Handling Test Anxiety
Many people are anxious and suffer from stress
before and during an examination. They may even
make simple errors that are not typical of their
usual behavior. People who take licensing exams
often experience greater stress due to a need
to succeed because the results will determine
whether or not they will be able to enter their
chosen field. It is therefore important to prepare
yourself emotionally to take your license exam.
Part of being prepared emotionally is for you
to be able to recognize the symptoms of stress
and anxiety. Stress is often strong enough to
lead to increased heart rate, shortness of breath,
trembling hands, shaking legs, nausea, sweating,
etc. Test anxiety and worry lead to a series
of negative results including poor concentration,
confusion, negative attitudes or moods, negative
self-orientation, fear, anger, and even panic.
Often a person develops poor coping strategies
such as becoming involved in negative self-talk.
A common psychological defense against these
negative feelings and thoughts is giving up
and becoming helpless or paralyzed during a
test. The ability to perform well under pressure,
however, is a skill that you can learn. Several
strategies for overcoming test anxiety follow.
Adequate Preparation
The major factor involved in test anxiety is
a lack of preparation. Most test-anxious people
have poor study habits and have not prepared
adequately for the test. They then attribute
their poor performance to a lack of ability
or capacity to perform. Take an objective look
at your approaches to studying. If you are lacking
in good study habits, you may want to take a
study skills training course. Set realistic
study goals with ample time for quality learning
and repetition. One rule of thumb is that for
each hour of class time, study one or two hours
at home.
Relaxation
Often the test situation, the examination room,
the large number of candidates, and being watched
by the person giving the exam intimidates candidates.
It is important for you to feel comfortable
and relaxed in the testing situation. Knowledge
about taking exams helps people relax during
the actual exam. Keep information about the
date, time, and duration of the exam in mind.
The method of progressive relaxation involves
tensing a muscle system and then relaxing it.
Tensing a muscle will produce increased relaxation
when the muscle is subsequently relaxed. Start
at one end of the body and work to the other
end. Practice every day for 10 to 15 minutes
until you gain the increased ability to relax
at will. Alternately tense and stretch various
muscles in your body. Concentrate on the difference
in being tense and being relaxed. Tense your
whole body, and then relax your whole body.
Practice every day until you notice the gradual
improvement in your ability to relax. This will
give you confidence and the ability to relax
when you take the exam.
Another method is to breathe deeply and slowly,
letting your body go limp and allowing every
muscle in your body to relax while you concentrate
on your breathing. Start with your hands. Imagine
them to be warn and heavy. Repeat to yourself
"my hands are warm and heavy" several times.
Maintain a slow, patterned breath rhythm. Progress
to the arms, then the shoulders, and continue
until you relax your whole body. Do this 5-10
minutes a day. Look into other, different methods
of relaxation. Many books about relaxation techniques
are available.
Avoid Negative
Thinking Test-anxious people tend to be preoccupied
with themselves. They concentrate on their negative
thoughts and feeling instead of concentrating
on solving problems or answering test questions.
The way to cope with this is to monitor your
thinking. When you hear yourself talking negatively,
be aware of it. Stop talking negatively and
start positive self-talk.
