It may have been awhile since you’ve taken a test. But chances are you still remember the scene. You see the timer ticking, 10 minutes stands between you and the finish line! You’re sweating. You’re scared you’re going to be the last one finished. You’re mind is drawing a blank on every question. HELP! We have solutions for you to clear your mind and fill in the bubble with confidence and ease.
Change the way you study- A lot of the stress you experience when taking a test may stem from the way you study. If you cram the night before- this may be the cause of your anxiety. Your brain cannot possibly remember all of the information you expect it to in one night. Instead, try to study a little bit each day before a test and you will know the information like the back of your hand. If you’re wondering how this technique can reduce stress during a test, the simple answer is: if you know the information, and have seen it day after day, there’s a lesser chance of you completely blanking!
Take deep breaths- In, out, in, out.. you know the drill! This may seem basic and even obvious for reducing stress in any situation but it works like a charm! When you start feeling anxious before or even during the test, take deep breaths! It will help your body calm down so that you can focus, plain and simple!
Don’t over-think – If you’re stuck on a question or two, don’t spend too much time on it. Instead, just skip it! You can always go back and try again. With the time you waste on a tough question, you could be answering easier questions correctly. So instead of using the saying ‘don’t sweat the small stuff’,’ we’re saying don’t sweat the big stuff. Relax, and just go back to the tougher questions when you feel more comfortable.
Don’t pay attention to other people- Normally, this isn’t the best advice. If you didn’t pay attention to other people when you drove, you’d crash. But the rules are different when taking a test. So don’t pay attention to the person next to you who won’t stop coughing, or the one behind you that’s flipping page after page about to turn it all in. Worry about yourself and what’s in front of you.
Mark it up – If your professor allows you to write on your test- take advantage! This way you can circle and underline words that will help you find the right answer. It will help you feel less overwhelmed with the question and the answers. So if a question asks, ‘what are not the best stress reducing techniques during a test‘ you would want to underline the word ‘not’ and keep that in mind when answering the question.
After using all of these handy tips you’ll be taking tests with ease! Remember, sometimes it’s not about what you do, but how you do it. So if you can change the way you take tests, maybe, just maybe, your results will change too! And that sounds A okay to us.