Page 240 - Keys to College Success

Calm and Focus Your Mind at Test Time

It’s test time, and you have arrived at the testing location (ideally a few minutes early)
and you are waiting for the cue to begin. How can you be calm and focused? These
strategies 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. 4

Practice relaxation. Close your eyes, breathe deeply and slowly, and visualize posi-
tive mental images like finishing the test confidently. Or, try a more physical tensing-and-
relaxing method: 5
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 five to ten 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.
Some of these strategies may seem odd or embarrassing. However, they might also
make a difference for you. Consider whether you are willing to risk a little embarass- Test Taking
ment for the reward of doing well on a test. It just might be worth it.

HOW CAN YOU DO YOUR
best on test day?

When it’s time to show what you know, these general strategies can help you
handle almost any type of test, including short-answer and essay exams.

Test Day Strategies

Choose the right seat. Find a seat that will help you maximize focus and mini-
mize distractions. Know yourself—for many students, it’s better to avoid sitting
near friends.
Write down key facts. Before you even look at the test, write down key informa-
tion, including formulas, rules, and definitions, that you don’t want to forget. (Use the
back of the question sheet so your instructor knows that you made these notes after
the test began.)

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