Your stomach is churning, your feet are tapping, and you’ve forgotten everything you thought you knew.
It’s test time, but you stare at the test paper and draw a blank. What to do?
What is Test Anxiety?
If the scenario above resonates with you, you may struggle with test anxiety.
People with test anxiety react to testing situations with dread, fear, and a feeling of helplessness, even when they spent time preparing for the test.
The fear and lack of confidence they feel often leads to what’s called “catastrophizing,” where the mind jumps from extreme to extreme and imagines doomsday situations, even when confronted with a small setback: “I’m going to fail this test that means I’ll never get into the school I want that means I’ll never get a well-paying job my life is basically over!”
Hold on, take a breath! You are more than your test score, and there is good news: having test anxiety doesn’t mean you’re incapable of high performance.
Tips for Dealing with Test Anxiety
So how to deal with those feelings of panic when the test looms large?
There are several strategies you can use to help yourself prepare.
- Study for the test in similar conditions to test day. Sit in a quiet place without distractions that mimics the testing situation as closely as possible.
This helps you to prepare and can also help you to remember the material studies have shown that going to the same place where you learned information can help you to retrieve it. - Develop strategies to focus and to calm yourself.
Different methods work for different people during a testing situation whether it’s counting or singing a favorite song inside your head, taking deep breaths,
or thinking of a pleasant memory, give yourself tools you can use on test day. - Take care of your body as much as you take care of your mind.
Eat and sleep well in the days leading up to exam day, and have a good breakfast the morning of the test.
Make sure to exercise and to leave room for activities you enjoy before test day.
If you allow yourself to relax, you will be in a better frame of mind on test day.
Accommodations for Test Day
It’s also possible that you experience test anxiety because you lack the tools you need to succeed.
If you have a learning disability or difficulty, you may need testing accommodations to be able to do your best, such as extra time, a quiet room, a reader who will read the questions aloud, or a scribe who will help you record your answers.
At Yeda Plus, we can connect you with learning specialists who will help you to get the modifications you need.
Don’t hold yourself back from success—it’s in your hands!
