Now that spring break is over, finals are coming which can lead to plenty of stress and anxiety. It’s common for students to worry—especially became many must receive a certain score to pass a class or even graduate.
Don’t fret, there are plenty of ways to overcome all the hysteria. We’ve put together some simple tips on how to manage test anxiety for you to consider as you head into the final weeks of the semester.
- Study right before
While you are going to want to study well before the day of the test, doing a quick refresher before the exam will keep the information fresh in your head. So, if you have time before, head to the library and do a quick refresher to make sure you are ready to go.
- Get eight hours of sleep
It is common to try and pull an all-nighter the day before an exam—don’t do this. Getting eight hours of sleep is one of the most important things you can do to succeed on a test. You want to be well rested beforehand; this will allow you to stay focused.
Instead of staying up all night, put aside a short period of time before bed to go over your exam materials. Studies show that sleeping after processing new information will help you retain more of it—it will probably make you sleepy too.
- Eat a nutritious breakfast
You do not want to take a test on an empty stomach, so make sure you eat a nutritious breakfast the morning of. However, avoid over-eating and drinking too much caffeine; this will cause more harm than good.
- Go at your own pace
Forget about everyone else and focus on what is in front of you. Don’t start to rush when people start to turn in their tests. Remember to take deep breaths and look over your answers before handing in your exam. If you find yourself struggling with a question, skip and come back to it.
- Don’t continue to stress afterward
Once you have completed the exam, do your best to stop worrying about it. Don’t talk to others about what answers they put down—you don’t want this hanging over your head. There is nothing you can do about the exam once you have finished. So, don’t think too much about the results and move on to focus on your other school work.
Dealing with all the pressure that comes with finals weeks can cause you to struggle with your exams. Learning how to manage test anxiety and keep a positive attitude can put you on the right path of success.
