Exam Anxiety

1
Exam Anxiety

• Identify, Manage, Prepare!

2
What is Exam Anxiety?

• excessive worrying about upcoming exams
• fear of being evaluated
• apprehension about the consequences

3
What are the symptoms?

• Physical symptoms headaches, nausea, faintness,
  feeling too hot or too cold, etc.
• Emotional symptoms crying easily, feeling
  irritable, or getting frustrated quickly.
• Thinking ability it can cause you to blank out
  or have racing thoughts that are difficult to
  control.
• Although many students feel some level of anxiety
  when writing exams, most can cope with that
  anxiety and bring it down to a manageable level.

4
Preparing for the Exam

• Organize your course material and supplies
• Start your revision early
• Break studying down into sections
• Think about the most important topics and what
  questions might be asked
• Choose a quiet and comfortable place to study

5
Before the Exam

• Make sure you have prepared by studying
• Bring the supplies you need to write the exam
• Make sure you are well rested and well fed
• Relax your body and mind by using anxiety
  management techniques
• Avoid other anxious students
• Avoid any last minute review of notes

6
During the Exam

• Make sure you are comfortable
• Read over the entire exam first
• Review the marking system and divide your time
  accordingly
• Complete the questions you know and that are
  worth the highest value first
• If you start to panic or become anxious, practice
  your anxiety management techniques
• Reward yourself, regardless of the outcome, for
  your effort

7
Anxiety Management Techniques

• Thought Stopping
• Tactile Distraction
• Mantra
• Focusing
• Bridging
• Self Talk
• Visualization
• Breathing

8
Thought Stopping

• When you become anxious, you might start to have
  negative thoughts like, I cant answer this or
  I am so stupid. If this happens, halt the
  thoughts by mentally shouting STOP!!! You can
  also picture a red light or a stop sign, anything
  that represents the action of stopping. Once the
  thought has ceased, try and return your focus to
  your exam.

9
Tactile Distraction

• When you become anxious, touching, squeezing or
  rubbing something like a rock, wishing stone,
  stress ball or even your fingernail can be
  helpful. It helps to distract other thoughts and
  impulses and lessen the anxiety by shifting the
  focus onto the object. Once that happens,
  re-focus your attention on your exam.

10
Mantra

• The use of a mantra is derived from meditation. A
  mantra is a word or phrase that you repeat to
  yourself. Saying something like, calm or
  relax under your breath or in your head over
  and over again can help reduce anxiety. Once you
  feel calm again, return to your exam.

11
Focusing

• If you develop anxious thoughts during an exam,
  you can focus in on one object without shifting
  your stare. You can also count the seats in each
  row or count the number of students with red
  hair. You can also play mental games like making
  little words out of a larger word. All of these
  help you distract your attention away from the
  anxious feelings and return to your work.

12
Bridging

• It can help to carry or wear something with
  positive associations with another person, place
  or event. Touching this bridging object can be
  comforting. Take a minute to think about the
  person, place or situation which makes you feel
  good. This can have a very calming effect and
  allow you to refocus on your exam.

13
Self Talk

• When we are faced with anxiety or panic, we often
  give ourselves negative messages like, I cant
  do this or I am going to fail. Try to replace
  these messages with positive, encouraging
  thoughts like, Its okay. I am doing great. I
  am not going to let anxiety ruin this for me.
  Once you have calmed down, return to your exam.

14
Visualization

• When you become anxious, it is easy to develop
  negative images in your mind. Try to close your
  eyes and replace those images with calming,
  relaxing, happy thoughts. The thoughts can be
  specific or personal like a situation that
  occurred in your life or they can be generic like
  waves crashing against the rocks near the ocean.
  Once you feel more calm, return to your exam.

15
Breathing

• When we feel anxious, our breathing usually
  becomes heavy and short due to an increased heart
  rate. If you are feeling this way, try to take
  deep slow breaths in through your nose and out
  through your mouth. Breathe in until you feel you
  cant take in any more air and then breathe out
  the same way. Do this at least three times in a
  row. Closing your eyes at the same time might
  help. Return to your exam.

16
Helpful Quotations

• As for courage and will - we cannot measure how
  much of each lies within us, we can only trust
  there will be sufficient to carry through trials
  which may lie ahead. Andre Norton   A person
  starts to live when he can live outside himself.
  Albert Einstein (1879-1955)