Prepare Emotionally
Just as physical preparation is important, so is preparing your attitude and your emotions. You’ll benefit by paying attention to the following ideas:
- Know your material. If you have given yourself enough time to review, you will enter the classroom confident that you are in control. Study by testing yourself or quizzing others in a study group to be sure you really know the material.
- Practice relaxing. Some students experience upset stomachs, sweaty palms, racing hearts, or other unpleasant physical symptoms of test anxiety. The section on test anxiety later in this chapter includes an anxiety quiz; if that quiz reveals that test anxiety is a problem for you, consult your counseling center about relaxation techniques. Some campus learning centers also provide workshops on reducing test anxiety.
- Use positive self-talk. Instead of telling yourself, “I never do well on math tests” or “I’ll never be able to learn all the information for my history essay exam,” make positive statements, such as “I have always attended class, done my homework, and passed the quizzes. Now I’m ready to do well on the test!”
YOUR TURN > WORK TOGETHER
Do you sometimes predict that you’ll do poorly on a test or exam, even when you’ve studied hard? Discuss with a small group of your classmates why some people are hard on themselves and how a positive attitude can help you do your best.