subject: Test Anxiety Help-some Useful Tips [print this page] Recently I had the opportunity of having to take an exam to renew a state license I was in possession of. What I didn't realize was the fact that me passing the exam, meant the difference of maintaining my part time job, as without the license I was going to be released.
Talk about test anxiety. I never knew or really appreciated how anxious you could get while taking an exam until something of value depended on it.
I could now appreciate more how the university students must feel when they are taking their major examinations, and their graduating is dependent upon passing. Now that really is stress that they have to deal with.
Well I made it through that particular day, and did actually pass the exam. Unfortunately I was left with an anxiety about future exams that I couldn't shake loose.
I decided to seek some counsel regarding this test anxiety, I wanted to see if I could get any pointers for future examinations.
I spoke with an associate of mine who is in the counseling field. He informed me how common my problem is, and that many individuals struggle with "test anxiety".
That made me feel somewhat better, yet I still dreaded the worse. I explained to him some of my symptoms (anxiousness, sweaty palms, fast heartbeat, fainting feeling), and he informed me these were all similar to a "panic attack".
Considering I was never an "anxious" individual, I decided to research this further. What I did find were strategies to utilize when trying to cope with test anxiety.
The first strategy was being fully prepared to take the exam. If you have no idea what the exam will be on, then that will create a natural anxiety. So know your material, and study in advance if possible.
Another excellent technique I learned was to eat a "healthy" form of breakfast. Because nearly all these exams are given in the morning, then you'll be challenged with what to eat prior to the test. I actually wrote down a shopping list of possible selections.
The majority of the research had indicated that eating lightly was much better the really packing away a big meal. Some say that too much food consumed could make you feel sleepy, and compromise efficiency when taking the exam. Hot cereal such as oatmeal, and a few eggs worked great for me. It really held me through the exam.
Hopefully this information you will be able to utilize in an effort to reduce your anxiety when taking an exam. If things are really bad for you, then medical intervention is always a possibility, as there are many skilled physicians that treat this dilemma.
