I have been a victim of testing anxiety for as long as I can remember. It was so bad, that I would literally go blank at the start of a test. My father use to say ‘Amy, just remember you know it’. That’s easy to say when you are not the one taking  a test. Anyone who has experienced testing anxiety knows what it feels like because you literally can not conceptualize anything in that state. Something happens to you. You forget equations and how to use it. Then it causes you to perform calculations carelessly. Next thing you know, you freak out because the calculation is not one of the answer choices. You are in trouble with a capital ‘T’. I am not a trained psychologist but I want to share three tips with you that might help calm your nerves.

(1)  Meditate in your own way before the test.

(2) Look at your organized notes before you go into the testing area

(3) Slow  it down.

Okay for the first tip, meditate in your own way before the test. Some people like to pray before  an exam. Others like to clear their mind and imagine a water fall. I personally like to do both. It helps to start your challenge in a calm state. In terms of tip two, you might want to look over your notes and soak up any facts for short-term memory.  When your notes are organized it helps you run through them quicker versus scrambling for information on separate pages. And actually organization is useful for open-book tests. It helps to know where to find an equation along with a worked out example of how to use it. The third tip has to do with Y-O-U. You need to slow down. If calculators are not your thing, then check your calculation at least two times before you put it down. Breath. Hey, stop sweating! This is just an exam. I am here to tell you I have failed my fair share of exams. Yes I did. I am still alive to talk about it. And you will survive this minor task. Just get through it!

If you like this short blog, I have more stories to tell you in the days to come…-Amy