Use the `fab!` shorthand syntax for creating test fixtures and reuse fabricated objects across tests to improve performance and maintainability. The `fab!` method creates objects once per test context and reuses them, reducing database overhead compared to creating new objects for each test. **Preferred approach:** ```ruby fab!(:theme_1, :theme) fab!(:theme_2, :theme) fab!(:tag_1, :tag) let(:tags) { [tag_1, tag_2, tag_3] } ``` **Instead of:** ```ruby fab!(:theme_1) { Fabricate(:theme) } fab!(:theme_2) { Fabricate(:theme) } let(:tags) { 3.times.collect { Fabricate(:tag) } } ``` When possible, reuse top-level fabricated objects in nested contexts rather than creating new ones. For example, use `event = Fabricate(:event, post: admin_post)` instead of `post = Fabricate(:post, user: Fabricate(:admin))` when an admin_post fixture already exists at the top level. This approach reduces test setup time, improves readability, and makes test dependencies more explicit.