What are some good tips for coping with test anxiety?
In high school I really struggled with testing anxiety and it showed when I got my test scores back. In college tests will get more rigorous, so I was looking for tips and tricks to overcome testing anxiety to get the test scores that I want. Thanks! #testanxiety #testscores
1 answer
Daniela Silva
Daniela’s Answer
Hi Kyle!
All of this stress over the test produces the body’s “fight or flight” response. Your body releases adrenaline, and the energy used to do good thinking gets diverted into being on high alert. Our brains prepare for the worst, and it becomes all too difficult to imagine doing well and to answer questions.
Symptoms of test anxiety can be observed in your thoughts, emotions, and body. If you’ve experienced these symptoms while taking an exam, you may suffer from test anxiety:
Cognitive Symptoms – racing thoughts, self-comparison to others, difficulty concentrating, blanking out, negative thoughts of past performances
Emotional Symptoms – fear, anger, feeling helpless, guilt, shame, disappointment
Physical Symptoms – nausea, racing heart, excessive sweating, shortness of breath, headache, dizziness, dry mouth, tense muscles
Sometimes people experiencing intense test anxiety are at increased risk of having a panic attack. If you’ve experienced panic attacks before and are worried about having one during an upcoming test, consider working with a counselor to help you learn to better manage anxiety. If you experience intense panic the day of a test, you can also ask a test examiner if there is an option to have the test canceled. Some standardized examinations allow you to cancel your score, but not all do.
Source:
https://www.psycom.net/managing-test-anxiety/
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