1. Prepare. This means starting early rather than waiting until the last minute to study for a test. Test preparation starts the first day of class.
2. Set goals. These can be long-term and short-term.
3. Prioritize. This includes taking care of your health. Poor health habits can contribute to stress. Make sure you get plenty of rest, relaxation, and sleep.
4. Adjust your perspective. Start by saying positive things to yourself. (I can do this. I am prepared. I know this material.)
5. Play. List five things you do for pleasure and make sure you do these on a regular basis. Give yourself something to look forward to on a weekly basis.
“It’s important to remember that the brain learns through patterns,” Richards says. “When you are taking notes, use different colors. For example, use a red pen when taking math notes. Use a green pen for history. Also, study consistently. If too much time has passed, you will have forgotten most of the information.”
For the past five years, Linda Richards has been at Salt Lake Community College’s Disability Resource Center working with many students who needed anxiety-related guidance.
“It is important to pay attention to your thoughts,” Richards says. “Your thoughts always come before your feelings, so if you have your thoughts under control, you can keep your anxiety at bay.”
Some students feel higher levels of test anxiety because they place too much emphasis on past performance or focus on the negative consequences of testing poorly. These students may procrastinate the exam study sessions until the last minute, and that contributes to the panic that causes poor test performance.
is majoring in.
“I am always somewhat anxious before a test,” says Lindsay Peters, mathematics major at SLCC. “Right before a test, I put in my headphones and focus on what I already know. That way, I avoid the temptation of doing last minute cramming with classmates.”
Peters understands that it can be detrimental to her performance if she discusses the material right before the test.
“The more I listen to others freaking out about how they’re going to do, the more I start to doubt my own preparation,” says Peters.
