With the Common Admission Test window open for 2012 and innumerable experiences of fellow CAT-takers hitting you with unimaginable velocity coupled with tonnes of your own doubts and exponentially growing anxiety, this sure is a tough test of nerves. There will be moments when you’ll feel utterly confident, ready to take charge of any question that comes your way; and there will be moments when the sheer pressure will make you think twice before you answer the relationship between sine and cosine! But this is not just your story. Your rival friend is pretty much in the same sea as you, as his rival friend is. And this makes it even the more necessary for you to keep track of your heartbeats. This is as easy as (it is) difficult, implying it’s all your mind-game - whether you want to see the glass half-empty or half-full or even conclude that the glass is way too big.

It is extremely crucial to revise and re-revise. This not only adds to your confidence, but also ensures that you identify and rectify any loophole in the preparation.

There is a huge probability that every time you revise, you will come across a concept or question that you feel you had not paid adequate heed to earlier. If there are areas you are absolutely sure you have mastered, concentrate on being more accurate while managing time. Try recapitulating the questions where you took more time and try attempting them in a quicker fashion. Also, visit the mock tests you took earlier. Figure out the weapons that you use to destruct as well as those that undermine you. Remind yourself of every strategy you adopted while taking those mock-tests. Categorise those moves that helped you as well the ones that betrayed you. Having strategised your game, try taking about four mock tests a week, preferably at the same time as your CAT slot. Analyse critically the minutest point. Spend a huge chunk of time analysing the results. Strategise again before taking the next mock test.

Having said all this, I’d again like to emphasise that do not get bogged down by the responses of those who have already taken the test. There will be a million stories to hear and feel sad, but be thoughtful of that one story that makes you feel enthusiastic. Sleep properly, eat healthy, listen to music, go for a walk. Remember, it is of utmost importance to pamper your mind and heart so that they synchronise perfectly on your big day. May the best of luck be yours!

The author, batch 2006 alumnus of DPS RK Puram, completed her electronics and communication engineering degree from YMCA Institute of Engineering, Faridabad, in 2010. Thereafter, she worked with Cadence Design Systems, Noida, for about two years before joining the Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode. She is among the top 20 selections at IIM-K.

(As told to Rahat Bano)