Examination Anxiety

Before, During & After Examinations

If your preparation is sound you have much less reason to be anxious, but this does not necessarily reduce all anxiety. Some simple anxiety reducing techniques can help.

1. Before the exam: Try to think positively about the exam and what it is you want to achieve. Imagine yourself in the exam room, feeling calm but with energy to work on the answers. Give yourself a break before the exam. Don't work immediately prior to the paper and don't work late into the night. Try to avoid alcohol the day before and definitely before the exam. Have breakfast, check you have a pen and a spare and give yourself plenty of time to get to the exam.
   
2. During the exam: In my experience a lot of people who were previously anxious find that they quickly lose this once they have the exam to focus their attention. A few people take a while to settle in and whether or not you are anxious it is good practice not to rush once the clock starts ticking. If you are anxious at the point of the examination, don't start writing. Sit up straight, take a slow deep breath and slowly release it, feeling your muscles relax as you do so. Do this a couple of times. Choose the answer you feel most confident about, allocate time to it and stick to this time limit. Take a short break between finishing one question and starting the next.
   
3. After the exam: Whether this is the first of several exams, or the only one you have to take, anxiety may still be an issue. Once the exam is finished, try to put it behind you and focus positively on the next one. Try to avoid the post-exam discussions. You know the sort of thing where people say how they interpreted the question and what they've written, and you realise you didn't This only serves to increase anxiety about fear of failure, which may be needless.