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Test Taking Anxiety Does Not Have to Work Against You

August 6th, 2010 Jeff No comments

First things first: anxiety is not your enemy. I know that may sound crazy but once you figure out how to focus that test taking anxiety your problems will be over.

You to use the stressful feeling to your advantage, rather than let it consume you. This is a bit of a process because if you are like me, you are a little disorganized. I had a big exam coming up – the midterm exam that covers all the material for the first half of the semester and counted for something near 50% of my grade! Two weeks before the test my teacher announced it and I instantly felt the anxiety inside. Last semester I had really flunked the midterm and my grades were in the gutter.

The first step I took trying to get over this was to start early. Last time I crammed I was so anxious before the test I barfed. This time I spaced the studying out over the two weeks.

As the test approached I started exercising to clear my mind. I got on my bike and rode around hard for a while before I came back home. Doing that after studying really seemed to make each next study session that much better.

I knew that what I had done in the past was not going to work so I started trying to do the opposite. I was really beating myself up about how dumb I was and how much I didn’t know. So this time I kept telling myself “I know all this material”. “I am going to make an A”. Thinking positive thoughts on the test was relieving.

You will still have a similar feeling when the test day comes. You’ll eventually see that is natural. You’ll know that the feeling of stress triggers a little adrenaline that helps keep the mind sharp. When you realize that – your thoughts will began to change. You will be in the zone.

Now that I had studied in advance instead of procrastinating I felt more sure of myself when the anxiety hit. You need to make sure not to stay up late because you’ll feel tired and that will work against you. Cramming in the past really didn’t work, it only caused information overload. You won’t have enough time to remember everything.

When you get to the test day, show up early. This sets a good pattern in your mind that you are prepared. If the test taking anxiety is too much, deep breaths will relax you back in to control. Remember you can work with the adrenaline and focus even better. Remind yourself that it’s just a test and your mind will reward you by working more freely. Tell yourself you will do your best and you will.

Tips on How to Calm Yourself When Suffering From Test Taking Anxiety

August 3rd, 2010 Jeff No comments

The Physical and Emotional Bother of Test Taking Anxiety

I used to get the worst kind of anxiety from impending tests. I finally found the cure to end test taking anxiety forever.

Nowadays, there are various kinds of anxiety disorders that are affecting people of different ages and gender. Thus, teens or children are not exempted for they also undergo severe worrying or nervousness mostly in the form of test taking anxiety. This is a type of anxiety that takes place when students take their major exams or daily quizzes. Although these may seemed normal as I myself have experienced such fret back in my school days, test anxiety usually involved excessive worrying leading to unpleasant feelings. By the way, this can also affect adults like when taking driving test or company exams. If not given proper attention, this kind of anxiety will really affect someone’s performance as well as their physical and mental health. When taking anxiety has become serious, it can create a big hole in your life and immediate test taking anxiety treatment will be required.

Helpful Tips on Managing Test Anxiety

If you doubt yourself to be suffering from unnecessary fear or worry when getting exams, take a look at the following test taking anxiety tips that will help you calm down during your dreaded exams or quizzes:

  • Be Optimistic

Don’t set a goal that you know will be impossible for you to achieve. It’s not about getting perfect scores or being number one but instead being able to finish the test with a relax state of mind. Assure yourself that you can do it and for sure you will.

  • Practice Correct Study Habits

Avoid studying a day or few hours only before the test as this will cause you to panic.  It will also result to stress and nervousness; eventually leading to test taking anxiety. Choose a study habit wherein your mind can fully absorb what you’re learning. Don’t study 20 or 15 minutes before the exam; instead use this time to calm down so your mind is fresh the moment you are taking the test or quiz.

  • Ready Yourself

The best way to avoid getting worried or nervous in taking a test is to ready yourself for that day. Make sure you are prepared for the exam or quiz by studying well and having a cool state of mind. This way, you’ll beat the possibility of suffering from test taking anxiety.

