Skip to main content

Test Anxiety

  • Test Anxiety: Crash Course Skills - Exams can be terrifying. It’s easy to feel like the weight of the world rests in these moments – like this one test determines your grades and, in turn, your whole future – even if you know, rationally, that this isn’t really the case. What’s worse is that this fear and anxiety can make you do worse on the test. So, take a deep breath, and watch this video to walk you through some tips for beating test anxiety so that you can walk in on test day feeling refreshed and confident.

Tips to help overcome test anxiety

There are several relatively simple things students can do to ease their test anxiety. It’s important to remember, what works for one student might not work for another. Below is a list of suggestions and strategies that you can try before and during exams. Some are easy no-brainers; others might be surprising. Try one, some or all of these to find out what works for you.

Before the exam

  1. Put things in perspective. Remind yourself that your upcoming exam is important, but your entire future doesn't depend on this exam.
  2. Remind yourself of past successes. It’s easy to lose perspective but remember you don't have to be at the top of your class. You just need to pass. 
  3. Don't give a test the power to define you. Your performance on an exam mostly depends on how effectively you studied for the test, the quality of your prior education, and the test-taking strategies you use. The exam does not define who you are!
  4. Remind yourself that a certain level of anxiety is actually helpful in performing your best.
  5. Get a good night's sleep for several days before the exam. With adequate sleep, your ability to think clearly and to deal with anxiety will both improve.
  6. High anxiety can increase the impact of caffeine, so on test days reduce your intake.

During the exam:

  1. Get to the test site a little early, but try to avoid talking with other students right before the exam. (Their anxieties may increase your own.) Instead, take a walk around the building and silently talk to yourself, meditate, breathe, and/or pray.
    • Moving your body can help rid you of some of the nervous energy you are experiencing.
  2. Remind yourself that you don’t know all the material that could possibly appear on the test and nobody else does either. Still, you can do your best to get some “mileage” out of what you do know.
  3. Expect a few curve balls on the exam. Remind yourself that you're not expecting to get 100% on the exam; you're expecting TO PASS.
  4. If you begin to have negative thoughts, say STOP to yourself and remind yourself of past successes.
  5. Move your body. Roll your shoulders, stretch your legs, get up for a bathroom break if it's allowed.
  6. Most students prefer to carefully work through the questions once rather than rushing through the exam and leaving time at the end for checking. (Nervous test-takers are especially prone to changing correct answers to incorrect when they go back to check their answers.)