So, you’ve been through all those gruelling driving lessons and then one day your instructor turns to you and says “you’re ready, let’s book the test”. What’s your first reaction? Well, it could be any number of things to start with.
You might feel very proud of yourself because the person sitting next to you in the car deems you to be a good enough student that you’re now ready to take your exam. Soon after, the nerves start to kick in and doubts start to make their way into your mind.
It’s very easy to start thinking about all the mistakes you’ve made whilst learning. But, this is not what you should focus on. A qualified driving instructor will NEVER put your forward for a test unless they think you’re ready to pass. It doesn’t do much good for their reputation for a start plus, people who teach others to drive do so for a reason – the sense of satisfaction that they’ve taught someone well enough to go out on the road safely.
When the Nerves Start to Creep In
This is when you should turn those butterflies you’re feeling into something positive. Fear can actually be a good thing (believe it or not). Your body produces more adrenalin when you’re afraid and, in turn, this makes you way more alert than normal.
This means that when you actually take your test, you’ll be far more aware of other road users and what they’re up to. It will also mean you can take things in far quicker which will help.
So, this is the first thing, embrace those nerves!
Leading Up to Your Test
These days, you have to take a theory test before you’re allowed to drive on your own. One of the biggest mistakes people make is to study like mad and try to cram in as much as they can. What you have to remember is you should rely on what your brain has absorbed, even if you can’t recall something right away.
Going mad and asking everyone you know to test you isn’t going to help really. Of course, you should do this but don’t overdo it. Instead, pace yourself. If you know you have say, a couple of weeks before your test, just take a few minutes each day to go over certain things you’re not confident about.
The Night Before
This is possibly the hardest part. The reality that you’re going to be sat next to someone that’s watching your every move can be incredibly daunting so, below are a few points you should consider:
- Don’t skimp on sleep, if you’re tired the next day, it won’t help.
- Imagine you’re going out for a drive and if it helps, pretend your instructor is sat next to you.
- Give yourself plenty of time to arrive at the test centre and aim to be there at least 15 minutes before the test is due to start.
Finally, if you’ve failed before FORGET about it. Remember, thousands of people take driving tests each day and pass with flying colours and you can be one of them!
