TAKING EXAMS
Perhaps one of the most stressful aspects of college life is taking exams. You have probably heard about test anxiety so many times that you don't care to hear the term again. However, it is a very real phenomenon and how you deal with this special type of anxiety will dictate how well (or poorly) you perform on any given exam. To alleviate the negative effects of test anxiety, I recommend a few strategies. First, recognize that this anxiety is an indication that you actually care about your performance, which is a good thing. My favorite Klingon from Star Trek once said "Only fools have no fear, and they soon shall die!" He was referring to how fear is a healthy thing if we recognize that it is a signal of possible danger or failure. Those who choose to ignore or bury fear have a greater likelihood of losing to the danger or failing in the task at hand. Test anxiety -- as with all anxiety -- is associated with fear of the unknown and of possible failure. So, the first step in effectively handling test anxiety is to recognize that it is real and that it is a signal of concern. With that recognition, you can control the anxiety and help it help you.
Ok, now that you recognize the anxiety as a positive thing, how do you use it to your advantage? There are many things you can do to help prepare for and succeed on exams. Preparation is key for effective studying and maximum test performance and the first step in preparing for an exam is to get as much information about the exam as your Professor will allow. Ask the professor how long the test will be and what kind of questions will be on it. Will the test consist of multiple choice, true and false, short answer, or essay questions and how many of each will you be asked to negotiate? What chapters will be covered on the exam and are there concepts that will be emphasized more than others? These are all legitimate questions to ask to prepare for the exam. Once you have this valuable information, you are now ready to study for the exam.
Studying for an exam, of course, will be less stressful and most productive if you have been learning the concepts as they are introduced to you. In other words, don't just take notes and wait a few days prior to the exam to attempt to learn and understand a multitude of concepts at once - this will surely lead to failure.
You should be reviewing and learning the material as it is presented to you in class, asking questions as they arise in your mind, and then really hitting the concepts in review prior to the exam. If you use this approach, you will find yourself less anxious as the exam approaches.
On the day of the exam, if you have been learning and studying all along, you should feel confident that you are ready to tackle the exam. To be sure that you ready, get to class a few minutes early and review all of your notes and discuss the exam material with other peers who have arrived early. Then, when the Professor arrives with the exams in hand, breathe, get focused, and relax! If you have prepared, learned the material as presented, spent a few hours studying, and seized control of the anxiety as an ally, you should be able to negotiate the exam confidently and successfully!
