Tackle Your Test Anxiety

Perform under pressure.

An estimated 20-40% of college students around the world experience test anxiety, and stress is the most commonly reported barrier to academic success. Stress combined with fear related to exams and avoidance of stress-inducing academic situations results in a vicious cycle of impaired cognitive functioning, lower performance on exams, and further anxiety.

Test anxiety doesn't need to keep you paralyzed. Try these tips to tackle your test anxiety.

You can Stop the Cycle

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illustration of a circle arrow between test performance, stress, avoidance, and fear

The test anxiety cycle

  • Past test performance influences stress and fear of exams.
  • Stress and fear reinforce one another.
  • Stress and fear lead to avoidant test prep strategies.
  • Avoidance creates more stress and fear.
  • More stress and fear impacts your test performance.
  • And the cycle continues.

TEST ANXIETY CAN AFFECT EVERY PART OF ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

  • note-taking
  • learning and memory
  • study and review behaviors
  • class participation
  • test preparation
  • exam performance

ADDED PRESSURE DOESN'T HELP

We all know the person who claims to work best under pressure. That person might even be you. The truth is, while moderate stress can temporarily boost our performance, chronic stress and anxiety can be paralyzing.

FIND YOUR PEAK PERFORMANCE ZONE

To perform under pressure, learn to recognize and stay in your peak performance zone no matter what phase of exam preparation you're in.


peak performance begins with wellness

TREAT YOUR BRAIN & BODY WELL

Tackling test anxiety starts by taking care of yourself. Wellness behaviors like sleep, nutrition, and movement all impact your health and cognitive functioning.

PREVENT BURNOUT

A wellness-based performance plan includes daily rest, tapering before exams (vs. cramming the night before), and recovery after big exams and assignments.

KNOW THE WARNING SIGNS OF BURNOUT AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS

  • isolation
  • irritability
  • changes in eating, sleeping, hygiene
  • fatigue
  • restlessness
  • loss of interest in things you once enjoyed
  • low motivation
  • feeling hopeless
  • obsessive thinking, worry, overthinking
  • feeling down, depressed, or overwhelmed

Treat yourself well. your brain will thank you.

Four people outside laughing together

What you do matters more than you might think

 

It's always helpful to remember that your happiness is influenced more by the habits you practice and the thoughts you think than what happens to you in life, including your grades. If you feel like you're consumed with school and test anxiety, find small ways to put the emphasis back on your total well-being.

GIVE YOUR BRAIN WHAT IT LIKES

  • laughter
  • play
  • movement
  • quiet time
  • curiosity
  • change of scenery
  • quality interactions
  • sunlight
  • fresh aiR

What else does your brain need to stay in peak performance zone?

LEARN WHAT FILLS YOU UP

Do you know what fills you up and what drains you? Try taking an inventory of your activities for a week and rate them:

+ for what fills you up

- for what drains you

At the end of the week, review your ratings. What do they tell you about what you need to be well? Use this practice to raise awareness of how your activities impact your well-being and name what's in your power to change.

PRACTICE BREATHING

One of the best things you can do for your mind and body is to practice getting still, being present, and breathing. Try taking a few cleansing breaths before the start of a new segment in your day or any time you feel tense.

try it now

Good times to stop and breathe:

  • When you feel anxious.
  • Before you study.
  • While thinking about your exam. 
  • On exam day. 

DEVELOP A PEAK PERFORMANCE MINDSET

LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS

Anxiety will tell you to look for the problems. Do what you can to redirect your mind back to solutions. A peak performance mindset is one that looks for opportunities, not limitations.

When you're stuck, good questions to ask yourself are:

  • What do I want in this situation?
  • What's in my power to change?
  • How have I solved this kind of problem before?
  • What's one way forward?

ZOOM IN OR OUT

When you're obsessing over a detail, dwelling, or taking things out of context, practice zooming out to see the bigger picture. When you're focused on too much at once, getting too far ahead of yourself, or trying to do too much at once, zoom back in to see what you need to know right now.

FLIP THE RECORD

If your worries are a broken record, flip the record. Learn to identify your "greatest hits playlist" of worries and anxiety words, and reframe them.

  • Should becomes Want/What makes most sense?
  • What if becomes What now?
  • Perfect becomes Good enough/done/started
  • It doesn’t count becomes All progress counts. (And it's all progress in the end)
  • Yes, but becomes Yes, and or simply, YES. 

Be Present. Be Kind. Be You.

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photo of a woman sitting on a couch and smiling

Pressure comes from wanting to do it all, do it all at once, do it all fast, and do it all perfectly. Reduce the pressure you feel about exams by building a foundation of mindfulness, self-compassion, and authenticity. Notice your thought patterns and guide yourself back to your true goals. Watch how it changes the way you see the world. 

MINDFULNESS

Nonjudgmental curiosity and awareness of your inner experiences.

SELF-COMPASSION

Treating yourself with kindness, support, and encouragement.

AUTHENTICITY

Defining success for yourself and focusing on the goals that matter most.


hone your academic skills

Consistent, accurate practice is crucial to honing your academic skills. Remain mindful of avoidant study strategies and seek early feedback when you have a question. Experiment with study schedules and time management strategies that support consistent practice of class material.

3 time management strategies to try:

BATCHING

Group like tasks together rather than switching between tasks for more efficiency.

POMODORO TECHNIQUE

25 minutes of focused attention, 5 minute break, repeat for 4 cycles, then take a 15-30 minute break.

EISENHOWER MATRIX

Plan according to both urgency and importance. Prioritize those tasks that are urgent and/or important. Stay mindful of those that are not important, even if they do feel urgent.


Practice the Art of Performance From Start to Finish

TRAIN WITH HOMEWORK

Use homework and study time as a training for your exam. Recreate testing conditions whenever possible, practice without notes, and use any additional anxiety coping skills during your training time.

HAVE A DRESS REHEARSAL

In the days before the exam, the goal is to simulate more than study. To the extent possible, do a complete run through of your exam day. Use everything you'll need for academics and anxiety management during the exam. No cramming afterward– rest and recover instead.

PERFORMANCE DAY

Get yourself in the zone at the beginning of the day. Treat it like getting into character. This is the day to listen to your favorite songs, move, laugh, and resist the urge to dive into pre-exam commentary.

Performance day PlaN

  • Before you do anything…BREATHE.
  • Ground yourself and use positive self-talk.
  • Skip to a question you are confident about if you can.
  • Use simple distractions – doodle, count colors.
  • Focus on the task, not yourself.