The night before your test, do NOT cram. Get rest, get good nutrition, and drink plenty of water. Sleep matters and is much more important than any "cram" session.

The morning of your test before coming to school - eat breakfast, drink water, and turn off the worries. You know what you know, and you will do your best (and that is enough)

Arriving at the room for your test - As you enter the room, pull out what you need for your test, and put everything else away. Plan to arrive early so you can take a moment to get settled. Bring your pencils, stay hydrated, get some sleep the night before - and then arrive ready - and get "present" with a little mindfulness.

• Sit straight but not stiff, legs uncrossed, hands on your lap or desk and with your eyes closed or in a relaxed gaze to your desk. 

• Take 3 slow, deep breaths...normal, natural, calming breaths.  

• As you breathe, notice how your body feels. 

• If you feel anxious, nervous or tense -- notice where you feel that in your body,

• If you feel anxious, breathe in one deep breath and as you breathe out...breathe out the anxiousness. 

• If you feel nervous, breathe in one deep breath and as you breathe out...breathe out the nervousness. 

• If you feel tension, breathe in one deep breath and as you breathe out...breathe out the tension.

• Take your next breath imagining ease coming into your body. 

• Breathe calm into your body. 

• Imagine yourself taking your test with ease. 

• Imagine ease in your body and in your mind through the entire test.

• Imagine putting your pencil down at the end of your test feeling confident and relieved.  

• Take another deep breath and remind yourself "I've got this". 

• Open your eyes - and stay focused on not worrying, and visualizing yourself succeeding.

• When you reach a point in your test where you feel stuck, you can do this same exercise to calm, and move forward in the test. 

• Breathe, and stay in the moment.

Why Mindfulness: Mindfulness affects our brain. When we are nervous or anxious, chemicals are released in our brain that can prevent us from thinking clearly. Doing a little mindfulness before or during a test calms you down and helps your ability to think and remember.