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Study Guide & Strategies
Dealing with Test Anxiety
Before the test:
- Be prepared!
Learn your material thoroughly
- A program of exercise is
said to sharpen the mind
- Get a good night's sleep
the night before the exam
- Approach the exam with
confidence:
View the exam as an opportunity to show how much you've studied
and to receive a reward for the studying you've done
- Don't go to the exam with
an empty stomach
Fresh fruits and vegetables are often recommended to
reduce stress. Stressful foods can include processed foods,
artificial sweeteners, carbonated soft drinks, chocolate, eggs,
fried foods, junk foods, pork, red meat, sugar, white flour
products, chips and similar snack foods, foods containing
preservatives or heavy spices
- Take a small snack, or
some other nourishment
to help take your mind off of your anxiety. Avoid high sugar
content (candy) which may aggravate your condition
- Allow yourself plenty of
time,
especially to do things you need to do before the test and still
get there a little early
- Relax just before the exam
- Don't try to do a last
minute review
During the test:
- Read the directions
carefully
- Budget your test taking
time
- Change positions to help
you relax
- If you go blank, skip the
question and go on
- If you're taking an essay
test
and you go blank on the whole test, pick a question and start
writing. It may trigger the answer in your mind
- Don't panic
when students start handing in their papers. There's no reward for
being the first done
Check out
local centers and resources in your school for assistance!
If you are aware that
you have a problem with test anxiety, be sure your teacher or
instructor knows before any testing begins (and not the hour
before!). There may be other options to evaluate your knowledge or
performance within the subject matter.
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