To my peers, I may look like I have it all together when it comes to how organized I can be. In all reality, it’s easy for me to overthink a test to a point that I end up performing terribly. Ever since I can remember, I’ve struggled with a bad case of test anxiety. I always had to work much harder than my classmates around me and saw little-to-no payoff. As I navigated my high school years through my college years, I’ve learned ways to make it more manageable and show the effort I’ve put into my tests. Here’s my best tips if you are also studying from test anxiety and how to be sure your next test is a success!
Keep studying & study early
This is always one of my biggest downfalls when it comes to my own test anxiety. I think I know the information, and then once I get to the test, my mind goes blank. I’ve realized that if I can study enough to know the information frontwards and backwards that I will do significantly better on the test. Even if I think it’s something I have concreted in my mind, I keep studying. There’s nothing bad that can come out of studying more than you feel you need to!
Another thing is to start studying as early as you can. If you know the test is in two weeks, don’t start studying the night before. Study a little bit each day up until the day of the test so you know that information like the back of your hand. Test day will be a lot lest stressful if you’ve studied and you feel like you know all the answers.
Study areas not mentioned on the study guide
This might sound a little counterintuitive but hear me out. If you’re having trouble remembering certain terms, learning terms that go into it can really help solidify ideas. It can majorly help you connect different processes together and learn different steps. Knowing the entire set of steps towards a term or know where it falls in a process can really help you remember the information.
Try to apply the material to your life
If you’re a family oriented person, this might be for you. If the terms can apply to your life in any way, don’t be afraid to make those connections! My family are people that generally help me calm down, so making connections to them during my tests can make me feel more at ease. This has helped me so much, especially through my transition to college exams!
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
This has always been one of my biggest downfalls. Asking for help is easier said than done in a lot of situations for me. But when it ultimately comes down to passing a class, asking for help needs to be a priority! Your professors are there to help you and are more than willing to put a little extra time aside to help clarify ideas. All of my professors have been really easy going and want to make sure what they are teaching is coming across how they want it to!
Go to office hours
This ties in with my last point. If you’re wanting to keep some ideas you’re struggling with between you and your professor, ask to meet them in their office hours. It is an easy way to get one-on-one time with your professor, clarify ideas, and allows them to get a good idea of what your goals are. This can help create relationships that will allow them to write strong letters of recommendation for you as well!
Get to test day early
Arriving to your test early can make you feel more confident and secure. This can give you time to double check that you have all your materials like pens, pencils, eraser, a charged laptop, etc. You’ll also get a few extra minutes of study time to go over and material you want a second look at. The more time you have to prepare, the easier the test will feel and you’ll be able to finish on a positive note.
Do you have test anxiety and have other ways to cope with it? Leave a comment below!
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