Managing Test Anxiety

How to Manage Test Anxiety

If taking exams makes you nervous, you’re not alone. The good news is that there are plenty of techniques to help you Keep Calm and Test On!

Practice tests are a great way to scrimmage before the big game. The timing, resources, and atmosphere should mimic the exam as much as possible.
Practice your diaphragmatic breathing. That means deep breaths where the air comes all the way from your belly instead of your chest. Diaphragmatic breathing interrupts the body’s fight or flight mode, increases oxygen, and decreases the amount of stress hormones that are released. You’ll want to give it a couple tries before the exam so you’re not thinking too hard about whether you’re doing it right come test-time.

Thirty minutes to an hour before the test, do a practice problem to warm up. It should be one you’re comfortable with and not something that will increase your anxiety right before the exam. Walk through the steps of a concept that gives you confidence. This will prime your brain for what’s about to happen, like dipping your toe in the water and easing your way towards the deep end instead of belly flopping off the high-dive.
Start with the diaphragmatic breathing you’ve been practicing. Feel free to do it intermittently throughout the exam. Even 10–15 seconds at a time can keep you calm and collected.
If you see a question that looks overwhelming and complicated, try to identify its components first. Ask yourself, “Is this one big question or is it five tiny ones?” After you break it down, focus on the part that seems the least scary and work your way through the different segments.
Make sure you know what the question is asking you. Experts spend 90% of their time on the question and 10% on the solution.
Have some extra time on your hands? Try checking your work back-to-front. Doing so ensures that your brain is paying attention to the details, rather than rushing through something it feels is too familiar.

When you get your test back, make sure to go over it! This is one of the best opportunities to learn about the material and yourself as a test-taker. Go over your mistakes with a TA or professor.
Give yourself a hug. No matter how you did, the experience is one of many that you learned from. The important part is that you acknowledge what you can take away from it that will help you in the future.

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Managing Test Anxiety

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