Coping with Exam Anxiety is never easy, especially if you are not a good test taker. Testing is never fun for students that are not prepared. There is no easy way to prepare for a test, but here are some strategies you can use before taking an exam to ensure you get the best results.
Cultivating good study habits helps reduce stress before, during, or even after a test is taken. Preparing for an exam is essential to reducing stress and anxiety levels rising during a test or even preparing for one.
Stay Ready
The purpose of giving an exam is to test your skills on the material that you previously learned. The exam will allow you to demonstrate that you can focus on the exam and assess your skills and abilities.
Sometimes taking an exam can be a mental exercise, so you should always prepare for your exam so your brain is ready for what to expect on test day.
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You must practice and study the material before your exam. This way you can make as many mistakes before the actual test. You can also possibly consult with your teacher, teacher assistant, or even a classmate before making mistakes while taking the exam.
Don't Cram
You are avoiding cramming for the test the day before by preparing to make a study schedule weeks before the exam to prevent your brain from trying to process so much information within a small time gap.
In addition, be sure to include how long and where you plan to study so you can set aside time to commit to learning.
Top Universities website analysis shows that Cramming has been proven to increase stress levels, leading to anxiety and stress, making it harder to process information.
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Make a test study schedule based on the scheduled test day to avoid cramming. This planned schedule will allow you to digest the study material comfortably without forcing your brain to process all the information required for the assessment at once.
In addition, to enhance your study schedule, you can take a similar test, also known as a practice test, online before the exam to highlight what areas you need the most help on so that you can be intentional with what you focus on studying.
Gather Materials The Night Before
The night before should be used to prepare your mind for the next day. Refrain from eating dinner, drinking too much caffeine, overly re-reading your notes, cramming, and not getting enough sleep.
Be sure to get a good night's rest the day before the exam because not getting enough sleep generally impairs how your body functions. You are not prepared to take a sleep-deprived test; it is the worst time to take a test when you are tired.
In addition, you should gather all your test materials the night before to ensure they are prepared for test day. Whether getting a pen, laptop and charges, highlighters, scratch paper, or even a calculator if needed.
- Develop Positive Rituals.
- Listen to the Instructions.
The Morning Routine
Have you ever heard of it? The early bird gets the worm. Early risers benefit from being the first person awake and functioning before others wake up. Waking up early puts you ahead and in control of your schedule.
Some may say, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” Soon as you wake up, you should have a healthy breakfast. Eating breakfast replenishes your energy levels, increases your alertness, and provides the essential nutrients you need to maintain good health.
To be early is to be on time; before taking your exam, be sure to map out the route to your exam location the night before and ensure that you arrive early.
It is essential to get to your testing site early to be prepared for any casualties or difficulties that may arise; this way, you have extra time beforehand to account for those mistakes.
A good rule of thumb would be to arrive at least 15 minutes before your exam begins so that you will go into the exam with your mind at ease.
During The Test Exam Anxiety
When you start a test, it is important that you group questions for time purposes. You want to ensure that you can answer all the questions on the test. Even though you should know what kind of questions are on the test.
Save all the challenging questions towards the end of the best and take care of the easier questions that you know you can complete first. Dissect the questions apart as you are reading them to look for keywords inside the questions that identify with background knowledge of what you already know about the subject.
On your next test, look for keywords, words, or phrases that give you insight into how to answer a question. Identifying keywords helps you understand the question, allowing you to form a correct answer.
For example, if the word "define" is in a question, you likely define a word in your answer. Here are some other common keywords on exams:
- Compare
- Contrast
- Write
- Evaluate
- Explain
- Provide examples of
According to the National Institutes of Health, coping with exam anxiety is not unheard of. At least 10-30 percent of college students experience impaired anxiety levels that interfere with their learning capabilities.
The most common accommodation for a student that has these conditions is extra time so that you have enough time to finish your test.
To prove that you need extra time or other testing accommodations, you must submit a request. You must include documentation showing that you have a disability that makes testing harder for you. Especially a timed test.
You may also be required to show proof of past testing accommodations.
