| Many students find taking tests to be very stressful. | | | | by nature and tend to be more prone to test taking |
| It's not uncommon at all to feel anxious during exam | | | | anxiety as well as other anxiety disorder symptoms. |
| times and the more important the exam, the greater | | | | Regardless of whether you have always experienced |
| the stress. Some test taking anxiety is normal and | | | | intense anxiety around taking tests, or you are |
| extremely common for everyone as long as the | | | | struggling through a stressful time in your life, there |
| anxiety doesn't prevent you from performing well on | | | | are things you can do today to get your anxiety |
| tests that are important to you. | | | | under control and improve your performance on |
| Anxiety is a actually a natural response to stress that | | | | important exams. |
| all people feel. On the upside, test taking anxiety can | | | | Here are some helpful techniques you can use to get |
| serve as a powerful motivator and cause you to | | | | your Test Taking Anxiety under control: |
| study harder than you would if you felt no anxiety at | | | | - Be Prepared. Be well prepared and go into your |
| all. On the downside, too much Test Taking Anxiety | | | | exams knowing the material well enough that you |
| is not only very unpleasant, it can hurt your ability to | | | | can recall important facts when you are under stress. |
| perform at your best. If anxiety is hurting your | | | | Being prepared will build your confidence before the |
| performance on important test such as a driving test | | | | test and help alleviate much of your anxiety. |
| or college entrance exams, it can become a serious | | | | - Develop good study habits. You need to avoid |
| problem in your life. | | | | waiting until the last minute to study and avoid |
| How do you know if you have a normal level of | | | | staying up late cramming the night before. If you get |
| nervousness, or do you have a more severe form of | | | | enough rest, attend classes regularly and complete all |
| test taking anxiety? Think about the last important | | | | of your assignments, it will be much easier to be well |
| test you took and ask yourself if you experienced | | | | prepared for your test. |
| any of the following before or during the test. | | | | - Have a positive attitude. Watch for negative |
| - Physical problems. Headaches, nausea, or diarrhea, | | | | self-talk and set realistic expectations for yourself. |
| extreme body temperature changes, excessive | | | | Encourage yourself and build your confidence by not |
| sweating, shortness of breath, light-handed or | | | | comparing yourself to others. |
| fainting, rapid heart beat, muscle tension or a dry | | | | - Learn to Relax. There are many easy relaxation |
| mouth. | | | | techniques you can learn to help calm yourself before |
| - Feeling Emotional. Intense feelings of insecurity, | | | | and during a stress provoking test. Try deep |
| disappointment, anger, depression or nervous | | | | breathing exercises, muscle relaxation techniques, |
| laughing, crying | | | | positive imagery and visualization, and getting some |
| - Tension. Fidgeting, pacing, tempted to use | | | | exercise as well as eating a healthy diet. These simple |
| something (drugs or alcohol) to calm you or wanted | | | | changes can help increase your concentration and |
| to avoid the test altogether | | | | keep you anxiety levels under control. |
| - Cognitive Symptoms. Racing thoughts, mind goes | | | | When you start feeling anxious, take a break and |
| blank, difficulty concentrating, negative self-talk, | | | | take some deep breaths to calm you down. Don't be |
| feelings of dread, negatively comparing yourself to | | | | discouraged if you cannot completely eliminate your |
| others, difficulty organizing your thoughts. | | | | anxiety and nervousness, just focus on keeping it |
| If you experienced many of these anxiety | | | | manageable. Remember that everyone feels a little |
| symptoms to a severe enough degree to adversely | | | | nervous and you can learn to manage your anxiety |
| effect your ability to perform on your test, you may | | | | while taking tests...as well as other stressful situations. |
| need help with test taking anxiety. | | | | Here are some tips for preparing for important tests. |
| What causes Test Anxiety and why do some suffer | | | | Create an environment for studying that will help you |
| while others are able to stay calm? | | | | concentrate. Be sure it is quiet, comfortable, clean, |
| While there are many causes of anxiety, some | | | | and has a comfortable temperature. Avoid |
| common reasons to be nervous before a test are a | | | | interruptions and distractions that make it difficult to |
| lack of preparation, tired from last minute cramming | | | | concentrate. Do not study with the TV or radio on, |
| the night before or other poor study habits as well | | | | but you may want to use a fan or something that |
| as poor time management. | | | | creates a soothing sound to block out distracting |
| Other causes of test anxiety can be related to other | | | | noises. |
| forms of anxiety and stress. Are you going through a | | | | Test Taking Anxiety, like other anxiety disorders, can |
| very stressful time in your life in general? Do you | | | | be successfully managed by making a few simple |
| have any other forms of anxiety...panic attacks, | | | | changes in your life and learning some valuable |
| trouble sleeping, changes in appetite or trouble with | | | | anxiety relief techniques you can use whenever you |
| depression? | | | | start to become nervous. |
| If you are under a lot of stress, this can translate | | | | Sign up for my Free Mini-Course "Anxiety Relief" and |
| into more test taking anxiety than you might | | | | learn some simple techniques for getting your anxiety |
| normally experience. Some people are more nervous | | | | under control. |