You’ve waited for it. You’ve dreamt about it. You’ve lost friends incessantly talking about it and you don’t mind.

And here it is.

With the LSAT just hours away, students often wonder how to spend that last anxious day. Cram? Wind down? I’ve heard recommendations from all across the spectrum, and I think there’s some merit to each, but here I’ll divulge my tried-and-true personal strategy.

Try to have a nice day. That’ll mean very different things for different folks – one big bifurcation is just between people working a 9-5 today versus people who aren’t. In either case though, try to squeeze in something casual, something you enjoy. I highly recommend playing a pickup game or going on a run, a climb, or whatever gets you active. Useful to wind down and give your brain a break.

I’m not in the camp (though it is a sizeable and respectable contingent) that says you shouldn’t touch an exam book the day before the test. Ifff you’re in a position where you’re still weak on a concept – and you better not be – then by all means, try to get some work in there. You’ll need to be realistic about your expectations, though: it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to make significant strides in a day.

The vast majority of you won’t find yourself in this position. You’ve studied, you’re solid, and you’re probably not going to get any better strung out on drills at this point. Instead, the day before exams you’ll generally just want to stay fresh with a few practice problems. I’d recommend something like one Reading Comprehension passage and one Logic Game, plus a dozen or so Logical Reasoning questions, to keep your mind sharp and avoid any dent whatsoever in your familiarity with the material. Do that maybe twice over the course of the day, once in the morning and once in the evening.

And, of course, get some sleep. A solid eight hours is key to prepare for what is sure to be a mentally exhausting morning. Good hearty breakfast, get there early, and do what you were born to do.

And after the exam? Again, just my personal approach, but I’d recommend a hearty Double IPA. You’ve earned it.