What is test anxiety?
Test anxiety is a feeling of worry and fear before exams.
Physically, you may feel your heart beat faster, breathe more quickly, or even have trouble sleeping. Your memory may get worse, and in the exam room your mind may go blank, even making easy questions seem hard.
Mentally, you may worry a lot about failing, and feel that if you do badly, everything will be ruined.
Why does test anxiety happen?
Simply put, it is because you care too much about the result, but you are not sure you can get that result.
So why do we care so much about exam results?
You may secretly think that doing badly = I am no good. This turns the exam into a judgment on your worth as a person, which feels like a threat. This can set off stress responses — that is, test anxiety.
You may worry about what happens if you fail. What if your parents are disappointed, or your classmates laugh at you? If you imagine the worst-case scenario too strongly, anxiety appears.
You may also feel unsure of yourself. Maybe you did not pay attention in class this term and played games instead, or did not review well. That can naturally make you nervous.
Outside pressure can also play a part. Expectations from others and competition at school can push you and make you feel a sense of danger.
How to reduce test anxiety?
A few days before the exam, try to adjust your mindset. Change your goal from “I must do well” to “I will get all the questions I know how to do right.” At this point, do not try difficult problems anymore. Make sure you get all the points you can.
On the exam day, eat foods with protein and avoid foods with too much sugar. A rise and then drop in blood sugar can make you feel uneasy.
Once you enter the exam room, you can calm down by taking deep breaths. Breathe in through your nose for four seconds, hold for seven seconds, breathe out through your mouth for eight seconds. Repeat three times. This is called the “4-7-8 breathing method.” It helps activate your parasympathetic nervous system and lowers your heart rate.
Exams are not something to fear. They are a check on what you have learned. Their purpose is to show you where you need to improve, not to punish you. Doing well means you have a good grasp of the material. Doing poorly means you still have room to grow. No matter the result, there is no need to be anxious. Stay calm, and I hope everyone gets a good score!
