My son’s birthday is during baseball season. So every year my wife goes out and buys stuff to make cupcakes for him and his baseball team after practice, or a game, or whenever it falls. (She is much nicer and more thoughtful than I am.)
Last year this practice got me thinking. Baking cupcakes would be a great thing to do the day before your test.
Now you can think of that literally, because literally baking cupcakes and then having one after your exam sounds FANTASTIC.
Or… you can think a little deeper. You can spend the day preparing for your reward. Something for after your exam.
“I’m going to eat cupcakes until I throw up” is a great reward. But you can think bigger. You’re smart. How about, “I’m going to go to the beach all by myself to drink rum and grapefruit juice until my spouse comes to pick me up?” Now that takes a little more planning.
How about, “I’m going to get a massage?” (Pedicure, manicure, hair done, etc.)
How about going for a long, long hike?
Lots of things you can and should do as a reward on your day off. The day before your exam is a great day to pack your towel and your drinks, book your massage appointment. If you’re a nerd like me, it might be to download a new book on my Kindle.
I’m calling the day before the exam “Packing Day” because you don’t study the day before your exam. You pack for your reward.
So, for those of you in your last week before a big exam, start thinking about what you’re going to need to pack. Everyone else get a copy of The Final Step, so that you can be packing on Packing Day.
Brian Wallace
P.S. If you’ve got student loans and you’re hoping to land a big job to take care of a bit of a mess, I’ve got something for you coming on Wednesday. Keep your eyes peeled.