Your professor informed you a couple of days ago that you would be taking your Mathematics exam. You studied – hard. The next thing you know, there is a pile of papers sitting on your professor’s desk. They are ready to be passed out. But as he hands the test papers to you and your classmates, you try to go over everything you studied in your head. “What formula is that again?” Your palms are beginning to sweat and your heart seems to beat like there is no tomorrow.
You know that you have to pass your test. Besides, you did poorly on the other one. You just want to make sure that everything goes smoothly. Unfortunately, the panic sets in and you are having a hard time remembering anything. This is basically called test anxiety. Defined loosely as the fear of failing an exam or test, this one here can give you a rough time.
Fortunately, there are ways for you to overcome test anxiety. You do not have to be an expert. Just give these tips a try.
Be Prepared Always
This one here is really obvious and straightforward, but for it to work, it must be constantly repeated. As long as you are sure that you have prepared thoroughly, there is no doubt that you will be confident. And the moment this happens, everything about the test will be a walk in the park. Do you need help reviewing some lessons or question types? You can always find help at Homeworkmarket. It is a site that helps with homework and even provides online tutor services. Remember: It is always better to be prepared than being mediocre.
Learn To Anticipate
The art of anticipating is not a difficult one to master. However, this could come in many forms. For instance, you want to make sure that you know exactly what will happen in your upcoming test. Your best course of action here is to ask your professor directly and find out what type of test he will give. Anticipation is simply part of mental prep-work. By doing your best to learn how the test will be formatted, you are able to reduce the anxiety that would result from the type of questions asked. To put it simply, you are less likely to be anxious if you deal with something that you are familiar.
Choose and Practice the Best Study Method
It is no brainer that the way a person chooses to learn can significantly affect his ability to recall information. If you think that studying every night will help you, then try it and be consistent with it. If you feel like learning together with a group, go ahead and study with your friends or classmates. The idea here is to choose and practice a study method that works perfectly for you. Otherwise, you will be having a hard time digesting information, let alone fail miserably.
Have a Positive Mental Attitude
Sometimes, test anxiety can be dealt with by having a strong and positive mental attitude. The key here is to come up with a morale-boosting mantra, such as “I studied hard and I deserve this” or “I can do this.” It could be anything actually. It totally depends on you. Just make sure to recite or remember this mantra on or before your exam.
Read Carefully and Follow Instructions
Believe it or not, most students these days fail to read and follow instructions carefully. And no matter how hard they studied days before the exams, they end up failing. That is because they forget how important reading and following instructions are. Besides, doing any of these can help you fully understand the questions in your test paper. This is also where you need to take a deep breath and slow things down, as these can help you stay calm.
Start With What You Know
When your professor hands out the questionnaire, you do not necessarily have to answer the first questions. For example, there is an essay and you know that it is something you can manage. If this is the case, then answer the essay first. This will allow you to be in control. You absolutely do not want to rush things out, as doing so can only lead you to a failure. Just answer whatever you know is easy for you.
Mind Your Own Business
Everyone else in your classroom is scribbling away, and you are wondering just what they know that you do not. Well, actually, it does not matter. Your move here is to pay close attention to your own test and pace. Forget about the other students in the class. Do this and you should be able to completely focus on your test.
Identify What Your Anxiety Is
This is actually a very effective method to apply every now and then. Just ask yourself: “Why am I nervous?” Is it because you did not study? Or you did, but you just think it was not enough. Could it be that you do not understand this material? Whatever your answer to these questions, the goal is to determine and approach them. For you to overcome and defeat something, you must know why it exists. The moment you know why you are having test anxiety, you will learn to negate it and move forward. If you think the reason behind it is because you did not study enough, then remember this and make sure you do not make the same mistake again.