Learning to Keep Your Cool during Tests
Have you ever felt so ‵anxious|during an examination|that you couldn’t ‵even put down the answers|you knew? If ‵so, you were suffering from|what is known as test anxiety.
According to psychologist|Ralph Trimble, test anxiety|is a ‵very real problem|for many people. When you’re worried over your performance|on an exam, your heart ‵beats faster|and your pulse speeds up. These reactions start others:① You ‵may sweat more than normal|or suffer from a stomachache or headache. Your ‵field of vision narrows|and becomes tunnel-like. ‵Before you know it, you’re having difficulty focusing.
As a student|you must ‵also realize|that if you leave too much studying|until a day or two before the examination, you ‵can’t do the impossible|and learn it all. Instead; ‵concentrate on what you can do|and try to think what questions are likely to be asked|and what you can do|in the time left for studying.
When you ‵sit down to study, set a moderate pace|and vary it by reading, writing notes, and going over any papers you have already written for the course, as well as the textbooks and notes|you took in class. ‵Review what you know. Take ‵breaks and go to sleep early enough|to get a goodnight’s rest before the exam. You should ‵also eat a moderate breakfast or lunch, avoiding drinks like coffee|and stay away from fellow students who get tense. ‵Panic spreads easily.
‵Get to the exam room|a few minutes early|so that you will have a chance to familiarize yourself|with the surroundings|and get out your supplies. When the ‵examination is handed out, read the directions twice and underline the significant instructions, ‵making sure you understand them. ‵Ask the teacher to explain|if you don’t. ‵First answer the easiest questions, and then go back to the more difficult.
On ‵essay questions, instead of starting|right away, take a ‵few minutes|to organize your thoughts, make a ‵brief outline, and then start off|with a summary sentence. ‵Keep working steadily, and| ‵even when time starts to run out, don’t speed up.