“Swifter, higher, stronger.” Pierre de Coubertin – Father of the Modern Olympic
Games
In her recent book, Super-Better, Jane McGonigal considers the notion that life’s challenges can be vanquished by turning them into a video game with these seven steps:
1. Challenge yourself.
2. Collect and activate power-ups.
3. Find and battle the bad guys.
4. Seek out and complete quests.
5. Recruit your allies.
6. Adopt a secret identity.
7. Go for an epic win.
When it comes to video games I’m definitely old school. I miss the hammer in Donkey Kong, the bomb pizza in Turtles in Time and, most of all (the oldest of the old school – ta da!) the Pac Man power pellet. “Power ups” as they were known, put the supercharge in your character and, for a while at least, made you feel invincible.
All around you there are power ups to your Bar Exam study. Just like the mushrooms in Mario Brothers 3, or the heart container in The Legend of Zelda, you just have to know where to look for them. Here are some places to start.
Power Ups for Your Brain
You certainly don’t have to renounce your beloved frappucinos or, if your culinary predilections are closer to my own, your beloved bacon. But there are many easy, convenient foods on this side of kale that can immediately take your focus up a level or two. Try one or two to start!
Water: Can we start at the level of “duh!” If you’re not drinking, you’re not thinking. Dehydration robs you of focus. So keep that water bottle with you, and keep hitting it.
Trail Mix: A handful of this fruit-and-nut combo pumps over 30 essential vitamins and minerals into your noggin, along with a good dose of energy. The healthy fat in those nuts will also help you feel less ravenous.
Avocado: Avocado’s monosaturated fats help support information-carrying nerves in the brain, so spurn not this versatile food. Good on salads, and especially good on a bacon-cheeseburger.
And, BTW, did you eat breakfast this morning? With all due respect, coffee by itself is not breakfast. Relying on coffee to get through the morning sessions of the Bar Exam isn’t going to get it done. Start having at least “a little something” (as my Mom would say) before you head out each morning. If you can, include an egg or some other protein source with your whole wheat toast. If you’re worried about calories, consider this. A Harvard University study of over 17,000 found that those who regularly ate breakfast cereal consistently weighed less than those who didn’t.
Power Ups for Your Spirit
Movie heroes conquer their challenges and so can you. Whether it’s Brave Heart (“You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of embarrassing bravery. And I promise you … something great will come of it.”) or Katniss Everdean (“Pity does not get you aid. Admiration at your refusal to give in does.”) let them inspire you. Consider watching, or rewatching:
Undefeated: “If you think football builds character, it does not. Football reveals character.”
Eat, Pray, Love: “I’m choosing happiness over suffering. I know I am. I’m making space for the unknown future to fill my life with yet-to-come surprises.”
Soul Surfer: “Courage doesn’t mean you don’t get afraid. Courage means you don’t let fear stop you.”
And, while we’re at it, think about these songs for your “Power Up” playlist.
