Tips to overcome test anxiety

The Staff of The Princeton Review

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Overcoming Test Anxiety (Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments)

You went to class, you studied, and you’ve taken many practice tests. You feel confident about yourself, and you just know that you’re going to ace that test.

You just know it.

But then test day comes, and as you sit down in your desk, you start to wonder, “Am I really ready?”

And then it starts. You freeze up, zone out, start feeling nervous, and start sweating. What’s going on?

Test anxiety.

Test anxiety is more than just being a little nervous before a test; it can often be intense fear or worrying. This is because test anxiety is a type of performance anxiety; there is pressure on you to do well in a situation. Test anxiety can interfere with your performance while you’re taking a test.

Causes of Test Anxiety

Anxiety is a reaction to something that is stressful. It can be anything from a meeting or an interview to a school activity or an important test. Any type of anxiety, including test anxiety, affects both your body and mind.

Fear of Failure

Taking an important test can put a lot of pressure on you. You’re pressured to make sure that you do well on the test, which sometimes can be motivating, but you’re also worried that failing the test can hurt your character, or the failing grade will show your true value.

Lack of Preparation

You may feel like you’re properly prepared and that you’ll do well, so you’ll put off studying for the exam until the last minute. Or you may not study at all. Either way, this could cause test anxiety on the day of the exam.

High Pressure

Knowing that you need to achieve a certain score to pass a class or even get a job can cause pressure, which will cause test anxiety.

Poor Test History

Not doing well on a past test can make you anxious during the next test you will need to take. It’s best that you stay focused on the test that you’re taking rather than thinking about how you did not do well on past tests.

Biological Causes of Test Anxiety

When you’re in a stressful situation, your body releases a hormone called adrenaline. This hormone is what prepares your body to deal with stressful situations and is known as a “fight-or-flight” response. This response helps you determine whether you are going to stay and deal with the stress at hand or if you’re going to leave the situation.

When the fight-or-flight response kicks in, you may have difficulty focusing or concentrating on the test. You may even experience sweating, shaky hands, or nausea.

Mental Causes of Test Anxiety

On top of biological causes of test anxiety, there are also mental causes. One factor is high expectations. For example, if a student believes going in that they will do badly on a test, then they will more than likely start to have anxiety before and during the test.

Another mental cause of test anxiety is previously having test anxiety. After you’ve experienced test anxiety, you may start to become fearful about it happening again the next time you take an important test.

15 Tips to Help Test Anxiety

1. Start preparing early.
It’s important that you start preparing early for your test rather than waiting until the last minute and cramming information. Start studying a week or two before the test, and study in smaller blocks each day.

2. Create a study plan.
Having a study plan is important for success on a test. A study plan will allow you to create blocks of time to study each day, as well as lay out exactly what you’re going to study. Create a study plan from the day you start studying and follow through until the day before the test.

3. Learn how to study
While you may feel like you have this down, you can always get more tips on how to effectively study. Your school may offer study skill classes or other resources that can help you learn effective study skills so that you can feel confident and pass that test.

4. Keep a positive attitude.
Keep in mind that your self-worth does not rely on the outcome of a test. Keep a positive attitude and remind yourself that you can do well on the test. Believing in yourself and keeping a positive attitude while you study and take the test can help you go a long way!

5. Read carefully.
This is important with every test, whether you have test anxiety or not. Make sure to read the instructions carefully before you begin the test and read each and every question and answer before choosing an answer. If you don’t read everything carefully, you could miss out on an important detail that can help you choose the correct answer.

6. Make practice tests your best friend.
Practice tests are a great way to make sure that you’re prepared completely for your test. You’ll be able to get a firsthand look at what the exam will be like, including how many questions will be on the exam and what type of questions you can expect. You’ll also get more of an idea as to which areas you may need more work on.

7. Get a good night’s sleep.
The night before the exam, make sure that you get a good night’s sleep; at least a full 8 hours is recommended. Getting good sleep can help improve your memory and concentration as well as make you feel fresh the next day and ready to tackle that test. More info

8. Start with what you know.
When you sit down for the test, you don’t have to start with the first question. Start with the ones that you know. Don’t waste your time trying to figure out that one question that has you stumped. Skip over it and move on to the next one that you know. If time allows, go back to the questions you skipped and try to answer them.

9. Use flashcards.
Flashcards are another great resource when you’re preparing for a test. They allow you to study the material in smaller chunks rather than a long list of concepts. You’re able to focus on one concept at a time, such as vocabulary words or specific facts that you know you’ll need for the test.

