The Big Day

So, you've practiced and prepared and worked your butt off...finally, competition day has arrived. It's too late to decide to start studying (of course, we responsible Mathletes would never procrastinate like that), but there are still a few tips you can follow to optimize your performance.

Don't cram. I make it a rule never to take a practice contest the night before competition day. Reviewing a few important concepts you already know, however, is okay. I remember my dad casually quizzing me on perfect squares as he drove me to Mathcounts--this is fine. On the other hand, you may be tempted to work through three sets of Sprint Round practices at the last minute--this is stressful. Stress is bad.
Get your materials ready the night before. That way, you'll be in less of a rush the morning of the competition.
Get a good night's sleep. This means going to bed early not only the night before, but also a few nights before that, so that you fall into a good sleep schedule. Otherwise, you might end up heading for bed at 9:00 but staying awake until midnight, lying under the covers, staring at the ceiling, wondering if you've developed insomnia...it's happened to the best of us.
Wear comfortable clothing. I suggest sweatpants, a t-shirt, and a sweatshirt. Layering allows you to adapt to both warm and cool temperatures.
Eat a healthy breakfast. You want to be full, but not so full that you feel like throwing up. I think it goes without saying that throwing up on competition day is bad.
Be in a good mood. Joke around with your teammates, loose up, smile at people. It also doesn't hurt to make sure your parents don't yell at you that morning.
Schedule plenty of time to arrive at the competition site early. Running late leads to stress. Stress is bad.
During the contest (except for the Countdown Round), use all your time. If you finish early, check your answers. Make sure you answered in the right units. Come up with new ways to solve the problems and see if you get the same answers. Think about details you might have overlooked. Check, check, double-check... there's no reason to finish early and start playing calculator games.
Don't let poor performance on one round hurt your performance on another. Don't dwell on stupid mistakes realized too late. Easier said than done, I know.
Breathe! All your practice and preparation is behind you. This competition is just the fun part.