Alleviating Anxiety on Exam Day
Monday, May 18th, 2009
Even the most prepared students feel anxious right before they are about to sit down for an exam. It is human nature. However, it is important to try to eliminate some of the factors that cause stress. It has been proven that students perform better on exams when they are more relaxed. This may sound impossible; how can anyone walk into an exam free of stress? The most obvious technique is being prepared. But, you probably have three or four other classes that you have to worry about. Sometimes it feels like you have a mountain of other work you need to complete to the point where you don’t know how you will ever have enough time to devote to studying for the upcoming test in question. Take a deep breath and consider these options to help you in your next desperate moment.
Provided you have thoroughly studied the material to be covered, you still have to find a comfort level when you are actually taking the exam. Students tend to be overwhelmed as they leaf through the exam. They get a feeling that they are going to forget everything they have studied. If you find yourself in this position, do a "brain dump." This involves jotting down key facts, formulas, mnemonic devices, etc. that will jog your memory throughout the exam period. Ask for a piece of scrap paper or write these reminders down in the margin of your test. You can refer to this information as you complete the exam.
Go through the exam in a methodic fashion. As you read each question, answer the ones you are absolutely sure about. This will put you in a rhythm. You will feel good about answering questions as it will give you a sense of accomplishment. Then, return to the beginning of the exam and work through the questions about which you are pretty confident. Often, you will find clues from other questions to help you with ones that have you stumped. By completing the questions you are sure about first, you can assess how much time you have to spend working through the trickier questions.
This next tip will sound like a familiar, broken record: check your work. Students are tempted to hand in their exam the second they answer the last question. Take a minute to let your answers "breathe." Return to the beginning of your test and carefully reread the question and your answer. Sometimes, when in a hurry, students may miss the essence of the question and wind up supplying an answer that doesn’t exactly answer what is being asked. Try to be concise in your responses. Professors are usually not looking for long, flowing answers. They want to make sure you have a command of the material. They will not be fooled by long-winded responses. Above all else, take your time. Use the whole period to make sure you have sufficiently answered each question.
