7.6: Dealing with Test Anxiety- Managing Your Stress for Success
The Dos and Don’ts of Managing Anxiety Related to Exams
The stress brought on by a major exam in a course can be extreme enough that it impairs the clear thinking needed for optimal performance. Most of us have experienced this. It is normal to feel stress before an exam, and in fact, that may be a good thing. Stress motivates you to study and review, generates adrenaline to help sharpen your reflexes and focus while taking the exam, and may even help you remember some of the material you need. But suffering too many stress symptoms or suffering any of them severely will impede your ability to show what you have learned. Test anxiety is a psychological condition in which a person feels distress before, during, or after a test or exam to the point where stress causes poor performance. Anxiety during a test interferes with your ability to recall knowledge from memory as well as your ability to use higher-level thinking skills effectively. Consider the Do's and Don'ts listed below for managing anxiety related to exams.
DO…
- Do prepare for an exam using the “Five-Day Study Plan”. Students who feel prepared will have less anxiety overall.
- Do stay positive about yourself and your ability to perform well.
- Do plan to reward yourself with something relaxing or fun after the exam. Think about that when stressful thoughts may occur.
- Do relax the last hour before the exam to reduce tension and stressful thoughts.
- Do eat a moderate breakfast that includes both protein and healthy carbohydrates.
- Do periodically conduct checks on the tension in certain areas of your body and try to relax those areas. Breathing deeply and engaging in some positive imagery can also reduce tension quickly during an exam.
- Do survey the entire exam and plan carefully.
- Do ask questions of your professor if you are unsure about what to do on a particular question.
DON’T…
- Don’t cram for an exam. Underprepared students naturally have something to worry about.
- Don’t let negative thoughts or worrying get in the way of clear thinking. If you catch yourself worrying about what you do not know, stop yourself and replace it with positive affirmations and what you do know.
- Don’t spend time with classmates who might confuse you or generate stress about the exam on the day of the exam.
- Don’t stay up late the night before the exam. A good night’s sleep will improve your mental state and promote clearer thinking.
- Don’t drink a lot of caffeine before the exam. Arousal from caffeine can add to stress and make you jumpy.
- Don’t show up late for an exam. Feeling rushed to finish adds to the stress.
- Don’t panic if you “go blank” on a question. Go answer other questions and come back to it later. If all else fails, guess or write down what you do know.
- Don’t resort to looking at anyone else’s paper if you are unsure of your performance. Maintaining your integrity is far more important than the results of this exam.
If you feel that you are unable to manage your stress, please utilize the resources through the health center at your school or university. You don’t have to do this alone!
| My boogie statement | How rational is this thought? Do you have any evidence that it is true? | Reasonable reinforcing or affirmation statements you can use to replace it. |
|---|---|---|
| Example: I’m drawing a blank.…I’ll never get the answer…I must really be stupid. | I’ve missed questions on things that I studied and knew before. | I studied this and know it. I’ll visualize where it’s written in my notes to help me trigger my memory. |
Key Takeaways
Checkpoint Exercises
- List three things you should do before a test or exam to combat test anxiety.
- List three things you can do during an exam to reduce stress.
Activity – Test anxiety Assessment
Test Anxiety Assessment
Do you experience test anxiety?
Rate yourself on these items.
| Usually | Sometimes | Not usually | |
|---|---|---|---|
| I am so nervous on tests that I don’t do my best, even when I have studied well and am prepared. | |||
| My stomach gets tight and upset before or during a test | |||
| My hands get cold and sweaty during a test. | |||
| I get headaches before or during a test. | |||
| I have trouble sleeping the night before a test. | |||
| I find my mind racing or becoming dull and “muddy” so that I can’t think clearly while taking a test. | |||
| During a test, I forget material I have studied and learned, only to remember it again after the test is over. | |||
| I “over-analyze” questions, see too many possibilities, choose complex answers, and overlook the simpler, correct answers. | |||
| I make careless errors on a test. |
The more checks you put in the “usually” or “sometimes” columns, the greater the likelihood that you may be experiencing test anxiety. This is a common issue, and there is help available.