1 year ago #
Office Space

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I've got a food allergen which means I'd have to cook anything before breakfast. I usually schedule an early Sat test, go in with an empty stomach but have a sugar-free Rockstar before starting. Then after the second packet I'll take a quick break, drink another to keep me going through the third packet and first sim. Usually by then I'm kind of over the exam; I know I have enough MC and so far haven't gotten but one insanely difficult sim. I usually take my time on the last sim, and even though I have like 15 minutes left, I always tweak the written portion until I have 10 seconds to turn it in.

FAR was tough to take on an empty stomach, but I usually skip lunch at work anyway.

"We are such nerds, we're looking up money laundering in the dictionary." - Office Space

Signed,
(Insert name here)

Posted 1 year ago #
dvrdown1

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I usually ate pasta or some type of rice. I have also been told that chocolate activates memory receptors in the brain. Don't know if it is true or not, but I have heard this from different sources. Eat it 1/2 hour prior to exam time.

Posted 1 year ago #
Florida_Candidate

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I have an incredibly sensitive stomach and stress REALLY triggers the sensitivity so I usually stick to the same kind of foods I'd eat before a half marathon lol (I'm a runner). Which is mostly carbs (but not an insane amount) the night before and something with little to no fat or fiber in the morning (like toast w/jelly or a bagel with scrambled egg whites or pretzels). I get hungry during my exam but that's better than "tummy rumbling" going on during the exam if that makes sense lol.

I always pig out afterward though. I usually stop at whatever fast food place is nearest and get their version of mcnuggets and buffalo sauce with fries :) I prefer McDonalds... their buffalo sauce rocks!

FAR-91 (7/29)
AUD-99 (8/23)
BEC-90 (10/1)
REG-99 (11/3)

Posted 1 year ago #
studyingismynewhobby

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Panera and Qdoba I hope are my good luck charms! Breakfast before seems to be whatever the hotel I'm staying at has. Anything not greasy seems to work, & I always take a candy bar, water and Excedrin with me to the testing center.

FAR - 87
AUD - 88
BEC - 88
REG - waiting

Posted 1 year ago #
FARbehind

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I usually eat something very light the day of the exam and don't drink anything because I don't want to waste my time with going to the bathroom during the exam.

I noticed that every time I am taking the exam the first part of the month (1-15) I pass, and when Iam taking it in the second part of the month (15-31) I fail. This happened without exception so I scheduled my exam for November 13. I always find other excuses for doing this but deep in my heart I know I am expecting the lucky charm to work again. This is my little superstition.

aud,bec,reg-passed
far-->75 Done!!!!!
ethics-100

Posted 1 year ago #
hopingfor75

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This is an underrated consideration that many people forget about! I had to learn the hard way haha. Keep all your meals before your test light (i usually go for a few granola bars and half a cup of water). I made this mistake of "drinking enough water to last me 4 hours" for FAR. Wound up needing to pee REALLY BADLY after my second testlet.... I had to hold it though, bc of time considerations. Trying to do the hardest MC testlet and 2 LONG LONG sims while really needing to go was the most painful testing experience EVER. haha.

Take it from me! No water based foods, no more than half a cup of water and pee before you take the test!

BEC - 93
FAR - 94
AUD - 95
REG - 99

Posted 1 year ago #
75_stay_alive

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I dont have a food preference the night before the exam. But the day of, for breakfast it's cereal and coffee, but just a cup of and nothing more. I kinda had the same experience like Hopefor75 but with coffee when I took my AUD exam: drank too much of it before taking the exam and wound up going to the bathroom more than I should ...learned my lesson. About an hour before the test, I eat a banana or a granola bar. After taking the test, depends on the mood: if I feel confident, steaks, etc., if not, pretzels, chips and/or nachos and anything with an alcohol content of 12% or higher.

Posted 1 year ago #
whitesoxfancpa

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Night before: White Castle
Morning of: McDonald's breakfast
During: Nothing. What do you think, I want to get the runs during the exam?!

AUD 96 FAR 95 REG 94 BEC 88

Posted 1 year ago #
Dale

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The day before my exam I don't eat anything that might cause me issues the next day (spicy chili, mexican food, chinese food, etc). I also don't eat anything after 6pm the night before my exam. I drink a lot of water the night before.

I have never been much of a breakfast eater. I actually didn't eat before my exams and only had some water about 2 hours before exam time (so I wouldn't have to take any breaks during the exam).

Post-exam was centered around Dairy Queen for my post-exam depression (I love ice cream). This usually involved a Subway lunch since they were right next to the DQ.

RTCDQ!!.......Read the Cocka-Doody Question!
AUD-94; REG-97; BEC-93; FAR-94
see how I did it day by day: http://cpa-exam.dalesines.com
contact info on blog

Posted 1 year ago #
WI_11

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Tonight its going to be a searded med-rare usda prime rib-eye some w/fries (frozen ore-ida) and homemade chocolate chip cookies (my wife will make) for desert! Breakfest is 1 12 oz cup coffe about 3 scrambled eggs 1/2c oatmeal with milk and oj.(about 5 hrs before exam) after that maybe 8 oz of water and a bananna if I must.

AUD 89
BEC 84
FAR 87
REG 94!! ALL DONE

Posted 1 year ago #
32CPA

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Okay, freaky... I took FAR on Monday, and actually had Pizza the afternoon/evening before. We rarely order pizza, but did that day (I didn't know about this thread). And while thinking about it, I MAY have had pizza during the day or so before I took BEC. We get it so rarely, but I think I may have then.

If I passed them, I will come back here and scream to the world about pizza. Then I'll buy a few shares of PapaJohns!

BEC - Pass 10/2010
FAR - Pass 10/2010
AUD - Pass 11/2010
REG - Pass 05/2011

Posted 1 year ago #
SFCPA13

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A "pre-test deuce"?!?!?! Classic!

My only suggestion is to avoid large amounts of liquid about 2 hours prior. In other words, be done drinking your coffee a couple hours before the exam--otherwise it will make your SIMS that much more miserable.

On a side note, 24.5 hours till my LAST EXAM (REG)!!!!!! Gulp.......

FAR-75, BEC-80, AUD-85, REG-79
Gleim Review

Posted 1 year ago #
stuuuudy_hard

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MMMMMM Oreo McFlurry... eating one right now. My reward for when I throw my hands up and say I can't possibly learn anything else! With less than 12 hours to go... time to put my feet up and get some shut eye!

FAR 7/10 - 96
BEC 8/10 - 92
AUD 11/15 - 99
REG 11/22 - 97 (7 days craming!)

Posted 1 year ago #

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