Surviving Exams

Is This You?

  • Two weeks left to do a semester's reading... and papers were due yesterday!

  • Sleep is something vaguely remembered...

  • Exercise means dragging yourself from your desk to the soda machine and back...

  • Chips, candy bars, and coffee are mainstay of your diet.

  • You've lost your concentration and problem-solving abilities.

  • Feeling helpless and overwhelmed is an everyday occurrence.

  • All of the above can be symptoms of "exam anxiety" -- a common ailment among students!

What causes or contributes to exam anxiety?

  • Putting off assignments or studying

  • Too little exercise

  • Skipping meals/snacking on junk food

  • Caffeine/sugar overload

  • Letting fears get blown out of proportion

  • Feeling unsure of yourself and your abilities 

What You Can Do:  

PREPARE AHEAD:

  • Learn and consistently use good time management skills to help you plan and organize your workload for the semester. Procrastination is an easy trap without a well thought out and structured approach.

  • Maintain good health habits to reduce stress and increase your mental and physical energy. Include a well-balanced diet, regular exercise, daily relaxation, adequate sleep, and some activities just for fun.

  • Be aware of those negative thoughts/messages that can cause you to lose a positive perspective. Remember past successes. Be realistic regarding expectations. Deal in facts, not assumptions.

  • Take advantage of social support to help keep morale high. Friends can help boost your confidence and give you a good balance between work and play. 

EXAM DAY:

  • Stop studying an hour before your exam. Go for a run, listen to relaxing music, visit a friend.

  • Once in class, avoid discussing what you have and have not studied. Stretch a little, take some deep breaths, give yourself a positive message ("I'm prepared -- I'll do my best").

  • Read through the entire exam before starting. Gauge your time and assure yourself that there is a lot you can answer. Skip items you are not sure of -- then return later.

  • When finished, just sit back and relax for 3-5 minutes -- then recheck the exam.

  • Reward yourself with an enjoyable activity before starting to study for your next exam.