Exam Anxiety
Exam anxiety is a fairly common experience that involves feelings of tension or uneasiness that occur before, during or after an exam. Many people experience some kind of anxiety associated with exams, but sometimes it can become so intense that it leads to disruptive symptoms and therefore negative impact on ones performance. In this case, it is important to try recognize these symptoms and find an effective way to cope, so that it will not influence your results.
Symptoms of Exam Anxiety
Everyone can be affected differently, but there are several symptoms that are very common.
– Emotions such as fear, disappointment, anger, depression, helplessness
– fidgeting, pacing, substance abuse, or other self destructive behaviours
– Fast heartbeat, feels of nausea, headaches, light-headedness, sweating
– Racing thoughts, negative thinking about oneself
– Memory blocks or “blanking out” on things that you have studied
– Fear of failing before the exam is even written
– Lower reading comprehension
– Poor attention and inability to concentrate
Tips on how to cope with Exam Anxiety
Some strategies for coping with exam anxiety are quite practical and easy to implement. Avoid people who speak negatively, arrive early to the exam, read your exam directions carefully. You can always contact a tutor to help with exam material.
Be prepared!
The most common cause of exam anxiety is lack of preparation. Avoid cramming! Set up a schedule for at least a few weeks in advance to study, and stick to it!
Sleep!
Regular sleep patterns are one of the best ways to control stress. You need to get enough sleep so that your brain get perform optimally. This can increase your performance by more than 30%.
Caffeine & Sugar
During your exam, do not increase or decrease the amount of coffee, tea or pop that you would usually consume. Keep things in your life as stable as possible, try not to change anything.
Breathe!
Use relaxed breathing to calm yourself down. Inhale and exhale, especially when you feel anxiety before, during, or after the exam.
Night before your exam
Do not study the night before your exam. It will increase your anxiety levels, and affect your sleep. Relax – watch TV, see a movie, or read a book.
Have a plan
As part of your studying, think about how you will go about the exam – what you will do when you run into problems, breathing techniques and focussing on the task instead of your own emotions and negative thoughts.
Follow these tips, and hopefully it will make studying and your exam experience a little easier!
Good luck!