When Test Jitters Take Flight

Test anxiety is becoming an epidemic. According to a recent study by Angus S. McDonald, “The Prevalence and Effects of Test Anxiety in School Children,” it affects between 20% and 40% of students, and this number continues to rise.

From elementary school to university, test anxiety can impair the performance of the most confident of students. Yet once identified it can be managed. Here we briefly discuss how to recognize the symptoms of test anxiety, and, in greater detail, propose strategies to prevent and alleviate it when it does occur.

Some test anxiety is normal. In fact, sometimes it’s a good thing to be nervous about a test. Low to moderate anxiety can provide a surge of adrenaline one can channel into the kind of laser-like focus needed to ace a test.

Often, though, test anxiety becomes pernicious. When one’s anxiety about a test reaches a certain threshold, it can lead to stomach aches, headaches, nausea, and shortness of breath. It can also lead to persistent and obsessive worrying and negative self-talk about the test. What if I blank out? What if I don’t understand the questions? What if I studied the wrong material? What if I freeze up? What if I blow it?

These physical and mental symptoms can occur both before and during a test. They tend to compromise your ability to focus, stay grounded, and exercise sound judgment and common sense. Naturally, this can impede your performance on a test, reducing your chances of meeting your expectations.

Test anxiety can also lead to problems that go beyond school. For instance, excessive worrying can make it challenging to study and can interfere with your ability to eat, sleep, and relax. In a worst-case scenario, it’s possible to become all consumed by your anxiety about a test, which, in addition to interfering with your performance, can lead to panic attacks and potentially signal the presence of an anxiety disorder.

So, knowing that you have debilitating test anxiety, what can you do about it? How can you manage it when it does occur and prevent it from happening again in the future? While there’s no magic elixir, and different approaches work for different people, here are six potent strategies to help you conquer your test-taking jitters.

Studying hard can help reduce your anxiety about a test. Knowing that you’ve prepared well, mastered the relevant material, and know your stuff can build your confidence and comfort level for a test.

Needless to say, this doesn’t guarantee success. Anxiety can unnerve even the most knowledgeable of students when they sit down to write a test. But diligent preparation improves your chances of stemming the tide of your anxiety and coping with your stress on test day. It can also help you channel your anxiety into the kind of focus needed to meet your goals.

Is it possible, though, to study too much for a test? A 2021 research study conducted by the National Library of Medicine, “Studyholism and Study Engagement,” suggests that it is. Spending, say, half your free time over a period of a week or more studying for a test can be problematic. Excessive preparation can increase your anxiety for a test and lead to a glut of other problems such as poor sleep and eating habits, stomach aches, burnout, and inordinate worrying. And, of course, this can significantly compromise your test performance.

So make sure you don’t get carried away. As long as you don’t go to extremes, studying hard is a powerful way to reduce your test anxiety and increase your chances of doing well.

People need structure and consistency. This establishes and reinforces connections in the brain, and it improves our ability to predict and prepare for what happens next.

Having a consistent pre-test routine is therefore a must for nervous Nellies. It can help relieve anxiety about the uncertainty of a test, enabling you to feel calm and alert in the face of the unexpected. This can increase your confidence and boost your focus prior to and during a test.

Keep in mind, though, that there’s no one optimal pre-test routine. Everyone is different, and what works for one person may not work for another.
Ask yourself: What helps you stay calm, cool, and collected?
Some things that may work for you are meditation, eating energy-boosting foods like proteins, exercising, listening to soothing music, reading the paper, enjoying a podcast, or watching your favourite TV show.

Many students also find it helpful to pre-pack their bag the night before a test with everything they’ll need the next day. This can prevent a harried rush in the morning.

Experiment to see what works for you. Then follow a similar routine each time you get ready to take a test.

There are a number of things you can do to stay positive before and during a test. Recent research by Elisha and Stefanie Goldstein (“Visualization and Guided Imagery Techniques for Stress Reduction”) shows that visualization, using guided imagery, is an effective strategy. Picture yourself calmly reading the questions on test day, reflecting on them, and confidently answering them.

Even if there are unexpected questions, assure yourself that you’ll do the best you can. Since you’ve scrupulously prepared for the test, you should have a strong grasp of the material. Now think about how you’ll take care of business on test day no matter what surprises may be thrown your way.

