There are things you can do to reduce and control test anxiety, such as incorporating visualizations or breathing exercises, both of which have been found to help lessen test anxiety and some of the negative consequences that go with it. Specific stress management techniques, as well as preparation and proper self-care, can go a long way toward helping you maintain your cool and ward off the negative effects of excessive test anxiety.
Don't neglect your sleep
- Avoid Caffeine Binges
One cup of coffee in the morning probably won’t hurt, but powering down caffeine-laden energy drinks can actually make you more tired in the long run because they can affect the quality of sleep you get. Step away from the Monster and Red Bull!! - Budget Time Wisely
Be sure you allow yourself enough time to sleep--schedule in your 8 hours as you would any other important class, appointment, or shift at work. - Don’t Pull All-Nighters
Contrary to what some students may think, staying up all night to study can actually backfire and result in poorer grades! (See this article for more on what to avoid during finals season.)
During the hectic craze that is finals season, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and let a few things slide. However, don’t forget the importance of healthy habits —especially during finals season. While you may be tempted to eat junk food for the sake of convenience, skip sleep to study, and basically "let yourself go" until finals are over, taking care of your body is essential and keeping it (and your mind) functioning required during finals season. The following healthy habits are important for students:
- Eat Right
Your diet can give you the energy you need to keep going, or cause diet-related stress. Be sure you eat a healthy mix of proteins and carbs, and avoid filling on sugar, caffeine and other junk food. You need good fuel right now! - Get Enough Sleep
If you’re too tired, you may have trouble learning and remembering what you need to know! Be sure to get quality sleep! - Manage Stress
A little stress keeps things vital and exciting; too much stress can make you feel overwhelmed, and even interfere with the learning process. Be sure to keep your stress level healthy. (See this article for more on students and stress relief.)
Get Organized
Organization comes naturally to some, but is also a learned skill that brings great benefits to those who develop it. Being organized with notes can make the difference between easily finding and integrating the information you need, and not knowing where to find those all-important notes. An organized schedule helps you to pace yourself so you have enough time to spend on each subject and avoid pulling all-nighters. Being organized in your living quarters can keep you from being stressed by clutter. You get the idea; putting focus into being organized can save you stress and wasted energy in many areas of academic life, and never is that more obvious than during finals season! The following are specific areas where student organization can really pay off.
- Start Studying Early
If you begin studying before you think you need to, you can go at a more relaxed pace, increasing the possibility that you’ll retain what you learn. Because the stress response can make it more difficult to remember certain facts, avoiding the stress of cramming can help you learn more efficiently. - Have a Study Area
If you do most of your studying in the same place, you not only reduce the risk of losing important papers, but you can condition yourself to be more ready for learning when you sit down there. Be sure to pick a place that’s quiet, distraction-free, and clutter-free. If finding a space at home is impossible, find a space in the Learning Center or Library. - Create Efficient Notes
If you condense the most important pieces of information on a set of note cards that you create for yourself, the act of creating the cards, as well as the ease of using them, can help you to retain the information more easily. Another bonus is that the cards are portable, and you can review them when you have a few minutes.
A study group can provide an enriching experience where everyone shares notes, helping one another to remember important tidbits; it can help you gauge how prepared you are, and adjust your study strategy accordingly; it can push you to remember more, and break up the monotony of hours spent studying. It can also be a muted version of a party where not much gets done and you’re left with less time to get the same amount of work done afterward.
The key to study group success is to choose wisely: Pick the most focused, "together" classmates you have available, and really work at it. You want someone who will know most of the right answers, and push you to reach the same level of preparedness. Quizzing one another while you work out, having snacks on hand, or playing music in the background can keep things interesting and make the session a little more fun, but be careful not to let things slide in to the gray area of gossip, loud music, and other traps that sap the "studying" from the session. Choose a focused, committed group of people to study with will help, but if you find yourself in a study party that has turned into just a party, don’t be afraid to be the one to bring the focus back to academics — or go home and study solo. There will be plenty of time to party after finals — when you celebrate your good grades!
Source: http://stress.about.com/od/studentstress/ss/study_tips.htm
(c) 2012 Robyn M. Posson
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