Spotlight

Test Anxiety

You went to class, completed your homework, tackled tough essays and studied. You arrive at your exam confident you know the material. As you take your seat, you start to feel butterflies in your stomach and your palms begin to sweat.

Prepared for the test, your butterflies turn to nausea. You are sweating profusely. You feel lightheaded. Your heart is racing. Your mind is a blank. You want to run out of the room. You may have test anxiety. Read on for causes, symptoms and ways to manage test anxiety.

What is test anxiety?
Test anxiety is a type of performance anxiety - just like when some people get nervous speaking to large crowds or trying something new.

What causes test anxiety?
Test anxiety occurs for a number of reasons.

Fear of Failure. While the pressure to perform can act as a motivator, it can also be devastating to individuals who tie their self-worth to the outcome of a test.

Lack of Preparation. Waiting until the last minute or not studying at all can leave individuals feeling anxious and overwhelmed.

Poor Test History. Previous problems or bad experiences with test-taking can lead to a negative mindset and influence performance on future tests.

What are the symptoms of test anxiety?
Individuals suffering from test anxiety may experience a variety of symptoms. These include:

Physical Symptoms. Headache, nausea, diarrhea, excessive sweating, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, light-headedness and feeling faint can all occur. Test anxiety can lead to a panic attack, which is the abrupt onset of intense fear or discomfort in which individuals may feel like they are unable to breathe or having a heart attack.

Emotional Symptoms. Feelings of anger, fear, helplessness and disappointment are common emotional responses to test anxiety.

Behavioral/Cognitive Symptoms. Difficulty concentrating, thinking negatively and comparing yourself to others are common symptoms of test anxiety.

How can you manage your test anxiety?
Test anxiety can be so severe that it may interfere with your ability to learn, concentrate and study effectively. This may prevent you from performing well. The following tips may help you manage your test anxiety.

Be Prepared. Develop good study habits. Study at least a week or two before the exam, in smaller increments of time and over a few days (instead of pulling an "all-nighter"). Try to simulate exam conditions by working through a practice test, following the same time constraints.

Develop Good Test-Taking Skills. Read the directions carefully, answer questions you know first and then return to the more difficult ones. Outline essays before you begin to write.

Maintain a Positive Attitude. Remember that your self-worth should not be dependent on or defined by a test grade. Creating a system of rewards and reasonable expectations for studying can help to produce effective studying habits. There is no benefit to negative thinking.

Stay Focused. Concentrate on the test, not other students during your exams. Try not to talk to other students about the subject material before taking an exam.

Practice Relaxation Techniques. If you feel stressed during the exam, take deep, slow breaths and consciously relax your muscles, one at a time. This can invigorate your body and will allow you to better focus on the exam.

Stay Healthy. Get enough sleep, eat healthy, exercise and allow for personal time. If you are exhausted - physically or emotionally - it will be more difficult for you to handle stress and anxiety.

Visit the Campus Student Services or Counseling Center. Schools are aware of the toll exams can take on students. They have offices/programs specifically dedicated to helping you and providing additional educational support so that you can be successful.

If these do not help you or you want additional help, talk to your doctor and find a local therapist.

How can you beat anxiety year-round? Try these Stress Busters:
Do your BEST instead of trying to be PERFECT. We all know perfection isn't possible, so be proud of however close you get.

Take a time out. When you feel completely overwhelmed, take a deep breath and count to ten. Stepping back from the problem lets you clear your head. Do yoga. Meditate. Get a massage. Learn relaxation techniques. Listen to music.

Put things in perspective. Think about your situation. Ask yourself whether it's really as bad as you think it is or if you could be blowing it out of proportion.

Talk to someone. Don't let things bottle up to the verge of explosion. Reach out to your roommate, boyfriend, girlfriend or counselor if you're feeling low.

For more tips, visit www.gotanxiety.org.

What Other Resources Are Available?
While test anxiety can have negative effects, remember that it can be managed and even overcome. Here are some additional resources for test anxiety:

www.gotanxiety.org. A website directed towards college students and the unique anxieties they experience, developed by the Anxiety Disorders Association of America.

www.adaa.org. The official website of the Anxiety Disorders Association America (ADAA), the leading non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the prevention, treatment and cure of anxiety disorders and to improve the lives of all people who suffer from them.

http://kidshealth.org/teen/school_jobs/school/test_anxiety.html. A website dedicated to improving the health and spirit of children and teens, developed by the Nemours Foundation.

www.dartmouth.edu/~acskills/success/stress.html. A website for the Academic Skills Center at Dartmouth College that focuses on test anxiety.