Love, Lucy is the New School Free Press’ weekly advice column, where writers anonymously share thoughtfully researched solutions to your questions about life. Send submissions through Love, Lucy’s official Google Form, and you might hear back from Lucy herself.

Dear Lucy, 

I struggle with test anxiety and pressure to perform well. Do you have any tips for managing stress before and during exams?

From,

Anxious Tester

Dear Anxious Tester, 

There is nothing more nerve-racking than walking into a test room. Sitting down at a cramped desk forces the knot of anxiety to sink deeper in your stomach. That ball of nerves always sits the heaviest in moments like these — realizing all the preparation and stress has led to this exact moment.

No pressure, right? 

For many, the idea of any mandated exam is enough for us to break into a frantic sweat and hives. However, it doesn’t have to feel like agony. There are many things you can do to prevent falling into an overwhelming, negative spiral.

Finding the perfect study method

There are some things that are in our control before that fearful date with the cramped desk arrives. Before the exam, take the time to be proactive. Studying is an obvious way to partially relieve thoughts of failure. When you become an expert on the subject, there’s less to worry about.

Cramming is another story entirely, but it’s not the best strategy for remaining stress-free. Pushing yourself to memorize a whole semester’s worth of notes will only add more pressure and stress, especially with a looming deadline. Studying can be the hardest thing to truly do, and rereading the material 50 times only helps so much. 

According to E-Student.org, there are many different studying techniques and finding the right strategy to fit your  thinking style can be a big help. E-Student suggests methods that encourage true understanding of topics rather than just memorization. Finding the study method that suits you the best can help alleviate some anxiety, boosting your confidence in the materials being tested. 

Morning of

The night before any big performance is the worst. Stressful thoughts are often the loudest in those final hours. It can be tempting to just sit and ruminate, fearfully conjuring worst-case scenarios. 

Resist that temptation and instead imagine the possibility of acing the exam. What would it feel like if the audition went flawlessly? Visualizing positive scenarios can give you that needed glimmer of hope. 

One of the most important things to do before the big day is simple: sleep. No one can do their best if they are struggling to stay awake. Going to bed earlier is an easy tactic that could make all the difference.

On the day of, don’t forget to fuel up with a healthy breakfast!  According to the University of the People, a quick bite of toast, bananas, or something else quick and easy can do wonders since they’re brain food. Remember to bring water with you; staying hydrated is just as important for the mind as it is for the body. 

Use the morning or night before to go through a nurturing self-care routine. Envision those positive scenarios, and overall, keep your mindset focused on hope. If you are having trouble convincing yourself, remember this one simple fact: even if you fail, there is always tomorrow. 

The world will never end based on a bad performance or test grade. Don’t let something as simple as an exam ruin the truth about yourself.

Fighting anxiety in the moment 

Even after all your preparation, sometimes your mind can go blank the second you step into the exam room. The overpowering tension can be too much to bear, forcing everything to leave your mind. 

If you feel yourself getting overwhelmed, find a moment to let yourself rest and relax. Fill your mind with positive thoughts.

Vegas School offers these helpful mantras: “I am confident in my abilities,” “I am prepared and capable of succeeding,” “I remain calm and focused during stressful times,” and “Each challenge I face is an opportunity for growth.” A simple, “I know I can do this. I worked hard and deserve this” can provide quick motivation. 

The big packet of test questions might seem intimidating, but don’t let that stop you; just start! Try answering simple questions before moving onto the more challenging ones. Take it one question at a time. If you get stuck, don’t be afraid to move on and come back later. 

If negative thoughts pop up, stop them in their tracks. Notice the thoughts, and try to rationalize their true plausibility. A strategy known as “challenging your thoughts” may help with this specific stressor. Healthline gives examples for challenging those negative thoughts:

• “Do you know with absolute certainty that missing this single question will ruin your score?”
• “Is failure merely something you fear could happen?”
• “What if the opposite is true, and this single question won’t affect your score much at all?”

Challenging these thoughts can help bring back reality and stop irrational fears from taking over. Remind yourself of this, “what would really happen if you failed?”, chances are nothing too terrible. Once you’ve calmed down, give that tricky question another try.

If none of these techniques are returning you to a confident state, try centering yourself. Vegas School offers examples on creating a sense of calm on demand: 

1. “Choose an Anchor: An anchor is something to focus on, like your breath. Focus on the sensation of air entering and leaving your body.”
2. “Focus on the Anchor: Pay attention to the physical sensations of your breath. Feel the rise and fall of your chest as you breathe. Fully engaging with this helps quiet your mind and center your thoughts.”

“Practice breathing: Inhale for 5 counts, hold for 1, and exhale for 8 seconds. Doing this for 2-3 minutes will activate the parasympathetic nervous system,” as recommended by Vegas School.

Diaphragmatic breathing may help lower that racing heartbeat and blood pressure, calming that fight-or-flight response and basically telling your body to chill out.  

Celebrate the accomplishment!

Understand that this anxiety exists because you care so much about doing well. Wanting to excel is a great quality that pushes you to perform your best. Trust and be confident in the skills that got you here in the first place.  

At the end of the day, the most important thing to remember is that you survived! Life didn’t end after the exam, no matter how good or bad you believe it was. Celebrate the fact that you made it through. Treat yourself to something special because at the end of the day, there isn’t anything ice cream and a good movie can’t fix. 

Love,

Lucy