Exam day and test nerves

The night before

• Stop studying new material in the evening. A short review of your summary sheet is enough.
• Pack your bag: ID, pens and pencils, an eraser, an allowed calculator with working batteries, a watch if allowed, and water.
• Check the time and room. For a new location, plan how to get there and allow extra time.
• Go to bed at your usual time. Lying awake for a while is normal and resting still helps.

The morning

Eat something you usually eat, so your stomach isn't surprised. Arrive a little early, but avoid crowds of classmates quizzing each other at the door if that makes you anxious. A short walk or a few slow breaths can settle you.

In the room

1. Read the instructions twice. Note how many questions to answer and whether there are choices.
2. Look over the whole paper. See where the points are before you start.
3. Plan your time. Roughly match minutes to points. A question worth a quarter of the marks gets about a quarter of the time.
4. Start with something you know. An early win settles nerves and builds momentum.
5. Mark and move on. If you are stuck, mark the question and come back. Don't let one problem eat the clock.
6. Save a few minutes to check. Look for skipped questions, unanswered parts and simple slips.

For essay questions, jot a short outline before you write. A few lines of plan make the answer clearer and keep you on topic. For multiple choice, read every option before choosing, and answer every question unless wrong answers are penalized.

If your mind goes blank

It happens to almost everyone at some point. Put your pen down and take a few slow breaths, breathing out longer than you breathe in. Then try one of these:

• Move to a different question and come back later. Answers often return once you relax.
• Write down anything related you remember: a diagram, a keyword, an example. One thread can pull up the rest.
• Picture where you studied it: the page in your notes, the flashcard, the class.

Test nerves

Some nervousness before a test is normal and can even help you focus. Good preparation is the best way to reduce it, because spaced practice and practice tests give you real evidence that you know the material. Other things that help many students:

• Practice in test-like conditions, so the real thing feels familiar.
• Notice anxious thoughts like "I'm going to fail" and replace them with something specific and true, such as "I've done three practice tests on this."
• Keep regular sleep, food and exercise in the weeks before big exams.

If test anxiety is strong, keeps you from showing what you know, or comes with panic, trouble sleeping or low mood, please talk to someone. A school counselor, your college's counseling or disability services office, or a doctor can help. Schools can also arrange testing accommodations for students who qualify.

After the test

Take a break before you start on the next thing. When the marked test comes back, look at what you got wrong and why. Those mistakes are the most useful study material you have for the final.

Exam day questions