It is quite normal to be a little nervous and stressed before a test. It is something that happens to everyone. And a certain amount of anticipatory anxiety, in fact, could be useful to put to work and maintain high performance while doing the test. But in some people the anxiety is very intense. They get so nervous before taking the exam that the nervousness interferes with their concentration and performance.
Test anxiety is a type of performance anxiety, if what a person may experience in a situation where performance matters a lot or proper execution of a task is expected or there is great pressure to do things right. For example, a person may experience performance anxiety when going out on stage in a play, sing a solo on stage or getting ready to shoot the basket.
As in any other situation where a person can experience performance anxiety, in a test, anxiety can make you feel a lump in the throat or gastrointestinal discomfort or have a sore head. To some people their hands shake and / or sweat. To others the heart beats faster than usual while waiting for the test to be hang out by the teacher. A student with a very intense test anxiety may even have diarrhea or vomiting.
What can you do?
• The test anxiety can become a real problem when a person is so stressed making a test that can not control the nerves in order to focus on the exam and give the best of himself. Anyway, feel prepared to meet the challenge, to deal properly with the anxiety. This can help keep the test anxiety at a manageable level.
• Use a little stress in your favor. Stress is the reporting mechanism of your body-it's a sign that helps you prepare for something important is about to happen. Use it to your advantage: instead of reacting to the stress complaining to your friends about the exam, take an active approach. Let stress remind you that you must prepare well in advance for the test. Chances are that you avoid stress dominate you.
• Reach for help. Although a certain amount of test anxiety can be positive, overdose is another thing. If, when the teacher is handing out the exam you get so nervous that your mind goes blank and you forget the subject, you know you probably need help to control the level of test anxiety. Your teacher, your parents or the school counselor can be important sources of information, you can go to them for help.
• Prepare well for the exam. Some students believe that all they need to do to learn the material and do well on tests is to attend class. But to learn a subject takes a lot more than trying to absorb all the information in class. That's why is so important to have good study habits and good study skills. Because trying to absorb all the material the night before the test will not make you obtain the deeper level of understanding as the one achieved by studying regularly.
• Many students find that their test anxiety decrease when they begin to study better or more regularly. It makes sense - the better you know the material, the more confident you will feel and you will get better expectations to do better. If you expect to do well, you'll be more relaxed while doing the test after the first moments of nervousness.
• Control your thoughts. If expecting to do well in a test can help you relax, what happens when you expect it wrong? Notice any negative message that you can be sending yourself, that kind of messages might contribute to your anxiety.
• If you realize you're having negative thoughts ("I do not perform well on tests" or "It's hard, I can not do it"), replace them with positive thoughts. Do not replace them with no realistic positive messages, but for practical and real messages like: "I've studied and know the subject, so that I am prepared to do the best I can." (If you have not studied, this message will not help much!)
• Accept your mistakes. Another thing you can do is to try to deal with the mistakes you make - especially if you're a perfectionist and tend to be very critical with yourself. Everyone makes mistakes. These are "learning opportunities." Learning to tolerate minor mistakes is a valuable skill.
• Take care of yourself. It can also help the fact that you learn ways to calm down and get centered when you're tense or anxious. To some people it might mean learning breathing techniques. If you regularly practice breathing exercises (when you're not stressed out), your body see these exercises as a signal to relax.
The exam day
• Keep a positive attitude throughout the whole test and try to stay relaxed.
• If you start to feel nervous take a few deep breaths to relax.
• Upon receiving the test, have a quick review of all of it so you know how can you manage time.
• Review the easiest problems first . Do not get stuck on a problem especially when time is a factor.
• Do problems with larger values , which are worth more points.
• Regulate yourself , do not rush so you can not make mistakes . Read all questions and pay attention to details.
• Ask the teacher to clarify any doubts you have.
• Write legibly. If the teacher can not read what you wrote you will most likely mark it wrong.
• Read all questions carefully . Do not make assumptions about what might be asking the question.
• If you do not know the answer , pass it by. Continue with the rest of the review and return to it later. Other parts of the test may have some information that will help you with that question.
• Do not worry if others finish before you . Concentrate on your exam.
• If you have time, when you're done, look over the exam. Make sure you have answered all questions.
• Just change that answer that you think you've misread or misinterpreted the question because the first answer that you put is usually the correct one.
• Watch out for careless mistakes.
• Reach for help. Although a certain amount of test anxiety can be positive, overdose is another thing. If, when the teacher is handing out the exam you get so nervous that your mind goes blank and you forget the subject, you know you probably need help to control the level of test anxiety. Your teacher, your parents or the school counselor can be important sources of information, you can go to them for help.
• Prepare well for the exam. Some students believe that all they need to do to learn the material and do well on tests is to attend class. But to learn a subject takes a lot more than trying to absorb all the information in class. That's why is so important to have good study habits and good study skills. Because trying to absorb all the material the night before the test will not make you obtain the deeper level of understanding as the one achieved by studying regularly.
• Many students find that their test anxiety decrease when they begin to study better or more regularly. It makes sense - the better you know the material, the more confident you will feel and you will get better expectations to do better. If you expect to do well, you'll be more relaxed while doing the test after the first moments of nervousness.
• Control your thoughts. If expecting to do well in a test can help you relax, what happens when you expect it wrong? Notice any negative message that you can be sending yourself, that kind of messages might contribute to your anxiety.
• If you realize you're having negative thoughts ("I do not perform well on tests" or "It's hard, I can not do it"), replace them with positive thoughts. Do not replace them with no realistic positive messages, but for practical and real messages like: "I've studied and know the subject, so that I am prepared to do the best I can." (If you have not studied, this message will not help much!)
• Accept your mistakes. Another thing you can do is to try to deal with the mistakes you make - especially if you're a perfectionist and tend to be very critical with yourself. Everyone makes mistakes. These are "learning opportunities." Learning to tolerate minor mistakes is a valuable skill.
• Take care of yourself. It can also help the fact that you learn ways to calm down and get centered when you're tense or anxious. To some people it might mean learning breathing techniques. If you regularly practice breathing exercises (when you're not stressed out), your body see these exercises as a signal to relax.
The exam day
• Keep a positive attitude throughout the whole test and try to stay relaxed.
• If you start to feel nervous take a few deep breaths to relax.
• Upon receiving the test, have a quick review of all of it so you know how can you manage time.
• Review the easiest problems first . Do not get stuck on a problem especially when time is a factor.
• Do problems with larger values , which are worth more points.
• Regulate yourself , do not rush so you can not make mistakes . Read all questions and pay attention to details.
• Ask the teacher to clarify any doubts you have.
• Write legibly. If the teacher can not read what you wrote you will most likely mark it wrong.
• Read all questions carefully . Do not make assumptions about what might be asking the question.
• If you do not know the answer , pass it by. Continue with the rest of the review and return to it later. Other parts of the test may have some information that will help you with that question.
• Do not worry if others finish before you . Concentrate on your exam.
• If you have time, when you're done, look over the exam. Make sure you have answered all questions.
• Just change that answer that you think you've misread or misinterpreted the question because the first answer that you put is usually the correct one.
• Watch out for careless mistakes.
