Working Through Test Anxiety

I've always had high test anxiety. I stress out as soon as I see a test. It has even been the cause of many bad grades for me in my academic career. However, I'm in a masters degree program now and doing very well. I don't stress out as much anymore since I know that they're just tests and don't sweat them as much as I used to. Many people suffer from text anxiety but is it even for a good cause? It's unfair that grades are heavily based on tests since they are only a part of the big picture.

Tests are worthless if teachers just spoon-feed their students the answers, which does happen in many cases. Standardized tests are biased against gender and culture and need to be done away with. Since that will not change anytime soon, the best thing to get a good night sleep, don't make it into a bigger deal than it really is, prepare yourself as much as you can, and just relax. It's also important to eat a good meal since good nutrition is good for your mind and body. The better you can think and function, the less anxious you will be. You also want to be well rested so that you can think your best and not think about sleep during the test.

The best way to work through test anxiety is to study. This doesn't mean having a cram session the night before the test, this means studying a little each day as soon as the test is announced. The more confident you feel about the content, the less anxious and stressed you're going to be. It's also a good idea to have a practice test or two before the real thing. You can test yourself, or if you can get someone to test you that'll be even better.

My dad once gave me the advice to go in with an I'm going to fail attitude so it does not matter attitude. With that attitude, you won't be as anxious or stressed out. You will be more relaxed and less panicked since you will not feel lots of pressure. You will be less likely to over think your answers or second guess yourself. If you see a test or exam as no big deal, you'll be more likely to do well. I passed the Praxis thanks to this great advice, and you can use it to help pass a test too.