Tips for calming the nerves before the test

Today was the last day of practice I was able to get before my test on Tuesday. I first went for a ride with another student who I'm not very comfortable driving with, their skill level is not to a point that I feel comfortable riding in the truck with them. It was a rough ride that put me on edge immediately. I then went for a drive with two instructors who I hadn't worked with until today, one of whom is a test administrator.

I was on edge from the first ride, and nervous being with two instructors who I hadn't worked with. I was also in a different truck than I had been practicing with. The truck I've been practicing with has a new transmission and clutch and shifts much differently. The instructors were both giving me different instructions and contradicting some of what I was taught by the instructors I have been working with, saying I was downshifting all wrong, I was revving the truck way too high, maybe a few other things. At one point I missed a 2 to 3 shift and I would've likely recovered it without much difficulty until the one instructor realized I was in neutral and loudly screamed "STOP THE TRUCK!"

After that I was so shaken I was just a wreck. I was sweating, couldn't think straight. I was as shaken as I've ever been driving.

The instructor had me go back to the yard and practice up and downshifting a bit and I did perfectly fine. I took a half hour break and the instructor I've been working with took me out on the road in the same truck and I did fine. Maybe not as smooth as I could be but I didn't lose any gears or anything.

Anyways it wasn't the way I wanted my last practice to go, and I'm a still kinda jittery from it all. I'm sure I'll calm down a bit but I don't want to be this nervous when I go to test on Tuesday. I wasn't thrilled about my test being scheduled for Tuesday either, as I won't be able to practice on Monday since Monday is a holiday. But I'll have to make do. Prior to this I felt I was doing pretty well, but that trip today shook me a bit.

Anyone have any tips for shaking the nerves on test day?

 

Thanks for the vote of confidence. I know I have the ability to do it. Just got really rattled today.

This is good advice. I'll be sure to get a good night's rest.

Lol maybe not the best advice...

If said instructor had given me a minute to think for myself, I likely would've realized I needed to try for 4th and would've gotten it in. We were in absolutely no danger of running a light, hitting anything, or causing a collision. The truck hadn't moved more than ~50 feet out of gear.

But at that point I was already shaken enough from the white knuckle ride earlier and was getting increasingly nervous with this unfamiliar instructor criticizing my every move without offering any constructive feedback. The whole trip had hurt my confidence, but once she yelled at the top of her lungs, I felt frozen. I'm not really sure how I managed to continue to drive after that but if I were in the same situation again, I would've pulled over at the next opportunity and got out of the truck.

Anyway I'm gonna do what I can to forget about it, rest up and just drive the truck as many of you have said.