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Test Anxiety
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 It’s completely normal to experience anxiety at some time or another – we all do. And while we may not enjoy feeling anxious a little bit of anxiety can be beneficial. A little bit of anxiety helps to keep you motivated, focused and alert. However, too much anxiety may interfere with your ability to study, learn, remember things and perform well when taking tests. Too much an anxiety about taking tests is referred to as test anxiety.
The following are common characteristics you may have if you are suffering from test anxiety.
- You don’t believe you will do well on a test no matter how hard you study.
- You struggle to get started studying for a test.
- When studying for a test you are easily distracted.
- When you’re taking a test you feel uncomfortable, you get an upset stomach, headache, sweaty palms, struggle to breathe, and get tense muscles.
- You find it difficult to understand directions and questions presented in a test.
- You have difficulty organizing your thoughts while taking a test.
- You often can remember things while taking a test.
- You find it difficult to focus while taking a test.
- You receive a lower test score than you do on class assignments that you understood.
- After a test is over you able to remember information that you were not able to recall while taking the test.
The following are some things can do before, during and after a test to help reduce anxiety.
- Make sure you are prepared for a test. Knowing that you are prepared will help you feel confident that you will perform well on a test. This confidence will help to reduce anxiety.
- As you study be positive. Focusing on doing well on the test, not failing. Maintaining a positive attitude will help to reduce test anxiety.
- Relax while you are taking your test. Don’t breathe fast or hyperventilate. Take slow, deep breathes. This will help you relax.
- Make sure to get plenty of sleep the night before a test. Also, eat a small healthy breakfast the day of the test to make sure you have the energy you need to stay awake and focus. But don’t pig out on junk foods right before a test – this won’t help.
- Take all the time that is allotted to you for taking the test. Don’t hurry yourself and don’t worry about other students finishing the test before you do. You may be the last student to finish the test but you may also end up as the student with the highest grade.
- Once a test is over don’t worry about it any longer. Turn your attention to preparing for to other tests or assignments you may have.
- Don’t freak out or panic even if the test is hard. You may want to employ the DETER strategy introduced in the Strategy for Taking Tests section.
- If you are find a test very difficult focus on those questions that you understand. Answer those questions that you understand may help provide you with the confidence to go back and tackle more difficult questions. Answering those questions that you understand first will also help relieve your anxiety about fail the test.
- If you get a bad score on a test use it as a learning experience – don’t get depressed. Everyone scores poorly on tests every once in a while. If you get a bad grade go back and analyze the questions that you missed to see how you could have done better and to ensure you don’t make the same mistake on future tests.
Being totally prepared for a test is the most important thing you can do to reduce anxiety. Knowing that you know the material on the test will provide you the confidence you need to overcome anxiety and the ability to perform.
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