What To Do The Night Before The UBE

What To Do The Night Before The UBE

After months of studying and preparing for the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) in accordance with a meticulous schedule you put together, some students find that they don’t have a plan for the night before the UBE.  Candidates may feel as though they need to continue their studies throughout the night while others grapple with pre-exam anxiety. After all, the next day you will be undertaking both the Multistate Essay Exam (MEE) and Multistate Performance Test (MPT).  Still, you should plan to (or at least try to) relax and get some quality sleep so you can be ready when you walk into the testing center. In this blog post, we provide recommendations that should help leave you refreshed and confident heading into day one of the UBE.

What To Do The Night Before The UBE

1. Do Not Attempt to Study

Be confident that you know enough to pass UBE!  You don’t need to know every single detail from every topic in order to pass the UBE. You’re also not likely to retain concepts that you’re trying to learn and memorize at the last minute. Instead of studying the night before, we recommend that you take the night off, and rest your brain before exam day. Put your study materials away, and try to relax. Watch a rerun of your favorite movie, read a book, or exercise.

2. If You Must Study

For some students, not studying the night before the UBE is much more stress and anxiety-inducing than stepping away from the books. So, if you must study, be thoughtful in your approach. Do not do practice exams or test out any “new” problems. Go over what you already know. Reinforce the law you have already memorized. Furthermore, end your studies a few hours before your bedtime so that you can sufficiently wind down.

3. Five Mental Health Exercises

You may be able to reduce anxiety by doi­ng any or all of the following mental health exercises the night before the exam:

• Visualization: Visualize passing the UBE. Visualize yourself being on time, having perfect recall of the law, and staying calm and relaxed.
• Write down your thoughts. Release your worries by writing down fearful thoughts.
• Talk to someone who is not taking the bar exam. Call a supportive family member or friend who will let you vent, validate your feelings, and remind you that you are ready for the UBE.
• Envision what you’ll do when the exam is over. Celebrate yourself for actually taking the exam, and get excited about the prospects of having it over!
• Ask yourself “What is the worst that can happen?” It is not the end of the world if you fail the exam. Tell yourself that you will retake the UBE along with many examinees who do not pass on their first try.

4. Make Sure You Are Logistically Prepared

Make sure you have everything ready to go in the morning, including your admissions ticket, writing utensils, a fully charged laptop, any software you might need, and face masks. Check out our general bar exam packing list for more ideas on what to bring (or not bring). Also, be sure to check your jurisdiction’s requirements for prohibited items. Review (or do a practice run!) of your route to the testing site as well as where you plan to park. Pla­n an easy and nutritious breakfast and lunch.  Most importantly, good luck!

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