You might also bring an inspiring picture or quote to the test and create a motivational mantra such as, “I know my stuff,” “I can do this,” or “You’re doing well.” Look at your picture or quote right before the test, and recite your mantra both before and during the test.

A positive outlook, even when combined with meticulous preparation, doesn’t, of course, guarantee that you’ll sail through the test. It will, however, bolster your ability and resolve to manage your stress, remain calm, ignore distractions, and sustain your focus throughout the test.

Keep in mind, finally, that your self-worth isn’t tied to the outcome of a test. After all, even if you don’t meet your expectations, or, heaven forbid, you bomb the test, is it really the end of the world?

This is something you can do prior to and during the test. Your strategy will depend on several factors such as the test format, the kinds of questions you’ll likely be asked, how much they’re worth, and how much time you have for the test.

Suppose it’s a one-hour and twenty-minute test, with eight multiple-choice questions worth two marks each, four short-answer questions worth four marks each, and one essay question worth sixteen marks. Since each of the three sections is worth the same amount of marks, you may divide your time equally between them. If you allocate twenty-two minutes for each section, this will give you fourteen minutes at the end to proofread and revise your essay and to return to challenging questions.

Create a short point-form outline for the essay question. This will give you a blueprint for how to structure your answer and how to use your time efficiently. Suppose the question is: “Explain classical conditioning (CC) and operant conditioning (OC). Describe the similarities and differences between these psychological mechanisms.” Your outline may look like this:

• Intro
o Relation of CC and OC to behavioural psychology
o Relation of CC and OC to our actions
• Explain CC
o Involves involuntary and automatic behaviour
o Pairs stimulus with behaviour
o Example
• Explain OC
o Concept of reinforcement: positive and negative
o Can increase or decrease chances of future actions
o Two examples: (i) positive and (ii) negative reinforcement
• Similarities and differences between CC and OC
o Both result in learning and adapting to an environment
o Both are unconscious
o CC involves passive learning; OC involves active learning
o CC changes involuntary behaviour; OC changes voluntary behaviour

Leave the most challenging multiple-choice questions for last. You don’t want to spend ten to fifteen minutes on a two-mark question that you’re not confident about. If after coming back to it you’re still unsure, take your best guess and move on.

A well-thought-out test-taking strategy can build your confidence and help you stay calm and focused throughout the test. Knowing exactly how you’ll spend your time, and that you’ll make the most efficient use of it, makes it less likely you’ll get overwhelmed or distracted or that you’ll freeze up.

There are plenty of research-proven relaxation techniques that can help relieve both generalized anxiety as well as situational-specific forms of anxiety like those related to taking a test. To reduce your stress level and stay calm and confident prior to and during a test, engage in deep breathing, relax your muscles one at a time, and close your eyes and imagine a positive outcome.

Deep breathing and meditation, according to the American Institute of Stress (“Take a Deep Breath”), can slow down a beating heart or a racing mind. The very act of concentrating on your breathing and thinking can biometrically reduce your anxiety and stress level.

Deep breathing and meditation can help ground you, put your test in perspective, and give you a more positive outlook about it. Practising these exercises can also help reduce physical and mental symptoms that often accompany test anxiety such as stomach aches and headaches, excessive sweating, nausea, shortness of breath, excessive worrying, and negative self-talk.

Make sure you know what's going to be on the test. Unless it’s a surprise or “pop” test, your teacher will tell you what material the test covers, what its format is, and how long it will run. Many teachers are also happy to give you examples of the types of questions the test may contain.

The more you know about the format of the test and the material it covers, the better you can prepare for it. This can help you study more efficiently, covering exactly what you need to and spending the right amount of time preparing for each part of the test.

This knowledge will also enable you to plot out an effective test-taking strategy. You can map out how much time you’re going to spend on each part of the test, and in what order you’ll answer the questions.

If you struggle with material while studying for the test, most teachers are happy to lend a helping hand. In fact, asking for clarification or explanation of material the test covers will show them how diligent you’re being.

It may be helpful to inform your teacher that sometimes you struggle with test anxiety. She or he may have suggestions to help you cope or offer you reassuring words. If you have special education needs, whether they stem from your anxiety or not, your teacher should be able to offer you accommodations, such as a quiet room to write the test or extra time to complete it.