How to Overcome Test Anxiety

Have you ever been studying hard, felt prepared for the exam, but when you walk into your exam, your mind goes blank? As you sit down to start your tests, you notice your sweaty palms and a pit in your stomach. If these classic signs of test anxiety sound familiar, your grades and test scores may not reflect your true abilities. In this video, you will learn ways to manage test anxiety before and during a stressful test. Test anxiety is a combination of physiological tension, somatic symptoms, along with worry, dread, and fear of failure that occur before or during test situations. While it's completely normal to feel a bit nervous for an exam, some students find that test anxiety is debilitating. Whether it's your college biology exam, the MCAT, Step 1, or an important history final, test anxiety has the power to derail weeks and months of hard work. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, causes of test anxiety may include a fear of failure, lack of adequate prep time, or bad experiences taking tests in the past. But you're not alone. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the U.S. ages 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Anxiety disorders develop from a complex set of risk factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events. Here's what you can do to stay calm in your days leading up to and during your exams. Before the test, you want to make sure that you eat well. Skip the junk food and nourish your body and brain with healthy food, not just the day of the exam, but always. Eat a nutritious, sustaining breakfast on test day, and avoid high-sugar foods like donuts that can cause a sugar crash. If caffeine makes you jittery, consider skipping coffee or energy drinks before your test. You want to make sure that you get enough sleep on a regular basis, not just the night before the exam. Sleep is directly related to academic performance and can soothe anxiety. An adequate amount will help you operate at 100% on test day. You want to make sure that you keep moving. Everyone knows that aerobic exercise has a lot of benefits, including clearing the mind and decreasing stress levels. Also, engage in some relaxation techniques. Try deep breathing, tensing and relaxing different muscle groups, mindfulness work, meditation, positive self-talk, or even some yoga. On the test day, you want to make sure that you arrive early. You want to avoid adding to the stress by running into the classroom at the last minute. Allow some time to get seated, to get organized, and take a few deep breaths before the instructors start passing out the test papers. You want to use good test-taking skills. Read the directions carefully, budget your time, and work at a comfortable pace, but also keep an eye on the clock so you don't run out of time. It's a good idea to answer easier questions first and then return to the skipped ones. Also, stay focused and recheck your answers if there is time. I advise you to seek help at your school. Don't be afraid to ask for help from instructors, tutors, or counselors. Anxiety disorders, including test anxiety, are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and those affected may qualify for test-taking accommodations such as a quiet room or additional time. Check out your college counseling services at your school. They may offer support and/or study groups. Also, seek help outside your school. Make an appointment with your family physician to discuss whether medication might help alleviate your anxiety. Secure the services of a private therapist or look for support groups. Talking about your anxieties with a professional counselor or others who may be going through similar events may help diffuse their powerful hold on you. You can also check out www.adaa.org. Thank you for watching, and we'll see you next time.