Strategies for Combating Test Anxiety

• If at any point during a test you begin to feel nervous or you cannot think clearly, take a long, deep breath and slowly exhale to restore your breathing to a normal level.
• Before you go into the test room, especially before a long final exam, stretch your muscles—legs, arms, shoulders, and neck—just as you would when preparing to exercise.
• Pay attention to the way you are sitting. As you take the test, sit with your shoulders back and relaxed rather than hunched forward. Resist the temptation to clutch your pencil or pen tightly in your fist; take a break and stretch your fingers now and then.
• Explore anxiety-reducing techniques that might be available through your campus counseling center. These methods include systematic desensitization, progressive muscle relaxation, and visualization.
• Pay attention to the mental messages that you send yourself. If you are overly negative, turn those messages around. Use cognitive restructuring to give yourself encouraging rather than stress-provoking messages.
• Do not allow others, including classmates, your spouse, parents, or friends, to undermine your confidence. If you belong to a study group, discuss the need to stay positive.