Most of us experience test anxiety to some extent. It's an awful sensation, one that can leave your stomach in knots, your palms clammy, and in the worst of cases, your mind a blank. But don't despair! There are things you can do to help you deal with this.
Procrastination VS Perfectionism
You might start by thinking about your fears and the reasons for them. For example, do you always feel ill-prepared for a test or exam? Now ask yourself, is this because you have time management issues or because you're a perfectionist? For the former, this is something you can and should work on from Day 1. Make study schedules and stick to them. If you start planning out your work immediately, you'll have less to do in a day.
Doing this can make all the difference and keep you from getting overwhelmed by all the work. Think about it, would you rather start right now and study one or two hours a day, or leave things for later and end up with five-hour study sessions? Even if you have the time for this, it's not a very productive way of studying and you'll probably end up cramming up to the last minute before your exam. I don't have to tell you that this won't yield the best results.
Letting Go of Perfection
Now, if you're a perfectionist, things can get more complicated. In high school you may have been able to study every detail, but in university this just isn't possible. It really isn't. In a university course it's all about identifying the most important concepts and focusing on knowing those inside out, and trusting that that knowledge will help you fill in the blanks of less important details that you only had time to skim over. To put it plainly, you'll just have let to go of perfectionism as the impossible goal that it is, as difficult and unnatural as that may seem.
Meditation for Text Anxiety
One way to help you with any and all the reasons you may have that contribute to your test anxiety is to try meditating. In a nutshell, meditation can help you reduce stress and improve concentration - just what the doctor ordered! Besides all the ways it can improve the rest of your life as well, meditation really is an invaluable habit to support your studies. Even just 5 or 10 minutes a day can make a world of difference. If you are interested, check out our blog post Meditation for Better Studies and a Better Life for more details.
There's no such thing as a quick fix for test anxiety, but here are a extra few tips and tricks you can try out to help manage it:
1. Chew bubblegum to help reduce stress.
2. Try the 4x4 box breathing technique used by Navy SEALs to calm down:
3. Don't study for your test on the day you're taking it. More often than not this just makes you more anxious.
4. Make sure you have all the supplies you'll need, plus extras. Why add to your anxiety with unnecessary worries like running out of ink or paper?
5. Remember to read ALL the instructions of the test carefully and go through all the questions before you start. Don't lose marks for silly misreads, and prioritise your time.
6. If you start having negative thoughts, take a breath (see above) and remind yourself of past successes. You can do this!
7. Don't expect to get 100% and do expect a few surprises. Not you or anybody else will know all of what will be asked.
And finally,
8. Take your studies seriously, but at the end of the day, remember it's just an exam. Whatever happens, you'll be okay.
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