How to Deal With Exam Anxiety

Life

Part 4 Relaxing Yourself During the Exam

1.Show up on time or early for the test. Getting to the test late will set off your anxiety before you even start the test. Do everything you can to be on time for the test. That way, you can sit down and relax for a few minutes before starting. You'll be able to gather your thoughts and focus on positive thinking. This relaxation period before the test is very important to getting off to a good start.

2.Read all instructions and questions carefully. If you're feeling anxious you may rush through the test. By doing this, you risk missing something crucial and getting questions wrong.

Force yourself to stop and read directions. By reading everything carefully, you can be confident that you understand what to do and can complete the test correctly.
You can even underline or circle important terms in the instructions. For example, if you're worried you may get side-tracked during an essay question, you could underline the most important part of the prompt (e.g., underlining "Explain" will help remind you that you can't just summarize).

3.Stop and breathe if you feel anxiety coming on. A little bit of nervous energy is to be expected during the test. But if you find yourself starting to blank out, lose concentration, and feel any of the physical symptoms of anxiety, stop working. If you go on without relaxing yourself, you could have an anxiety attack during the test.

Close your eyes and take some deep, full breaths. Once you start feeling better, get back to work.

4.Keep using positive statements. Throughout the test, you should still be focusing on positive thoughts. Tell yourself, "I've studied, I'm prepared." This will help keep your anxiety at bay because you'll know that it's within your power to do well on the test.

5.Stay focused on the question at hand. Don't let your mind wander during the test. That will allow negative thoughts to creep in and distract you. Just make sure to keep your mind on the question you're working on. This way, all your energy can focus on figuring out that answer.

If you have trouble staying focused, try silently re-reading the question or prompt to yourself. This will freshen your memory and help you stay focused on the task at hand.

6.Skip a question if you get stuck. Coming across a difficult question risks causing an anxiety attack and could mess up your concentration for the rest of the test. You could end up running out of time and not finishing the test because of one question that tripped you up.

Don't fall into this trap. Instead of wasting time staring at a question, skip it. You can come back to it after you've done the rest of the test.
If you are using a scantron sheet, make sure you also skip filling in the bubble for the skipped question! Otherwise you could end up getting a lot of answers wrong because your fill-ins are off by one.

7.Seek help if you need it. Sometimes, the symptoms of anxiety can be so severe that they interfere with your everyday life. If you find that you experience anxiety symptoms on a regular basis, don't be afraid to ask for help.

Talking to your parents, teachers, and guidance counselors can be a great resource to get your anxiety under control.
Get help sooner rather than later. Many people try to ignore their anxiety until it's gotten so bad they can't control it anymore. By getting help early on, you can get a handle on your anxiety before it starts having an adverse affect on your life and relationships.