How to Reduce Test Anxiety

I. Prepare your schedule.

Good time management is imperative. Take a seminar or workshop on time management or read - and absorb - a time management book or tape. Begin to incorporate good time management skills into your life (otherwise, begin to look for that fast food job!) Begin to study for the test the evening of the first day of class.

II. Prepare your materials.

Go to every class! Take careful notes. Rewrite your notes after each class and review them all at least once a week. (for more difficult classes, daily) Keep your notes in an organized notebook and do additional research on concepts that you aren't clear about and also keep this additional info in your notebook. Read all written materials thoroughly and take careful notes or highlight all important facts or concepts. Review these at least weekly (and for some classes, daily.) Create flashcards for more difficult concepts or facts and review them weekly. Discuss questions and problem areas with your T.A. or instructor on a regular basis. Participate in class; you'll remember more if you're involved. Take advantage of or create study groups for more difficult classes. Work through every homework assignment carefully.

III. Prepare your body.

Be rested, fed, and fit! (Night owls, dopers, and drinkers frequently have low G.P.A.s) Eat three meals a day of reasonably nutritious food and avoid excessive caffeine or sugar.

IV. Prepare your mind.

Watch out for negative or critical self-talk before a test or any other time. Dispute it! Argue with it! Outtalk it! Go to a counselor for help with this if necessary, because such critical self-talk can affect performance tremendously! Watch out for catastrophic thinking - "If I fail this test, get a C, etc., Ill be a failure, have no future, end up on the streets and so forth." This sort of thinking is amazingly self-defeating and really can impair performance. It also isn't realistic. Change the usual way that you think about tests and studying. Put grades and tests in perspective. Even an "F" on a test is not really the end of the world.

Relax. Do a relaxation or meditation exercise daily (don't knock it until you've tried it!) You might try doing some relaxation exercises before tests. A counselor can help you with learning relaxation exercises or guided imagery to enhance test-taking. Just do it! Don't wait to be in the mood or clean your entire apartment first. Break your tasks up into small pieces, reward yourself after each bit, and get to it. Develop your goals - for the semester, the year, the next five years. Make them realistic and definable and related to your studies. Make sure they're your goals - not mom's, dad's, or your friend's. And don't forget to reevaluate your study plan regularly. Throw out what doesn't work and keep looking for solutions to problem areas. Reward yourself for a job well done.

Remember: Careful preparation of your schedule, study materials, your body and your mind is imperative for getting good results on tests and in your studies. A counselor from WSU Counseling Services may be able to help you through major obstacles such as anxiety, depression, procrastination, and lack of appropriate goal setting.

For WSU students:

WSU Counseling Services: individual counseling that could focus on problematic areas of academic work such as lack of motivation, procrastination, and depression.

For assistance with study skills, tutors please contact WSU Student Advising & Learning Center.

clock face

Counseling & Testing Services, PO Box 641065, Washington State University, Pullman WA 99164-1065 | (509) 335-4511 | mailto:counseling@wsu.edu

WSU Counseling and Testing Services

How to Reduce Test Anxiety

How to Reduce Test Anxiety