What exactly is “test anxiety”? How do you know if you have it? What can be done to alleviate it?
· True test anxiety is a heightened state of nervousness and worry before, during, and/or after an exam. Some students experience “blanking out”, physical discomfort, and emotional distress.
· An important distinction needs to be made between nervousness and anxiety that comes as a result of not studying or being prepared for an exam and extreme anxiety that results regardless of the preparation.
o The former is a normal response – if you feel underprepared, or if you haven’t studied, you would be expected to be a little nervous or worried.
o However, if you have adequately prepared and still have the nerves and increased worry, then you may be experiencing true test anxiety.
What causes test anxiety?
· There is no one factor that causes such an extreme reaction to test-taking. Generally, it’s a combination of how you perceive your abilities, the amount of significance that you associate with exams, and past negative experiences you may have had with test-taking. Regardless of the reasons, test anxiety is a real issue, and can make a normal academic experience (tests) extremely unpleasant.
What to do if you have test anxiety?
· Don’t keep silent…it will only get better if you talk about it and be committed to trying out new ways of thinking about and approaching exams. (Remember the STAR office can assist you with managing test anxiety.)
· Concentrate on physical relaxation – deep breathing, muscle relaxation, and mental imagery are all designed to create a physical sense of relaxation which can translate to mental relaxation.
· Revise your perspective. This is the crucial part to dealing with test anxiety – changing how you think about exams. While it is a gradual process, you can start right now with incorporating some new “self-talk”. If you catch yourself saying, “I can’t do this”, or “I’ll never pass”, try a counter-statement such as, “I’ve prepared well for this and will do my best” or “I know I can do this”.
For more tips/strategies, visit:
http://sudev.syr.edu/tutoring/study_resources/test_anxiety.html
