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 Villanova college students usually had little problem with their
high school courses, and are sometimes unhappily surprised when they
encounter difficulty with more demanding exams and quizzes in their
college courses. Sometimes it makes sense to be anxious about a test
because of poor time management and poor study habits. Waiting to the
last minute and cramming the night before an exam may have worked in
high school, but many exams on the college level may be difficult even
for the best prepared student. But even some well-prepared students may
experience nervousness, anxiety or even panic at exam time which
prevents them from getting the score that they really deserve. They may
report remembering the material as soon as the exam is over.
Symptoms of Test Anxiety
Students may say that they knew the material so well that they even
helped their roommate prepare, yet the roommate got a B while they got a
low D. The course is often one that is important for the students major
and future plans, and one in which they had a previous bad experience.
Common complaints are:
- Difficulty remembering or blanking out on well-known material
- Difficulty understanding what the exam question is asking
- Difficulty concentrating and choosing the right approach to a problem
- Committing too quickly to the wrong solution
- Worrying about running out of time or that others are finishing
- Watching the clock or being distracted by what others are doing
- Angry at self, other students, or the instructor
- Physical complaints may include sweaty palms, perspiration, headache,
upset stomach, rapid heat beat, tense muscles, and yawning.
Coping Test Anxiety
The good news is that students can learn that they don’t have to be the
victims of their own anxiety and can manage difficult tests without
panic, or blanking out, and can show the instructor what they really
know on their exam.
The following are some suggestions that have worked
for students in the past, allowing them to take their test in a routine
manner:
- Adequate Preparation—begin your review long in advance of the test;
call on the instructor during office hours to review previous exams and
get feedback and suggestions; see if old exams are available for
practice from your instructor or the book publishers website; test
yourself under timed conditions similar to the real test; use a tutor
and ask the tutor to quiz you and help predict exam questions.
- Use Positive Self-Talk. When thoughts come to us, it is natural to
indulge them, but in the case of negative thoughts like “This test will
be impossible…I will really mess it up…I will probably get dropped from
the Nursing College, and wind up selling fast food…” such thinking will
just make you feel worse. Cut off such thought as soon as you notice
them. Instead, be positive, and tell yourself “I am well prepared… I
will give it my best shot…it is just another routine test, like many
I’ve done well on before...if it is hard for me, it will be hard for
everybody else too.”
- Relax. You can’t be relaxed and anxious at the same time, so move
yourself to a more relaxed place by thinking of images like a happy day
at the beach or a warm fireplace. Don’t cut out your normal exercise
because you are busy—bringing down your general level of stress will
help in the testing situation. A brief walk around the building before
the exam can calm you down. Have your counselor help you learn
progressive muscle relaxation, getting a relaxation response based on
tensing and relaxing your muscle groups.
- Practice Deep Breathing. Take deep breaths and say “I am calm…I am
calm.” You can train yourself in advance of the test to associate deep
breathing with a relaxed state of well being. You can also rehearse
calming yourself by imaging the future test while relaxed and picture
yourself remaining calm and doing well.
- Seek Help. It is great to try to cope with test anxiety on your own,
but why not work with an experienced counselor who can get you
organized, encourage you, and quickly teach you these techniques.
See the following web sites for more information:
Free, confidential help is available by stopping by the Counseling
Center , Room 206, Health Services Building or by calling 610-519-4050.
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