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Test Time Strategies to Address Anxiety

It’s test time, and you have arrived at the testing location (ideally a few minutes early)
and are waiting for the cue to begin. How can you be calm and focused? These strate-
gies may help.

Manage your environment. Make a conscious effort to sit away from students who
might distract you. If it helps, listen to relaxing music on your smartphone while wait-
ing for class to begin.
Reassure yourself with positive self-talk. Tell yourself that you can do well and
that it is normal to feel anxious, particularly before an important exam.
Write down your feelings. Researchers have found that if students take a few minutes
before an exam to put their feelings in writing, they post higher grades and have less
anxiety. Without worrying about the quality of your writing, express your fears and
anxieties about the test on a piece of paper or your computer. “It’s almost as if you empty
the fears out of your mind,” says researcher and psychology professor Sian Beilock. 5

Practice relaxation. Close your eyes, breathe deeply and slowly, and visualize positive
mental images like finishing the test with confidence. Or, try a more physical tensing-
and-relaxing method: 6
1. Put your feet flat on the floor.
2. With your hands, grab underneath the chair.
3. Push down with your feet and pull up on your chair at the same time for about
five seconds.
4. Relax for 5 to 10 seconds.
5. Repeat the procedure two or three times.
6. Relax all your muscles except the ones that are actually used to take the test.

Bring a special object. If an object has special meaning for you—a photograph, a
stone or crystal, a wristband, a piece of jewelry, a hat—it may provide comfort at test
time. Bring it along and hold it, look at it, or wear it during the test. Let its presence
settle and inspire you.
8
CHAPTER make a difference for you. Consider whether you are willing to risk a little embarass-
Some of these strategies may seem odd or embarassing. However, they might also
ment for the reward of doing well on a test. It just might be worth it.

Math Anxiety

For some students, math exams cause more anxiety than other academic areas. A form
of test anxiety, math anxiety is often based on common misconceptions about math,
such as the notion that people are born with or without an ability to think quantitatively
or that men are better at math than women. Students who feel that they can’t do math
may give up without asking for help. At exam time, they may experience test anxiety
symptoms that reduce their ability to concentrate and leave them feeling defeated.
All of the test anxiety strategies in this section will help combat math anxiety. In
addition, math anxiety sufferers should focus heavily on problem solving and should
seek help from instructors and tutors early and often.

Test Anxiety and the Returning Student
If you’re returning to school after years away, you may wonder how well you will
handle exams. To deal with these feelings, focus on what you have learned through
life experience, including the ability to handle work and family pressures. Without

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