Understanding what has caused your test anxiety can often be helpful in conquering it in the future, according to counselors at the counseling center at George Washington University. If you’ve blanked on a test before or if you’ve not been prepared, you’ll likely be worried in future tests. Other causes can be fears of failure, fears of not doing as well as peers or fears of not being able to complete the exam in the allotted time. By knowing the triggers for your anxiety, you can work to deal with them.
The website Study Guides and Strategies suggests building academic confidence by using good study habits including organizing material and taking a step-by-step approach to learning it. If the material is too difficult for you, seek help from a teacher or tutor in enough time to prepare for the test. By keeping up to date on your schoolwork you’ll have a better idea of your weak areas.
Feel free to answer the easiest questions on the exam first. That may give you the confidence to tackle the more difficult questions knowing that you’ve already completed a good portion of the exam.
Get a good night’s sleep the night before your test, suggests the experts at George Washington University. Don’t stay up the previous night trying to cram last minute information into your brain. Instead, spend a few minutes reviewing your notes and go to bed.
If you experience anxiety while taking the test, take two minutes to do some deep breathing or to visualize yourself taking the test in a serene, happy, calm environment. Choose the place to visualize prior to taking the test and practice the visualization a few times. You can also help your body to relax by purposefully tensing a muscle and then releasing it. Practice each of these strategies prior to taking the test to help calm anticipatory anxiety.
Talking to yourself in a positive way can also bolster confidence and remind you that you have been successful in the past, you are prepared for this test and that you do have the ability necessary to do well on the test. During the self-talk, challenge your negative thoughts with positive reinforcement. Substitute “I am prepared to ace this test” for “I’m going to fail.”
If the place where you take the test is cause of anxiety, see if you can take the exam in another room, or at another time. Some people worry about inadvertently making noise during a test or feel uncomfortable because of the heat or coolness of the room. If your anxiety is caused by a learning disability that makes it difficult for you to complete the test in the allotted time, talk to the teacher about taking your exam with more time, or by verbally giving answers instead of writing them. Remember that tests are not intended to test your knowledge under pressure, but rather just to test what you’ve learned. If the circumstances surrounding the test are causing you anxiety, talk to the teacher about ways you think are best to relieve that anxiety.
If test anxiety is a recurring problem for you, you may benefit from counseling. Most schools have counselors that can help you with your fears or recommend a program to support you.