Exam day!

I have never suffered from test anxiety. Sure, I'll get a little nervous when I know it's an important test, or when I know it's a subject I'm a little shaky on. But never full on panic-attack, forgetting-things-in-the-exam-room anxiety. I don't really understand it, and so it was always hard for me to give people advice on tests, back when I was tutoring.

Here's what I do, for what it's worth:

1. Do my homework. It sounds obvious, right? Do the homework. All of it. See, while you might think that homework is assigned as busywork (I am constantly astounded by the number of people I meet who think so), I assure you, the teacher would rather not have to grade it. It is assigned for two reasons: to pad your grade a bit and to make you practice the work. Teachers are aware that people freak out over tests, and they really do want to do everything they can to help you get a better grade. This is particularly for classes where a lot of the work is calculations-- maths and sciences, mostly. If you do a hundred problems of the same kind, you will hardly have to think about it when you see one of them on the test. And if you make sure you're doing them right, you're less likely to make a silly error on the test. So yeah, do the homework, whether or not the teacher collects it. Trust me, it helps.

2. Take notes. In a class where you are not crunching numbers, there's a good chance you're being asked to remember a lot of stuff. Fun fact: the process of rephrasing what the teacher says in order to write it down in your notes helps you remember. Still having trouble? Take your hand-written notes and type them up. The more times something passes through your brain, the more likely you are to remember. Also, do the readings from the textbook when the class is covering the same topic. Don't try to cram it all into your head the night, or even the weekend, before. Do the readings and take good notes. It makes your life a lot easier.

3. Breathe. It's just a test! Chances are good there'll be several more, and chances are really good that, no matter how nervous you are and how badly you bomb the first test, you can still pass the class. And even if you don't, most colleges have a grade-forgiveness policy, or allow you to withdraw so it doesn't impact your grade. Plus, remember how I mentioned that your teacher wants you to get a better grade? If you fail a test, go talk to the teacher. That's why they have office hours, and why they give you their contact informfation. They will work with you, and help you. So, breathe! It's just a test, and it's not the end of the world if it doesn't go well.

4. Take your time. I know some tests are timed, and I know that freaks people out. Back when I was working at the Open school, I helped proctor CSAP. I was helping with the special accomodations, students who needed extra time, or needed the test read aloud, or needed to type instead of hand write. I noticed something: of the students who had the extra time, not a single one used any more time than the other kids were allowed. But they felt better, they were less nervous, because they didn't have a time limit. Do not rush. Take your time.

5. If you get stuck, move on. Sometimes the answer will appear later in the test, sometimes you'll see what your problem is when you look at it again later, sometimes you'll end up not answering (or guessing) on one... but that's better than not getting to the end of the test. I know I said to take your time, but be mindful; if you're not making any progress, move on.

6. Don't cram! You'll want to study before the test, and that's a good idea, but if you've been working all semester, then you'll just be refreshing what you already knew. Learning one or two things the night before a test isn't bad, but don't try to learn it all that way! You'll stress yourself out, and even if you do manage to somehow remember enough to pass the test, it'll be short-term memory only; by the time the final rolls around, you'll have to learn it all again. On the other hand, if there's one thing you just can't manage to memorize, just before the test begins, write it down five times in a row. It will stick in your brain for at least the length of the test. Not a good idea to do often, but a handy trick, just in case.

The most important thing to remember is tht slow and steady wins the race. Study a little bit each week, or each night you have class. Do your homework, even if it is not collected, when it is assigned. A little bit at a time, all semester, and you will find that studying for the test itself is easy, you're less nervous, and your grades will go up.