Let's face it: everyone has that one exam they have already spent weeks preparing for, but still aren't sure whether or not they will be able to manage to earn a good grade. When this is the case, we turn to superstition and luck. Some people are naturally lucky, others need help. If you do all of these superstitions and have all of these charms, then you will ace every exam. Well, maybe. You should probably still study.
The first superstation begins the night before, when it is time to go to bed. Often when talking about preparing for exams people say to get a good night of sleep. I guess that is important, but you should really be protecting your dreams with a dream catcher. It is believed in Native American culture that a dream catcher will eliminate all negative images and thoughts that could enter your mind during sleep. Without a dream catcher, who knows what kind of crazy anxiety filled dreams you'll have?
Next comes the morning of the test: eat a good breakfast. A healthy breakfast works and is proven by research, but why fix it if it ain't broke? What did you eat before your last exam that you did well on? You could have feasted on a bag of skittles and a granola bar. Who cares what it was? Eat it again if it worked last time. If it happened to be an omelet, oatmeal and fruit then you are ahead of the nutrition game. We are not all fortunate enough to wake up early to eat a dazzling breakfast at the Hub.
Once you've eaten, it's time to get dressed. As the saying goes — you dress well, you test well. By wearing a nice outfit, you will radiate with confidence and obviously know every answer to the test. So, put on a ball gown, ladies, and gentlemen, dust of your tuxes. You can never be overdressed when if comes to an exam day. I would also suggest wearing any lucky clothing. I have a pair of lucky socks I wear for almost every test I take.
A snazzy outfit is not going to get you that sparkling A by itself — you need every other good-luck charm you can find. First on your list is a rabbit's foot. This furry, often colorful stub is super lucky. You can thank the pre-Celtic people for this helpful charm. Next pull out a four-leaf-clover. You should have spent days before the exam looking for this one. There's no time for studying when you have a four-leaf-clover to find. If you slacked off, then I guess a shamrock will do. You will also need a horseshoe on your exam desk. If you can, try to arrange it with Mother Nature so a rainbow is outside and visible through the classroom window.
If you follow all of these rules then you are bound to do well. Once you get your test, kiss your lucky penny, take a deep breath and go ace it.
— Cangany is a freshman from Indianapolis, majoring in English writing.
opinion@thedepauw.com