9 Things To Know About Exam Stress
I have never considered myself a student to get easily flustered over exams, but taking the ACT and the SAT multiple times really did a number on me during junior year and the start of senior year.
Both the SAT and the ACT can harbor stress in students—and it is totally okay to feel that way! Fortunately, stress and test anxiety are manageable, and they do not have to be the source of a bad test score. After taking the SAT five times and the ACT twice, I discovered that my scores were not at the level I wanted them (not because of my lack of knowledge) but because of the stress I put on myself to perform well. I could have taken a fraction of the seven tests I took if I had focused the first time.
I did not know how to deal with the stress, so it was not uncommon for me to shed some tears on the nights leading up to the exam. I kept psyching myself out by imagining bad outcomes. The mere idea of a low score affected me when I went to take the test, especially in the sections I knew I would perform the worst on. The good news is that these feelings are overcomeable (trust me!) and you can get through it.
If you have put in the work to study for the test, chances are, you already know the material.
The weeks leading up to the test, you have probably already reviewed the material, done multiple practice questions, and completed practice tests. If you have been focusing in on these study hours and putting in the work to get the score you want, it is almost certain that you have already seen the types of questions that are on the test. This means that there will not be any surprises.
There is nothing you can do the day before the test to magically learn everything, so embrace your confidence and show ‘em what you got!
This one goes hand-in-hand with the previous tip; you have reviewed for the test, so be confident in your knowledge! There’s no use in stressing over what you do or do not know the day before the test, you will only get in your head that way.
A week before the test, make sure you have all your materials ready so that it will not stress you out the morning of the test.
This one may seem trivial, but it is so important. Not having a calculator you are used to, or trying to find a ride to the testing center, or having to drive to your friends’ house an hour before the test to print your test ticket because your printer broke (as I have personally experienced) can throw you off your game. Make sure your materials are ready to go for test day a week before the actual test, so you do not have to worry about your hurried morning while you take your test. Pre-test jitters are normal—and expected—just make sure you do not get so stressed out that you cannot focus and answer the questions to the best of your ability.
Do something you enjoy doing the day before the test!
Most test days are on Saturdays, so use Friday night for some rest and relaxation—however that looks to you. Let your mind relax and synthesize all you have learned; calm the little stress voices inside your head and hype yourself up. However, do not take rest and relaxation as going to football games or any high-intensity activities. We all know that the post-game Waffle House trip sounds fun, but it will not do much for your sleep schedule. Get a good night's sleep and make sure to eat breakfast.
Know your strengths and play to them.
If you are sitting in the testing room and you feel like you have just bombed that section, know that doing bad in one section does not mean a bad score. Do your best, of course, and focus on the positives of the sections you did well on. All the work you have done to de-stress will be undone if the voices of uncertainty keep crawling back into your mind.
Listen to music on your way to the test.
This one is my personal favorite! From chill tunes to up-tempo ones, listening to the songs that you enjoy can put you in a good mood before the test. That way, you will not be “in your head” the whole way to the test center, and you can just sing along to your favorite tunes.
Bring a snack.
Having a snack on hand to eat between the breaks lets you decompress a little after focusing so intently on the test. Avoid sugary, carb-loaded foods that boost your energy but make you crash very quickly. Instead, try eating healthy fats and proteins, like nuts, sunflower seeds, peanut butter, pretzels and hummus, fruits, and hard-boiled eggs, which give the brain what it needs to perform for concentration: brain food!
Trust your gut and your intuition.
Many people overthink questions they are not sure about; staring at the question for 5 minutes will hurt your time and your pace. Trust yourself and go with our intuition—it is usually right. Focus on what you are doing so that you can minimize the times you have to retake either test. If nothing is working and you are still stuck on a question, use the “tried and true” method: skip it then come back to it later.
Take a deep breath. You got this!
You’ve prepared for this and you’ve got it!