10. On test day, get to the test site early.
One thing that you don’t want to do is rush because you’re running late. Rushing because you’re late to the exam will only cause you to have more anxiety when you take the test. Get to the test site a little early. Take a walk around the building to help relieve any anxiety that you do have. Moving your body can help remove some of that nervous energy and get your blood flowing, making you feel better.

11. Don’t forget to eat and drink.
Your brain and body need fuel to function and work properly. Make sure that you eat a healthy meal and drink plenty of water leading up to the test day and on the test day. Try to stay away from sugary drinks and caffeinated drinks such as coffee. Caffeinated drinks can make you wiry and cause more anxiety.

12. Stay focused.
On test day, try to stay focused on the test only. Don’t worry about what you’re doing after the exam or what happened before, and don’t worry about how the other test-takers are doing. Concentrate solely on your test.

13. Dress comfortably.
Dress appropriately, but wear something that makes you comfortable and that allows you to relax. Stay away from clothes that you will need to adjust constantly or that are too tight for you. Be sure to take a light jacket or sweater in case the test room is cold for you.

14. Take a break if needed.
If you feel that your test anxiety is getting to be a little too much, take a quick break. Close your eyes, take ten deep breaths to calm yourself, and get back to concentrating on the exam.

15. Avoid distractions.
Don’t worry about the person next to you or in front of you who may be going through their test twice as fast. Sit somewhere where you can be free of distractions, perhaps in the front of the room if possible, and focus on your test.

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7 tips on how to deal with stress before exams. And even to benefit from it

Exams (especially graduation) are a serious test. And almost always stress that needs to be dealt with somehow. Because short stress can still be endured, but constant stress for almost a whole year is already difficult to endure.

There are many reasons for stress. We live in a metropolis, where everything around is a continuous cause for concern: the subway, traffic jams, crowds of people, noise. Add to all this the fear of exams, worries about first love, criticism from teachers or parents, and we get all the reasons for brewing stress. And stress can be beneficial.

1. During times of stress, our brains work better because the connections between neurons (nerve cells) are strengthened.
2. Stress enhances the immune system (but if the stress is chronic, then the body's defenses, on the contrary, weaken).
3. Stress is a kind of simulator for our psyche and emotions.
4. Stress helps to become motivated. This is the so-called eleustress - a useful stress in which there is no time for experiences and reflection. And all internal resources are devoted to fixing the problem and achieving results.

How to cope with stress before the exam

The difficulty in dealing with stress arises from the fact that it manifests itself differently for everyone, and therefore everyone copes with it in their own way. There is no magic cure for pre-exam stress, but there are ways that are great to help you get through it easier.

1. Hope for the best, prepare for the best too. Do not program yourself with thoughts like “what a horror it will be if I don’t pass”, “my parents will be very disappointed”, “I’m so poorly prepared that I definitely won’t succeed. ” We urgently need to forget these phrases like a bad dream. And start thinking positively, because everything starts with our internal attitudes. If you think you can handle it, then you will. You need to say to yourself more often: "I'm doing my best to achieve a result, everything will definitely work out." And be sure not to forget to praise yourself even for small successes (yesterday I solved only 15 tasks, and today I can already solve the sixteenth).

2. Create an exam image. To reduce the chance that you will forget if you can divide by zero out of excitement, try to simulate the exam situation as accurately as possible. Mentally live day X step by step: here you go into the office, sit down at your desk, now you open the envelope with materials, and so on. The more detailed your ideas about the exam are, the less panic there will be on that very responsible day.

3. Write trial exams. This is a great workout. An Olympic champion does not immediately appear at the Olympics and take gold. Prior to that, he passes regional, regional and all-Russian competitions. Imagine that the exam is a kind of Olympiad, and trial work is an opportunity to compete in simpler competitions and gain the necessary experience.

4. Rest. Haven't seen your friends in months? Do you cram 24 hours a day? Do you go out on the street except "to and from school"? It's bad and we need to fix it urgently! Our nervous system is not a perpetual motion machine, and the body just needs rest. By the way, do you remember that rest is a change of activity? Switch to something active: skiing, swimming, dancing, gym. This will help you gain energy. Playing behind a computer within four walls is not a good idea, the brain needs oxygen, and the body needs physical activity.

5. Get creative. Yes, it is creativity that is considered one of the most effective ways to deal with stress. It is not for nothing that many famous artists or writers created masterpieces in those periods of life that are clearly not calm. Have you long wanted to draw, write a poem, learn to sing or dance? Do not be afraid to spend a couple of hours a week on these classes, it will only benefit.

