The dreaded test anxiety
You’ve been up all night cramming for one of the most important tests for the course. You feel ready, but once you sit in your seat, everything goes blank. That dreaded test anxiety. According to Katherine Scrimshaw, a writer for Suite101.com, an estimated 20 to 40 percent of student experience test anxiety. And in severe cases, it can lead to depression, behavior problems and eventually dropping out of college all together.
Symptoms
Though your symptoms may not be that extreme, here are some signs of test anxiety. They’re usually felt before and during a test:
- sweaty palms
- dry mouth
- upset stomach
- headaches
- rapid heart rate
- shortness of breath
- inability to concentrate
- going blank
- feeling of dread
- feelings of panic
- difficulty understanding the questions
Take charge now
You may or may not have done that well on your midterms. If you believe that test anxiety contributed to your midterm scores, try working on your issues now, before final exams. Here are some tips that Scrimshaw recommends:
1. Don’t cram. Studying at the last minute will make you feel completely overwhelmed. Instead, work through material with your instructor, advisor or people in your class NOW.
2. Take the time now. Studying in small time increments instead of cramming 6 hours of studying in the night before an exam. Going over the small details will help your studying habits in the future.
3. Consider the health factors. Make sure you get a good night’s sleep before a big exam. Studying up all night to cram won’t help you the next day. Moderate sleep deprivation results in memory loss and makes it more difficult to concentrate and make decisions.
4. Exercise. According to the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 20 minutes of exercise a day can reduce the symptoms of anxiety.
Scrimshaw also recommends:
arriving early to the exam
wear comfortable clothing
read the instructions carefully
scan the exams for questions you can easily answer
RELAX
For more information, visit Scrimshaw’s site.
on June 1st, 2011 at 2:02 am
So glad to have finally gotten rid of my test anxiety. I had a teacher who really put things into perspective for me and almost immediately helped me.