How did you deal with MATHCOUNTS disappointments?

[PowerOfPi]

My story at states:

For me, after I took the first test, I thought I did horrible and it got worse from there. I practically gave up on the team round. Lunch took away some of the dissapointments. During countdown, I was sitting in the audience, not ready to go up. For the fifth person, they called me up. I was not ready at all, but I ended up getting fourth. Next, they said the team winners. They called my team up for first, and my coach would be going to Orlando. I was surprised that I did that well, but so disapointed that I was one spot away from nats (because countdown doesn't count in my state) . Now, I don't know whether I should be disappointed or happy.

About the doing better on the actual test than the practice, I do horrible on the actual test. On the AMC 8, when I practiced, I got 24's and sometimes 23's. On the actual test, I got a 20. That is bad compared to other states, but it got me first in the state.

[JBoyd]

We ALWAYS do a team round right after breakfast on the day of the competition. It's like playing a sporting event. You would never think of playing a sports event without warming up. The same is true for academic events. Every contest that my kids go to we warm up for around 30 minutes to an hour.

It does make a difference.

[connaissance]

I see what JBoyd is saying, but what if you've exhausted your supply of National team rounds? That's what happened to us. I mean, especially with how much Texas practices, how do you not run out?

[Mewto55555]

[Thunder365]

powerofpi, what state are you from?

I guess I dealt with my mathcounts fail OK. I was happy that our team got 2nd and I was getting a trophy (GAH we lost by 1/2 a point...)

[jonathanchou711]

As it has been stated most several times: Move on because there are more important things in life. I failed at State myself and was literally shocked that I didn't go to Nats because lots of people thought I was going to Nats. But I got nervous at state and almost died at written because I was so nervous and was shocked that I got into Countdown. I guess that my poor heart wasn't ready for Countdown so I just sat there at Countdown. And got 7th. Bleh. But then again, on the trip back home, I was so miserable. I had a 7th place trophy that was crappy. Everytime I woke up in my room, I saw the 7th place instead of a 1st, I felt miserable and unhappy. It ruined my day. But then I thought things out in a new perspective. Going to state wasn't all that bad. It gave me experience and fun. I had fun with my friends and I got to experience state in 7th grade! That's not that bad for a 7th grader in OK. So just look at the bright side and think of something that can cheer you up. Everything you fail on gives experience of what happens at some certain event and gives you even more reason to improve and prepare for it. There are more things in life than you know it and all you have to do is just keep preparing.

[PowerOfPi]

[JBoyd]

I always save last years test for us to use the last day. On the night before the competition we take the sprint and the target. Then we take the team either before or after breakfast on the day of the competition. It's not a lot but it gets the mind going and gets it ready to think.

ps From what people in the grading room told me the difference between 1st and 2nd was more than .5. It was more than one team question.

[mathluver2.718]

When I was in fourth grade, I saw my first state CountDown round. (my older sisters were involved in MC at that time) From that point on, I've always wanted to go to nats. Last year, when I was in 6th grade, I thought it would be fun to go to nats, but I didn't expect it, and I was perfectly happy with my 11th place. This year, I thought, "I REALLY want to go to nats this year." I devoted almost all my free time in the 2 months before states to mc study, because I knew that if I didn't try my hardest and then didn't make nats, I would feel like, "If I had studied just a little bit more, I would have made it." I was pretty sure that if I didn't study, I would get 5th or 6th place. I told myself that if I studied, I had a chance. I guess I did have a chance, just not a very big one.

At states, I felt that the sprint round was ok, but was mad at myself for making stupid mistakes on the last two targets. I lied to myself, I told myself that I would make nats. In my state, cd round is unofficial, so you don't know how you've done until they hand out the trophies. When the announcer got to 6th place, my name hadn't been called. They called the 6th place, but it wasn't me. I was called next. After the award ceremony, people kept congratulating me. i didn't want to be congratulated. I had done badly. Didn't anyone see that I didn't want to be told that I did well? I found out that the only person who knows the right things to say is someone who has also epic phailed at MC.

I guess that after states, I started to realize that i would have more time to do stuff other than math. i think that looking at the bright side is the best way to deal with a failure. Also, if you think about it, lots of people who did worse than you would be thrilled to do as well as you did, and many people who did better than you did felt just as disappointed as you did.

[pythag011]

[mathluver2.718]

I think that it's good to do a little bit of math the day before/the day of a competition. Not doing any makes me even more nervous than I would be otherwise.

[PowerOfPi]

It is good to get your neurons firing, but too much can tire them and worsen your performance.

[mathlearner]

Pythag011 said "I've been told to never to do any math the day before or the day of usamo" Pythag011 -- that's interesting - but WHO told you this?

I think it may depend on the person - I mean, clearly NOT doing any math (assuming you didn't) seemed to work well for you, but I know someone who seemingly did all the right things - fully prepared by doing every last problem at least once (but usually many times), knew every single concept/definition, etc in back of MATHCOUNTS handbook, ate a good breakfast, had ok sleep (probably could have used another hour), and was confident and excited but not overly anxious going into the test. And then .. well, let's just say this person did just "barely better" than year before when he did almost the opposite (less problems, poor sleep, poor breakfast, etc) and I'm thinking maybe Coach Boyd has a point - maybe for THIS person, they should have done some math just prior - why? because they screwed up Sprint but got a perfect on the target - now, is that because by the time of the target, they were "warmed up" or was it just coincidence? Wonder what the stats are for Nats competitors acing target but getting a bunch wrong on sprints - hey, are those stats public?

Coach Boyd - would you know??

[pythag011]

Hmm, rrusczyk said not to do any math before USAMO if I remember correctly...

Maybe that only holds for USAMO.

Hmm, I do better when I'm nervous for some reason....

[rd5493]

Though it's beena while since I did MC, I definitely remember my "career"...

My 6th grade year, I guess I did better than expected. I was the youngest and least experienced person on my school's team, but I was competing strictly as an individual. Somehow I got 8th place and then proceeded to win CD by some act of God. I loved being up on the stage with all the pressure and intensity that I had enjoyed in many fo the sporting events I've participated in. I somehow made it to states on a technicality but sadly got shut down there, not even placing. My 7th grade year was different. I todl myself that I would study and do math hardcore so that I could make nats someday. Unfortunately for me, WV is notorious for being swept by Suncrest Middle School in Morgantown. Nobody from outside Motown had made the MC Nats team in a long time, but I thought I could break the mold. Unfortunately, I got 11th in WV that year, and pretty much gave up hope. Then 8th grade yr rolled around, I tookt he state test, and thought I had done fairly well on it. I mst have guessed extrememly well on the ones I didn;t know, becuase I was extremely surprised to hear my name called for 3rd place! That year also turned otu to be one of WV's better years as team, placing 19th nationally. Though I had a terrible national round (800-650 is not 250), i still thought that fact that I had broken into the elite was amazing and beyond my comprehension. It just goes to show that hard work can make all the difference (as well as a litttle luck).

[math154]

[JBoyd]

I don't think those stats are available to the public.

[Mewto55555]

There were a multitude of perfect targets this year (I know of a bunch) but no perfect sprints.

[tiger21]

[gauss1181]

Also, it's less difficult to make a stupid mistake on Target because the time limit is less restraining and you only concentrate on 2 problems at a time.

But still, often times some tests have extremely trivial target problems that could possibly be misread, so you should take the extra time to your advantage, making sure you don't misread any problems...darn that reminds me of how I keep missing ONE problem on every target test I do..