Most students feel nervous for tests at one point or another in their life. This nervousness is completely normal, but what happens when it affects your ability to take tests? Test anxiety is when a person has extreme feelings of anxiety and stress before a test, usually resulting in a bad grade. (Related topics: private tutoring NYC, academic tutoring NYC)
There are certain symptoms that test anxiety has. The physical symptoms include headaches, nausea, excessive sweating, and even panic attacks. The emotional symptoms are feelings of disappointment, stress, fear, and negative thoughts. Because of these feelings, it often leads to difficulty concentrating and even procrastination. The problem is that even if a person knows all the correct answers, these feelings can cause them to fail the exam.
If you’re struggling with test anxiety, it’s important that you learn how to overcome it. Even if the stress still exists, practicing ways to cope with it will help you to do better on tests. Here are some of the ways to overcome test anxiety.
How to Overcome Test Anxiety
- Improve your study habits – Try different things to better understand what’s the best way for you to learn. Everyone is different; some people study better alone, while others learn better in groups. Some use flashcards, while others don’t.
- Start early – This is super important. If you start studying the night before an important exam, it’ll add to the stress. Instead, start studying early and give yourself time to fully understand the material.
- Establish a routine – A great way to deal with anxiety is to create a routine that works for you. This will help you feel better prepared.
- Learn relaxation techniques – In order to do great on a test, you need to be able to cope with the emotional and physical responses that you have towards the test. You can do so by taking deep breaths, relaxing your muscles one at a time, and imagining positive outcomes.
- Take breaks – An important part of studying is giving yourself breaks so that you can focus better on the material. Take some time and eat a snack, drink some coffee, or even exercise to release any built-up energy.
If you’re suffering from test anxiety, our private tutor NYC can offer advice on how to overcome it. You can also practice taking tests with our private tutor NYC so that you feel more comfortable when it’s time to take the real test.