Managing Exam Anxiety on Exam Day

Do exams make you feel panicked? Earlier this month we gave you 4 tips to boost your productivity before exams, but even with those in place, it’s common for students to feel pangs of anxiety before and during exams. We want you to keep a cool head and get the most out your next exams, so here’s what you can do to keep exam anxiety at bay.

Recognize Symptoms

Recognizing exam anxiety symptoms is the first step to tackling them. Exam anxiety shows up in so many different ways. According to Anxiety BC, symptoms usually fall in to four categories:

• Physical: Headaches, nausea or diarrhea, extreme body temperature changes, excessive sweating, shortness or breath, light-headedness or fainting, rapid heart beat, and/or dry mouth.
• Emotional: Excessive feelings of fear, disappointment, anger, depression, uncontrollable crying or laughing, feelings of helplessness
• Behavioral: Fidgeting, pacing, substance abuse, avoidance
• Cognitive: Racing thoughts, ‘going blank’, difficulty concentrating, negative self-talk, feelings of dread, comparing yourself to others, difficulty organizing your thoughts.

You might experience any combination of these symptoms, some more than others. Be aware of how you’re feeling, and recognize what anxiety looks like for you when it happens.

Get to Bed Early

You want to be at your best on exam day, so avoid going out or staying up late the night before. Sleep improves memory, so get to bed at a reasonable time and aim for at least 8 hours of sleep.

The day before your exam, you should:

• Double check the date, time and exact room and location of your exam (you don’t want to get there and realize you’ve got the wrong time or location!).
• Arrange your ride or plan your public transit route.
• Have your bag packed and ready to go. Pack a bottle of water, snacks/lunch and anything else you need to sit the test or exam (ID or student card, books, pens, schedule/timetable etc.).
• Set an alarm to give you plenty of time to get ready in the morning.

Eat Healthy

You’ll perform better with a full stomach, so eat a healthy breakfast before you head out the door. Drink water, pack healthy snacks like fruit, nuts and veggies, and a healthy, filling lunch. Ditch the sugary treats or energy drinks!

Arrive Early

Aim to be at your exam 15-30 minutes early so you don’t feel rushed walking in to your exam. Leave your house early enough to allow wiggle room in case there’s bad traffic or you miss the bus.

Write it Down

If you’re waiting and the anxiety is starting to build, try jotting down how you feel.

“When students are anxious, their worries use up some of their working memory, leaving fewer cognitive resources to devote to the test,” observed University of Chicago cognitive scientist, Sian Beilock.

Beilock discovered that students who spent 10 minutes unloading their thoughts and feelings on paper (this is called expressive writing) right before taking a test got better test scores.

Stay Positive

Self-talk is the internal dialogue we have with ourselves. Negative self-talk such as: “I can’t do this”, “I’m going to fail” or “I’m not good enough” can increase feelings of anxiety and hopelessness. But you actually have the power to steer that dialogue in a more positive direction

Replace negative self-talk with positive lines like:

• I am ready for whatever comes my way
• I believe in myself and I am going to do well in my exam
• I am a good student and I’m getting better every day

Go for a walk to clear your head and repeat your positive affirmations.

During the Exam

Remember your breathing exercises! If you start feeling ‘blank’, breathe in and out for four counts to help clear your mind. If you get stuck on a question, don’t spend too long on it. Answer the questions you know and come back to the more challenging ones later. Trust that you know what you need to know for the exam.

Test and exam anxiety affects a significant number of students, so know that you are not alone. Whatever happens in your exams, look at it as an opportunity to learn and do the best you can!

Good luck, you’ll do great!

Educational consultant Marlene Kaiman loves helping high school students uncover their strengths and get the most out of their schooling. Learn more about Marlene or book an appointment today.