We are now well into the fall season of the school year. Thoughts of college and future plans are in the midst for our upperclassmen. While planning for the future is both terrifying and exciting, there is just one annoying roadblock standing in the way: the SAT. We all can agree that standardized testing falls into the category filed under epitome of evil, but it’s a fate we all have to meet. Luckily, I have a few tips to help you out.

Come prepared. This is a given, but it’s never a bad tip. Get plenty of sleep the night before. Eat a generous breakfast before leaving home. The SAT is a long, drawn-out process so be sure to have a full stomach so it’s not growling in the quiet testing room. Bring several #2 pencils and then you don’t have to worry about your pencil getting dull or breaking during the exam. I used all four of the pencils I brought on both of the days I tested. Don’t forget to bring a calculator. Also, dress comfortably. The test starts at 8:00 on a Saturday so who cares if you come in your cartoon-wearing clothes may that be pajamas or sweatpants. Bring a snack and drink just in case too.

Try to answer each and every question. Obviously this is already the goal, but my advice is to make your best educated guess even if you are unsure of the answer; this way you can move on to questions you may know the absolute answer to. If you have extra time in the end, you can always go back to those questions. Thanks to the creators of the new SAT, even if you miss a question it does not count against your score, so don’t psyche yourself out.

Gage your time. Don’t waste your time on one question because, like I mentioned before, it won’t matter in the end if you get one question wrong but it will matter if you don’t answer all the questions you possibly can. Pace yourself.

Take the essay. Writing may not come naturally to some so when given the option to opt out of the essay many take it; however, some colleges require that you take essay portion. Typically at the point in high school that you’ll take the SAT, you will be unsure of which colleges you’ll be applying to (speaking from personal experience). Plus, a good essay score could possibly boost your application even more.

When taking the essay, be sure to analyze the text and answer the prompt completely and clearly. Try your best to catch yourself from using contractions. It makes you sound more professional and it takes up space. My best advice during the essay portion would be to reread your work if possible because sometimes when thinking quickly and writing at the same time you may skip a word here and there. This way you’ll avoid that problem.

Take it twice. I know that sounds awful and you’re probably thinking: “Why would I put myself through five hours of mental torture again?” More than half of the students who retake the SAT increase their scores. You’ll also be able to better gage your time. The first time I took the SAT, I did not come close to finishing any of the sections, but the second time I finished nearly all of them. You also have a better idea of what the test will be like and you’ll be further along in your education when you take it a second time.

In the end, just remember that it is okay to cry. You can always go home, eat a bowl of mac n’ cheese, watch a rom-com (yes boys I’m talking to you too!), and take a nice long nap for the rest of the day to make yourself feel better.

The SAT, although important, is not do or die so relax, take your time, and do your best.