I passed first time today!
I've been lurking on this sub for a bit of time and it has been so helpful to gain an insight on how to prepare for a practical test thanks to learning from everyone else's experiences.
I passed my theory test late March this year first time, got a car the day before to practice in but I wasn't able to start till mid April, no driving instructor, just private practice only, every chance I got. There were of course some hard moments and I originally got a test date for October 27th but I felt that I would be ready earlier than that so I spent weeks upon weeks trying to find a cancellation, I was on the verge of giving up completely until twelve days ago at 11:04pm, I found a cancellation for today and I wouldn't be able to change it so it felt risky but I knew I had to at least try.
I had a very nice examiner who made me feel very comfortable, and anytime there was something that I was confused about he explained clearly and coherently which reduced any remaining nerves I had.
The overall test felt quite short, even for a Saturday I thought it would be busy but it was pretty chill. I didn't tell anyone apart from family who already knew that I was even learning to drive which honestly made it easier because the pressure during test time was less since nobody really knew. At some point I thought I failed because the first part of the route was not somewhere that I practiced sufficiently so to hear the examiner at the end say " I am pleased to say you've passed, congratulations" had me absolutely flummoxed.
For those who have an upcoming test, don't give up, have faith. As long as you drive safely, that's perfect enough for the examiner.