October 31

Test Anxiety Symptoms – How to relax

I’m sure we have all experienced it at one point or another in our lives. Maybe not while writing a test but it’s a very common occurrence in everyday life. It’s important to note that if you feel that your anxiety goes beyond test taking or happens too frequently, it’s important to go see your healthcare provider. Anxiety can turn into a very serious matter and should be addressed early on.

With that being said, it’s a common thing for people to experience some form of anxiety during a test. Here are some tips that can help you reduce that anxiety.

Know your material.

You can reduce your anxiety by entering the exam area knowing you spend the time and energy to study your material. The more time you spend on your test before it actually happens, the more confident you will be during the actual test. There is no worse feeling than entering the exam knowing that your not prepared. I have a couple more articles that can help you with preparation. They are located here,here and here.

Be sure to know the location.

Sounds funny but making sure you are aware of the location of the test can help you stay calm during the test. It may even be wise, if the location is nearby to take a drive out there the night before to make sure you know where your going. Speaking from experience, you may be well prepared for your test but get very anxious about getting there on time or even finding the right location. Asking random people on the street to find a certain area will create anxiety and stress that may relay over when your sitting down with your test.

Don’t know the answer? SKIP IT!

Very important here guys and girls. If you don’t know the answer to a question, don’t spend too much time there. Many times you can get hints or clues on how to solve the last question you didn’t know how to answer. Not only will this reduce stress it will allow you to get through the test more efficiently. I can’t speak for anybody else, but in my case; I find that if I skip the questions I don’t know, by the time I get back to them I am in some sort “groove” which will allow me answer the question the second time around. Weird eh?

Chew something.

I know.. odd, but it works. If your allowed to have some gum or some candy, have some! It will help you reduce the anxiety you might have. Now let’s be realistic here, if they let you chew gum don’t go crazy. I’m sure it can act as a distraction to others if your chewing it like it’s the first piece of gum you’ve ever had.

Breathe.

Yes, it’s been mentioned before but it’s so important I’m writing it down TWICE. If you feel the anxiety is becoming overwhelming, close your eyes and take some deep breaths. If that does not help, ask to be excused (the bathroom excuse works) and leave the room to recollect yourself. Once you feel better slowly make your way back to the testing area and resume your test.

Best of luck guys & gals!


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