Test Taking Anxiety
Do you get anxious when you write exams?
A little anxiety is normal before writing a test. In fact, anxiety helps you be alert and
prepares you to do your best; however, when anxiety gets too high you may have what’s
called test anxiety. Test anxiety makes it hard to think and remember, and it affects how
you perform. When anxiety blocks your performance, here are some suggestions:
1. Be prepared. By preparing for exams thoroughly you’ll feel in control. This means
learning and reviewing throughout the semester rather than cramming the night
before.
2. Find out about your exam. The more you know about how the test will be
structured the more prepared you’ll be. Find out what kinds of questions your
professor will ask and the material the exam will cover.
3. Practice healthy living. To be your academic best, you need to be healthy. Pulling
“all nighters” while swallowing gallons of coffee may help you cram, but it will not
help you do your best. Eat a balanced diet with carbohydrates and proteins at each
meal. Exercise regularly and attempt to get at least 7 – 8 hours of sleep per night.
4. Don’t be in a rush. Gather materials the night before and ensure you get to the
exam early. Double check the exam time and location so you won’t have to face last
minute stressors.
5. Avoid anxious classmates. On the day of the exam, get to campus early and find a
quiet place to relax. Do not stand outside the exam room door. The anxiety of others
will only increase your own anxiety.
6. Develop an exam plan. Based on mark distribution, decide how much time you
would like to allot to each section. Bring a watch and follow your own exam pace. Do
not let the pace of others cause you to become nervous.
7. Keep a steady pace. Do not let more difficult questions affect your attitude and
steal your valuable time. Students often cloud their minds by lingering over difficult
questions. Moving on and finding success with other questions will boost your
confidence and ensure you get as many marks as possible.
8. If you’re blocked, write anything! Even if you can’t remember the exact answer,
just start writing. Writing will help you clarify your ideas often allowing you to stumble
upon the correct answer.
9. Exclude thoughts of failure. This will only get you caught in a spiral of negative
thinking. Replace negative thoughts such as “I have no idea what this question
means. I’m such an idiot for not studying this question. I bet everyone else studied
this question and they’ll get A’s while I flunk out?” with thoughts such as “Wow, this is
a tough question and I’m not really sure what to say. I’ll jot down a few ideas and
come back to this later.”
10. Avoid worrisome thoughts. Worrying about past exam performance, poor present
performance, negative consequences of poor performance or how others are doing
on the exam will not help you perform. Allow the anxiety to subside and focus on the
test one question at a time.
11. Practice relaxation techniques. Belly breathing or contracting your muscles from
head to toe can replace anxious thoughts with relaxation. For more information on
relaxation techniques, you may wish to visit the Health and Wellness Centre to make
an appointment with a counsellor – UNC 337.
12. Put the test into perspective. No matter how important it may seem, a test is only a
small part of your educational experience, and an even smaller part of your life. Your
test grade does not reflect the kind of person you are nor your ability to succeed in
life. Try modifying your expectations on the exam. Maybe merely passing is good
enough for now.
13. Remember anxiety will subside. Try to ride out the peak of anxiety by knowing that
it will eventually subside and allow you to write your test. Focusing on anxiety and its
symptoms and then berating yourself for being anxious will not help you write your
exam. Try not to run from the anxiety, but instead try working on another part of the
exam, and slowly wait for the anxiety to weaken.
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