If you’ve experienced test anxiety you may be familiar with the following: nausea, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, tense muscles, sweating, headache, and dizziness. Emotionally, you may have experienced anger, guilt, shame, helplessness, and even blanking out–which is the last thing one needs during an important test!
Test anxiety can be caused by a fear of failure or a lack of preparation, among other things. Ironically, it can also be caused by a poor test history which causes a negative mindset and influences future tests.
It is a very real condition that can seriously impact a student’s performance. According to the American Test Anxieties Association, students with high test anxiety score approximately 12 percentage points below their peers with low levels of anxiety.
Whether it’s preparing for an English final or entrance exams like the SAT or GRE, it’s extremely important to control anxiety and take steps to limit its negative effects. The following tips will help you to prevent, or at least manage, the onset and effects of test anxiety.
1. Realize That Anxiety Is Normal
You are not alone. An estimated 31% of U.S. adults experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives. Many of these people are successful and competent professionals. Anxiety is not insurmountable! Millions of people have overcome test anxiety and come out of the other end with great achievements. If they can do it, so can you.
2. Be Prepared
One of the most triggering situations for test anxiety is walking into a test unprepared. To prevent this, be sure to set a study schedule and stick to it. Start early and devote a sufficient amount of time to truly understand the tested concepts. Research study guides and prep courses that could help you prepare. In the case of a standardized test, choose an early test date so that you can relieve some pressure by retaining the potential to retake the test if needed.
3. Become Familiar With the Test-Taking Environment
If at all possible, it’s useful to study for a test at the same location where the test will be held. Becoming familiar with the test-taking environment means that you’ll know the room’s temperature, noise level, brightness, etc. Knowing what to expect can help ease anxiety tremendously.
Moreover, there’s nothing worse than getting lost on the way to an important event like a test. Ensure well beforehand that you know where the building is on a campus, where the room is within a building, where to park, or what public transportation to take. A simple hour devoted to figuring out logistics in advance can stave off an anxiety attack the day-of.
4. Stay Healthy
Your mother was right: Getting a good night’s sleep and eating well are proven strategies for managing anxiety. In addition, science has proven that sufficient exercise and increased hydration also have a tremendous impact on anxiety levels. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
5. Practice Relaxation Techniques
Taking deep breaths can often be enough to calm anxiety enough to move forward. However, in case deep breathing proves insufficient, you should become familiar with the Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) technique well in advance.
This highly effective technique requires consciously and systematically tensing and relaxing predefined muscle groups. In addition to compelling a decrease in muscle tension, it also gives the mind something structured to focus on during the critical minutes before a test.
6. Talk to a Therapist
When anxiety impacts your life and livelihood, it’s a good idea to talk through your struggles with someone who is trained in addressing your concerns. Excellent resources exist to assist in finding and choosing a qualified mental health professional to help with anxiety.
At the very least, you can text a free anxiety helpline to receive quick coaching and guidance on controlling anxiety just before a stressful event like a major test.
7. Ask For Accommodations
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that most tests offer testing accommodations for those with documented anxiety issues. These accommodations can include increased time to complete a test, a separate quiet room, and additional breaks.
If you have a verifiable anxiety disorder you are entitled to adjustments that allow you to reach your full potential. Take advantage of these laws designed to help you!
8. Avoid Other Anxious Test-Takers
Do your best to avoid interaction with others during the downtime before the test. Anxious people talking to other anxious people can cause a snowball effect whereby each person exponentially increases the anxiety levels of the others. Leave them to their own downward spiral! However, don’t sit idle. Be sure to have a light magazine or mindless phone game to keep yourself occupied in advance of the test.
If you’ve prepared and followed the advice above, rest assured you will be well-equipped with the tools you need to successfully tackle any test that stands between you and your goals. Take a deep breath, crack your knuckles, and go ace that test!
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