Understanding Test Anxiety & Ways to Cope

It is normal to feel a little nervous before an exam. A healthy amount of stress can help you stay sharp and focused. However, too much stress may affect you negatively if it develops into anxiety. Worrying too much and doubting yourself can ultimately impact how well you perform in your exams.

Test anxiety is a common phenomenon among many students. Those who want to score well or have not prepared tend to stress more. Understanding how to manage this stress effectively can help you stay calm and do your best.

What Is Test Anxiety?

Test anxiety is much more than just everyday stress. It is a psychological state described as extreme nervousness or intense fear before or during an exam. Test anxiety usually causes increased levels of the adrenaline hormone, which puts your brain and body into fight-or-flight mode. High adrenaline levels can trigger various physical, emotional, and cognitive responses that can have a far-reaching impact:

• Physical changes: You may experience multiple physical symptoms, including muscle tension, numbness, rapid breathing, headaches, sweating, knots in your stomach, nausea, grinding teeth, or insomnia. 
• Emotional responses: You may be less emotionally stable and feel more frustrated, irritated, or sad. A heightened fear of failure leading up to the exam is also common.
• Cognitive symptoms: Racing thoughts, difficulty concentrating, procrastination, and self-doubt are typical cognitive symptoms. You may also set unrealistic expectations for yourself or experience insecurities, such as worrying that others may be better prepared than you.

Causes of Test Anxiety and Its Impact on Performance

In some cases, students who generally feel anxious or stressed may also have a natural tendency toward test anxiety. However, test anxiety can also be triggered by one or more internal or external factors.

Academic Pressure and Expectations

Academic pressure and unrealistic expectations are real problems that can originate from several sources. Society often places a lot of emphasis on academic achievements, especially in light of critical exams or finals for college admission. Consequently, you may subconsciously feel more pressured and potentially anxious to achieve better test results. 

Pressure can also originate from within. You may be responsible for setting unrealistic goals for yourself, leading to increased pressure to meet your expectations. It is always good to challenge yourself to perform better, but as soon as it causes anxiety, it becomes unhealthy. When expectations become unrealistic, they create an internal pressure that overwhelms rather than motivates you. This chronic stress affects cognitive function, attention span, processing ability, and concentration.

Fear of Failure or Poor Performance

Many students fear failing or performing poorly, especially if achieving good academic results is a high priority. If there are a lot of eyes on you, you may worry about what others will think of your score. You may also fear disappointment if you do not meet the goals you set for yourself.

The more you focus on not scoring well, the more stress accumulates. As anxiety increases, memory recall suffers, often resulting in blanking out or confusion during exams.

Lack of Preparation or Study Skills

Sometimes, you can be your own biggest enemy if you do not prepare adequately for a test. A lack of consistent study habits and poor time management can leave you scrambling at the last minute, unsure of what to focus on. 

Without a firm grasp of the material, it’s easy to second-guess yourself or feel overwhelmed by even straightforward questions. This results in low confidence, which often manifests as anxiety and fear during tests. If you are unprepared, you may struggle with memory retention and the ability to retrieve information under pressure. Preparing effectively can help reduce these stress responses and improve confidence and performance.

Previous Negative Experiences With Tests

Negative past experiences with exams can significantly influence how you feel about future assessments. If a test once triggered panic, confusion, or embarrassment, your mind may associate exams with those same negative feelings in the future. This emotional memory can create a cycle of fear, even if you are better prepared this time. 

You may begin to doubt your abilities and experience anxiety as the test date approaches. Such stress may impair cognitive processing and short-term memory, leading to mental blocks or hesitation during critical moments. 

Coping Strategies for Test Anxiety

Managing test anxiety may feel challenging, but it’s possible with the right coping mechanisms. 

Preparation Strategies

One way to manage test anxiety is to ensure you are prepared. You will gain more confidence in your knowledge and abilities, which will help you feel more relaxed as the test date approaches. Preparation techniques include:

• Planning: Create a study schedule in advance and stick to it. It helps to plan and know what portion of your work you must focus on daily.
• Habits: Good studying habits will help you stay focused and goal-driven. Ensure you have a neat and quiet studying environment, and remove your cell phone or other digital distractions that may hamper your productivity.
  
• Time management: Assigning time estimates for different portions of the study material will help you complete all the study material in the allocated time frame.

Organize your study material, set realistic goals, and practice regularly. This will help you feel more in control and reduce stress when taking the test.

Relaxation Techniques

Another way to stay calm and confident is to practice relaxation techniques before and during the test. These include:

• Intentional breathing: Close your eyes and concentrate on taking deep breaths. You can only focus on one thing at a time. By keeping all your attention on your breathing, you shift your thoughts away from your heightened stress levels.
• Muscle relaxation: Concentrate on relaxing your muscles. You can do this by tightening your muscles one by one and mindfully releasing the tension until you feel completely relaxed.
• Visualization: Visualization is another effective way to reduce stress during tests. There is power in your thoughts — visualizing a positive outcome may make you feel more in control, calm, and focused.
• Positive affirmations: Change the narrative from negative self-talk to positive affirmations. Instead of saying, “I should have better prepared myself for the test,” tell yourself you have studied enough and can only do your best. 
• Reframe your language: Instead of equating a certain score with “failure” and a high score with “success,” practice reminding yourself that the only failure is not trying your best. Working hard, regardless of your exam results, is worth celebrating.

It is important to practice these techniques and make them daily habits. This will allow you to replace negative associations with more empowering and calm responses.

Time Management During the Test

One important test-taking strategy is learning how to manage your time during the exam. Below are a few guidelines to keep in mind:

• Set a timeline: A quick way to set a timeline is to divide your available time by the number of questions you need to answer, keeping some time aside for returning to or checking questions at the end.
• Prioritize questions: Some questions may be more complex or require long-form answers. If necessary, answer these questions first to give yourself plenty of time. It’s also OK to skip a question and return to it later instead of letting a tricky question stall your progress.
• Remain calm and focused: It is important to remain calm throughout the test and practice your favorite relaxation techniques. This will help you focus better so you can use your time optimally.

Time management can be complex, especially for detail-oriented students. However, the more you practice it, the easier it will become.

Insight Education Can Help With Test Preparation and Study Tips

Struggling with test anxiety? Our 1:1 test prep tutoring lessons can help with stress management for students. Our tutors can help you prepare for your exam and practice time management skills to tackle each question with confidence. Whether you’re preparing for the SAT, the ACT, AP Exams, or getting ready for finals, our expert tutors are here to support you every step of the way. Take control of your exam performance and long-term goals and request a consultation today!