Study Skills & Test Anxiety
Date all of your class notes and keep them in order by date
Pack your bookbag at night and make sure you have everything you need for the next day to avoid morning panic
Spend your time wisely!
Complete harder homework assignments first
Remember to take short breaks during your study time
Study at the same time in the same place
Take notes in class and review them at the end of each day
Don't wait until the night before to study for a test! This way you wont have to cram, which could lead to anxiety and stress
MAKE FLASH CARDS. These are crucial for remembering vocabulary and terminology
Complete and take advantage of the test review your teacher gives you
Read ALL directions on your test
Review the questions at least once before marking your answer
GOT TEST ANXIETY?
It is normal to feel some level of anxiety or stress regarding upcoming exams, papers or presentations.
Some Tips For Reducing Test Anxiety:
Preparation - develop good study habits, spreading studying over several days; ask for additional help when needed; eat good foods, get adequate rest, and exercise to build energy; attend class regularly and complete all assignments in a timely manner; make and take practice tests
Keep a positive attitude - develop reasonable expectations; do not allow your grades to become dependent on the outcome of one exam; avoid negative and irrational thoughts about catastrophic results.
Relaxation techniques - deep breathing exercises, imagery and visualization, and muscle relaxation techniques can help to increase focus an concentration.
Learn good test-taking skills - do not panic if you can't remember something right away; answer questions you know well first, and then go back to other ones; read questions and directions carefully before you begin; outline essays before you begin to write; keep short-answers short; don't spend a lot of time reviewing answers.
Practice the performance- time limits of an exam can add to your experience of anxiety. If you practice under similar conditions, you'll become less sensitive to this. For an exam, work through a practice exam (or two!) under the same time constraints that will exist when you take the exam (don't look at your notes, create as many conditions of the actual exam as possible).
Positive self-talk: Purposefully filling your mind with positive statements about yourself and your abilities can offset or crowd-out the negative self-talk. Even if you don't believe the positives, say them anyway-"I'm ready…I can do this…Do it!"