Overcoming First Exam Syndrome: Tips and Tricks
BY MELISSA BURNS
Test anxiety is something every student should cope with. Nervous condition can prevent you from answering all questions correctly. To determine whether you have a spooky first exam syndrome, refer to this list of symptoms:
- increased heart rate
- digestive problems (e.g., nausea, diarrhea, etc.)
- jittery feelings
- sweating
- shaking
- shallow breathing
Even if you experience all of these factors, there is no need to panic. Many ways to minimize test anxiety exists. On the whole, student has to come up with a clear study plan/schedule, have enough rest, and discover healthy ways to handle stress. However, the main goal is to get rid of the source of your anxiety.
Think about what scares you most of all. Perhaps, you are afraid of failing or performing badly. And that’s OK. There are some useful tips to relax your subconscious mind and perceive the test easier.
- Decide on a study plan and revision timetable
Begin with planning. That’s the key success factor of any professional manager. You may wonder, but it is even more important to decide on your breaks than on the working hours. According to the research by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 20-30 minute spells work best, because student’s concentration is higher. Brief but frequent breaks are the clue. It is also better to mix the disciplines. Here is an example of such timetable:
- 8.30-9.00 Course 1
- Break 7 mins
- 07-10.00 Course 2
- Break 7 mins
- 07-10.45 Course 2
- Break 10 mins
- 55-11.40 Course 3
And so on.
- Put away all sources of distraction
Forget about your phone, social networks, favorite games, and other factors that can distract you from your mission. It is better to switch everything to the silent mode. By the way, some final homework assignments may also distract you from the main material. Teachers should not assign essays or math problems day before your exam. Thus, we recommend trying easy writing service to solve this problem.
- Eat and drink more
Don’t be afraid that you can gain some extra weight. Although grown-up human brain weighs about 1.4 kilograms on the average (2% of total body weight), it demands 20 percent of the resting metabolic rate (RMR). In other words, we really loose certain amount of calories when thinking really hard. Memorizing things belongs to this category. So, eat whenever you feel hungry. Avoid fast food and alcohol beverages. It would work much better if you choose green tea.
- It’s okay to ask for help
There is no need to be too proud to ask for help. We are not talking about your parents and peers only. After all, they are not experts in education. Unfortunately, they cannot teach you in a proper way. You should not hesitate to ask your teacher t explain some topics. He or she is there to assist you in all academic issues until the day of exam comes.
- Find some time for physical activity
We are not talking about meeting with a personal trainer for heavy exercises in the gym. We rather mean no more than 30 minutes of simple aerobic activity like running, squatting, or jumping. You can simply have a walk around your favorite places.
Melissa Burns graduated from the faculty of Journalism of Iowa State University in 2008. Nowadays she is an entrepreneur and independent journalist. Her sphere of interests includes startups, information technologies and how these ones may be implemented.
