10 Tips to Survive Test Anxiety

If you’re a student (or have ever been one) likely you’ve felt anxious ahead of a big test. A little bit of nerves can actually help by giving you an energy boost that can enable you to perform at your highest. If your pre-test stress becomes so extreme that it hampers your performance, then you are likely to be suffering from anxiety during tests. Learn more about ways to beat anxiety during tests.

What is the definition of Anxiety?

Test anxiety is a mix of emotions , including worry about, fear, and dread–along with physical fight-or-flight signs that people experience before and during taking a test. It’s also a form of anxiety in which the pressure to achieve is so intense that individuals can’t focus or perform at 100%. A little bit of nervousness about exams is normal. But when the symptoms of exam anxiety trigger panic attacks, hinder learningor reduce ability to perform, it’s imperative to discover ways to control this response.

What causes anxiety in the test?

As per the Anxiety and Depression Association of America(ADA), test anxiety has its roots in following causes:

• Fear of failure As well as atychiphobia the fear of failing can adversely affect our performance. Students who connect their sense of self-worth on the basis of the results of testing are more likely to feel this anxiety.
• The lack of preparation: Knowing you did not study thoroughly enough to be prepared for the test can bring on feelings of anxiety and dread.
• Insufficient testing history: If you have performed poorly on other exams or have negative experiences from examinations, you could become trapped in a cycle of negative emotions that could impact your performance on the next tests.

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Signs and symptoms

The symptoms vary from mild to serious and include:

• Emotional symptoms: Feelings such as fear, anger, disappointment or helplessness. More severe symptoms include depression and low self-esteem.
• Physical symptoms include headaches nausea, diarrhea, feeling of sickness, breathlessness, increased heart rate, and light-headedness. In more severe instances, test anxiety can cause panic attacks.
• Behavioral/cognitive symptoms: Negative self-talk as well as comparing yourself to other people, fidgeting or problems concentrating. In certain cases anxiety can become so severe that children drop out of school.

Tips to get over test anxiety

So, how do you overcome the fear of taking tests? Here are some test anxiety strategies that will help:

1. Be prepared: Insufficient preparedness can dramatically increase test anxiety. One of the best ways to reduce anxiety on tests is to make sure that you are completely prepared for the next time you have to take an examination. That means thoroughly studying as well as getting a decent night’s sleep, and waking up for the class on time.
2. Adjust your breathing: Anxiety results in shortness of breathing and your heart to race. To manage the effects of anxiety, practice regulating breathing. Try breathing in deeply through your nose , and exhaling out through your mouth. It will slow your breathing, and also help you control the rate of your heart.
3. Be positive and positive. Having negative thoughts or the fear of catastrophizing, can cause more severe exam anxiety symptoms such as depression. Set realistic expectations for yourself . Also, remember that your self-worth shouldn’t be tied to the performance of taking a test.
4. Have fun: Laughing is natural remedy that improves your mood and helps combat stress. Consider watching YouTube content or listening to an entertaining podcast next time you’re having a bad day.
5. Stay fit: Having your lifestyle in a healthy way is crucial for your mental and physical health. Remember to always get enough daily exercise, sleep well, and do self-care.
6. Chew on chewing gum while taking the exam can help keep your mind focused upon the task at focus and clear of negative thoughts.
7. You can try yoga and meditation. It is a wonderful method of training your mind so that you can handle challenging situations more peacefully. It helps you learn to focus your mind and get rid of the negative thoughts that creep into your head. Yoga is a kind of meditation which combines breathing by moving your body, creating concentration on the body’s sensations and relieving stress.
8. Listen to music Music has an immense ability to change your mood. Before you take a test playing music to soothe your nerves. A slower tempo can ease muscle tension and calm your mind. Additionally, dancing to an upbeat song may ease tension.
9. Hang out with pets: It has been proven that spending time with pets can help reduce anxiety and stress levels in humans. If you don’t own an animal, think about fostering an animal or letting it sit.
10. Talk to a counselor: Your personal counsellor, or counselor from the health department at your school can assist you to comprehend your anxiety during tests and provide tools for changing it. Schools often have resources dedicated to helping students conquer test anxiety.

If you’re dealing with extreme test anxiety, you’re not on your own. Take a look at the advice provided above as well as contacting the counseling department at your school for more help.