  • Don’t Be So Serious

Although test or quiz are vital things you must take, don’t take it too seriously and instead try to concentrate. For instance, if you encounter a very difficult question, don’t waste too much time trying to figure it out. What you need to do is proceed to the next number where you find it easier to answer so you’ll boost up your confidence and regain your concentration. Just go back to the difficult question if you are done answering the rest.

  • Try to Be Calm

This is one of the very effective test taking anxiety strategies. You need to calm your body and mind prior to the exams in order to avoid feeling nervous. You can simply do this by eating a healthy diet, practicing breathing exercises or thinking positive about the results of the test. After taking the exam, reward yourself by going out to dinner or movies with your family and friends. You can also simply eat your favorite ice cream while being optimistic about the exam or quiz you just took.

There’s Hope for Test Taking Anxiety

Although suffering from test taking symptoms is not deadly, it can surely ruin your performance in school as well as your life. Yet, you don’t have to lose hope because even if you can’t instantly stop your test worries and nervousness, at least you can keep it manageable with the help of the above test taking anxiety tips. It’s not only you who’s suffering from taking anxiety; hence if they can successfully fix it, you too can.

Overcoming Your Driving Exam Test Taking Anxiety

August 3rd, 2010 Jeff No comments

It’s Frustrating Having Driving Exam Test Taking Anxiety

test taking anxiety

You have to pass that drivers test but you are going to have to cope with test taking anxiety first.

Owning a car is somewhat a necessity these days and in fact much more important than having your own house. If you have your own car, you can save a lot of time, money and work load in doing important tasks daily. Yet, what if you can’t drive your own car since you always fail on your driving exams due to test taking anxiety? That will be very frustrating and depressing at the same time. You will surely miss the fun of being able to driving and experience the freedom of going anywhere you want at any time of the day. Just like those students or children having fears and worries of taking school exams, your confidence and performance as a person will be greatly affected by this kind of anxiety. This is why it’s important that you know the strategies in learning how to let go of your driving test anxiety.

How to Successfully Conquer Your Driving Test Anxiety

Just like when you are still a student where you need to get good scores during exams in order to pass a course, you’ll also be required to pass the written and practical test of driving before you can get a license. But if you are suffering from test taking anxiety exam, it will be such a struggle for you to pass your driving tests.

Actually, feeling nervous or worried about driving is just ordinary since it requires a lot of responsibly and can sometimes put you in risk of accidents. This is why driving exams are necessary to check your worth and ability to drive safely. Some people easily pass these driving exams but there are those who end up unsuccessful. The main reason for this is not because they are reckless or incompetent individuals but more likely due to suffering from test taking anxiety.

So what is test taking anxiety and why do a lot of people are suffer from it? This type of anxiety disorder – which is common among students – normally stems from the pressure of passing the exam that you end up getting stressed and not being able to handle the situation very well. Test taking anxiety symptoms included panic, mental black-out when taking the exam, excessive sweating, shaking, palpitations, headache and nausea. Take note of these symptoms and in case you feel any of them prior to your driving exam, then it’s sure that you are enduring test taking anxiety issues.

Overcoming a driving exam test taking anxiety is just simple. You need to be optimistic and have focus. Don’t think that you can’t pass the exam and avoid worrying too much. Study well days before the driving exam and get enough rest the night before you take it. That way, your mind is relaxed and you avoid panicking because you are well-prepared for it. Another strategy you can do is ask family members or friends that have already passed their driving test to give you a review so you can check your knowledge and they can correct your mistakes. You’ll feel more confident knowing that people are supporting you and that you are not the only one taking this kind of test. On the day of the exam, concentrate well and think positive about the results. Remember, it’s only you who got the power to control your emotions and mind. So if you believe that you will past the driving test, then for sure you will.

Another Option for Treating Test Taking Anxiety

In case positive attitude won’t help in reducing test taking anxiety in your system, then you can opt to undergo hypnotherapy or hypnosis. This procedure is done to effectively treat any phobias, fear and even addiction a person is suffering. You’ll surely get over your driving exams test taking anxiety if you know how to properly treat it. Don’t miss the adventure of being able to drive a car and enjoy every bit of it.