November 28, 2023
Let’s face it — taking an exam is an experience that not many people enjoy. Luckily, dedicating a little time to efforts before, during and after you take the test can make the testing process at least a little less stressful. Read our tips ⬇️
Go through your assignments and do practice tests
Oftentimes, professors create exams based on practice exams and previous assignments from the semester. Tap back into all the work you did over the semester and make sure you understand the formats of questions your teacher has previewed throughout the semester.
Recreate the test scene
Most test anxiety comes from the pressure of needing to complete your exam on time, the unknown contents of the questions and worry over the grade you’ll ultimately receive. At least two of these worries can be alleviated by recreating the test scene. Sit in a silent space and time yourself while completing practice exams so you’re able to figure out your rhythm ahead of the actual test.
Sleep well and don’t cram right before the exam
Get a good night’s rest so you wake up with a fresh mind. Instead of using your time before the exam to cram in some last-minute studying, use the time to focus on getting in the right mindset. (It’s also not likely that you’ll remember the information from a last-minute or panicked cram session.) Do your best to enter the exam room in a relaxed state.
Look at the whole test and plan your timing
Time management is a key skill to ace in test taking. Before getting into the weeds, take a look at all of the questions on the exam so you’re able to gauge which sections need more time to finish. If necessary, start working on the more difficult questions first so you know you’ll have time to finish them. Don’t allow yourself to spend too much time on one question. Keep things moving, answer as many questions as you can and watch the clock as you move through.
Use “brain dumping”
Right when the exam starts, write out any pertinent information you remember before you forget it. (Be sure to ask your professor if you can use scratch paper!) This could be acronyms, formulas, dates or any other key pieces of information you’ve spent time memorizing. This way, you’ll have something to refer to that can almost serve as a study guide during your exam.
Take a deep breath
If you’re unable to remember the information you need and the feelings of test anxiety start to arise, pause and take some deep breaths. Close your eyes or look at the ceiling and ask yourself questions that may spark your memory from your study sessions. Here are a few we recommend:
- Where was I when I studied this and what was happening around me?
- What was my sentiment on the topic? Did any words or pieces of information stand out in the moment?
- Were there any concepts, dates or definitions I didn’t understand and had to look up again?
Don’t dwell on the past
If you find yourself thinking about what you could’ve done right or wrong, try to pivot. If you didn’t perform like you were hoping to, there’s not much you can do except hone in on the changes you want to make moving forward.
Refresh yourself
Get something to eat, take a nap or do anything that fills your bucket and brings you positive energy. You deserve a moment to celebrate that you made it through the exam, whether you have more to take or not.
Reflect
After you get your grades back, take a look at what went wrong and what went right. See if you can identify patterns or correlations between certain results and your studying techniques. Take the extra step to get feedback from your professor. Whatever your exam results were, use it as a learning experience and be proud of the work you put in!