6. Healthy eating and good sleep. Try not to drink drinks containing caffeine during stressful periods of your life, give up fast carbohydrates (buns, milk and white chocolate, cookies, chips and other delights will be left for later). Try to eat more proteins, and replace harmful sweets with honey and nuts. Memory and attention will thank you! By the way, eating Greek yogurt, nuts, avocados, fish, blueberries and cinnamon is very good for memory. So, while studying the next abstract, you can have a snack with some of these products.

7. Don't hold back your emotions. You're not a robot, are you? And people tend to worry, so you shouldn't lock yourself up and think that no one will understand you. Be sure to understand and support. Do not be shy to seem emotional, tell your loved ones why you are worried, what exactly in the exam scares you.

5 techniques to overcome the fear of exams

Exams are getting closer every day, which means that excitement and anxiety only increase. There is very little time left for preparation, while some of the graduates have never opened a demo version and a codifier at all. What to do in such a situation? Starting preparations today is already clear. But how to cope with the experiences that the wagon and the small cart have already accumulated is not yet very clear. But it's okay, we'll figure it all out now.

What fears do graduates have?

In order to understand how to deal with fears, you first need to determine what kind of fears are preventing you from successfully coping with the exam.

1. It is impossible to prepare in such a short time

This is a fear (or even a prejudice) that needs to be got rid of first of all. We have all heard hundreds of stories of graduates who did not prepare for the exam or remembered the preparation in just a couple of weeks - but this did not stop them from getting a high score and entering their dream university. Such stories do not at all mean that it is not necessary to prepare for the OGE and the USE. They only show that long and diligent preparation does not always become a guarantee of passing the exam.

2. I can't learn everything

When you first look at the coding and demo version of the exam, the amount of work ahead is really scary. You need to endure these few minutes of anxiety and turn on the logic: look at the task objectively, highlight your weak and strong points, evaluate your own strengths and gradually begin to complete.

3. I get nervous on the exam and don’t remember anything

We don’t argue, this happens, but there are one in a thousand stories like this. Yes, most likely, in the first minutes you will panic and you will be very nervous, but then your mind will return and you will be able to calmly start solving tasks.

4. I won't pass the exam

Hmm, there must be a good reason for this fear to appear. Think about it, who told you this? Maybe the teacher at school could not restrain himself, or once your experiences fell under the hot hand of your mother? One way or another, the fear of not passing the exam is usually unfounded. Look for the source, and when you realize that you have no objective reason to think so, relax. Each graduate is able to pass the exam - the only question is the desire and your goals.

5. I won't get the score I want

Getting into a top university usually requires high scores in exams. Often graduates worry about this, being afraid to pass the exam badly and not go where they wanted to. However, this fear is dispelled as quickly as the stereotype that only a top university can get a good education is not always true.

How to deal with fears?

Of course, you cannot live with such fears all the time - if you do not learn how to interact with them now, they will haunt you for the rest of your life. Sounds scary, right? “What if I don’t get in?” “What if I don’t get this job?” “What if his mom doesn’t like me?” - fears accumulate like a snowball, and begin to eat you from the inside, not allowing you to live in peace and move towards your dream. How to overcome them and keep moving forward?

Act

Just for a second, you need to take a break from your fear, concentrate on the task that is in front of you, and take a step towards its solution. Gradually study the theory and “train your hand” in solving tasks - the more you do this, the better you will succeed, which means that you will increase confidence in yourself and your abilities.

Plan

Estimate how much time is left before the exam and how much work you have to do. Try to break big and scary tasks into small portions that you can complete with ease and pleasure. This will help you see progress and your own successes, and will not allow you to lose motivation. Make a clear plan of small steps towards the goal and stick to it - let the cherished "tick" in the to-do list become your daily joy.

Rehearse

Are you afraid of the exam? So go for it right now. Sign up for a sample or arrange an exam rehearsal right at home. You can print forms, set a timer, put away your phone and notes - in general, create an environment reminiscent of an exam space. So you mentally prepare for what awaits you on the exam, and at the same time test your strength.

Take

This advice may only make you more nervous at first, but it will help. Imagine the worst that could happen. No, really, well, you didn’t pass the exam - so what? Imagine telling your parents about it, crying in your room, listening to teachers complaining, and giving up your dream of studying at the best university in the country. And calm down. Well, you did not pass the exam, but the world remained the same. You are still you, and our planet is still revolving around the sun. Your family and friends are with you. Everything is fine.

Get high

Tune in to the best and remember that most of the problems exist only in our heads.

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