by Skylar Blue

Created on: February 16, 2010   Last Updated: February 13, 2012

Tests are about the most dreaded things on a student’s list. The butterflies in your tummy starting to go haywire, the stern glares of the invigilators, the rows and rows of tables seeming to stretch into the horizon, the intimidating silence, the impending possibility of failure. Yeah, tests are pretty much one of the scariest ordeals some people go through. If you’re one of these people then I can safely assure you that there is hope to overcome this fear. The following methods are a few that I have accumulated over my schooling period:

Be prepared:

If you know your material well, studied a couple of weeks prior, consulted your teacher about your problems beforehand then chances are you will feel less stressed. The point of preparation is to avoid drama. If you do the test knowing you have done all the preparation that you possibly can then you will feel more ready, if not eager, to show what you have learnt.

Don’t talk to people:

Picture this: it is about half an hour before the test and the class is in chaos with people running marathons to others to get final notes. You are sitting there composed and calm because you think you have done everything you possibly can when panic comes in the form of your friend. She asks you if you studied about [insert some complicated concept] and you realise with horror you didn’t. All hell breaks loose as your confidence drops at an alarming rate. Then come test time you are just a tangle of worry and stress. This is a very common scenario. The only way to beat it is to avoid talking to people about anything at all related to the test.

Breathe:

When you’re actually taking the test and your mind goes blank, it is a catastrophe. The solution is just to calm down. I know you think you’re battling against time but if you’re all nerves then most likely you won’t be able to remember anything anyway. Just close your eyes, and breathe in, breathe out for about a minute. A bit of stress is important to help you concentrate but too much and the effects are completely opposite.

It is only a test:

The pressure to succeed can be very overwhelming. Believe it or not, failing one test won’t be the end of the world. From the moment you enter the test, your chance of failing or succeeding is already determined by how much you studied for it. If you’ve done your bit then be confident and show off what you can. There is no use being petrified about a test because you can’t change the results. Just complete the test in the best way that you can and if you don’t do so well, learn from your mistakes. What could you do next time to get an even better grade? What made you get the result you got today? Don’t batter yourself bruised blue because you got a grade you didn’t want but rather tell yourself I will do better next time.

Good luck!

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