Preparing yourselfacademically

Preparing yourself mentally

Start studying early

Stay on top of reading and lecture

Organize your information and yourself

Find out beforehand the test focus and format

Rehearse for the test’s questions and its time of day and duration

Get psyched up, but not psyched out

Cram systematically Practice relaxation techniques

MANAGING TEST ANXIETY

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Preparing yourselfacademically

Preparing yourself mentally

Start studying early

Stay on top of reading and lecture

Organize your information and yourself

Find out beforehand the test focus and format

Rehearse for the test’s place, time and duration

Get psyched up, but not psyched out

Cram systematically Practice relaxation techniques

Start studying early

The “diligent” student (= 4.0 GPA dork)

starts studying for the final exam on the first of the 15 weeks

of a semester (= August, 2008).

your studying over the whole semester:

You forget material if you don’t rehearse and

review it often and continuously.

Information need periods of time

to consolidate or

to “gel” in your memory.

It’s human natureto underestimate

the amount of time neededfor a project,

so start ridiculously early giving yourself

a luxurious cushion of time.

Be academically ready

have a complete set of notes

have the reading done

Organize• Your information

– reading– handouts– lecture notes– study guides

• Yourself– Logistically– Physically

BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER: THE 3-STEP SYSTEM FOR LEARNING

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The more organized your packing,

the easier it is to find things when you need them.

The more carefully you pack, the more you can fit in

Logistics:have all the necessary

materials ready

Be physically ready:

get a good night's

sleep(take the all-nighter,

IF YOU MUST, 2 nights before)

Sleep is one of the few activities that will not

interfere with learning. In fact, it may help reinforce

what you just studied.

No seeping up, but probably some solidifying

Eat something. This will help avoid low blood

sugar, faintness, and nausea and will give you energy.

Stay away from grease, acidic foods,

and foods high in refined sugar.

“cram” is NOT a 4-letter word?

• Recency (“freshness”) improves memory retrieval– but last-minute acquisition usually does NOT help

memory retention because it’s too haphazard and hurried.

• Less chance for interference from old information

• = last-minute review as opposed to brand-new learning

“cram” IS a 4-letter word?

• Most crammers never get the material past their cramped and tiny short-term memory

• Tends to raise your anxiety level• Tendency to quickly gather specifics which

can then interfere with broader thinking (you can retrieve the individual “trees” but not the “woods”)

Some personalities thrive on stress instead of feeling anxious

“If it weren’t for stress, I’d have no

energy at all”

The “Deadline High”:

Coming up against a tight deadline and meeting it is immensely satisfying.

It can be associated with strong rushes of adrenaline

and you may find that jobs are being unconsciously delayed

precisely to get this rush.

Procrastinators who are “Crisis-Makers”

• They’re proud that they can only get motivated at the last minute.

• They live for the adrenaline rush and life on the edge, such as a procrastination crisis.

• They have a very low boredom threshold.

Chronic responses for Chronic responses for “Crisis-Makers”“Crisis-Makers”

•Too much cortisol hurts thinking. Fatigue, anger, depression

•Weakened immune system against infection

•Ulcers

• Blood pressure and heart rate damage blood vessels

WAITING forWAITING for THE TESTTHE TESTto startto start

Arrive on time (not too early and not too late)

The “Goldilocks” Problem:

NOT TOO MUCH…not too little…

Don't talk to other students just Don't talk to other students just before the test. before the test.

They will almost always They will almost always mention something you don't mention something you don't

know and lower your know and lower your confidenceconfidence..

Allow yourself enough time to Allow yourself enough time to get to the exam without get to the exam without

hurrying. hurrying. Being late can be the first step Being late can be the first step

toward panic.toward panic.

Don't bring your books Don't bring your books to the test. to the test.

Looking at them at the last minute Looking at them at the last minute may only upset you. may only upset you.

If you want to bring something, If you want to bring something, bring a short outline or a set of brief bring a short outline or a set of brief

notes that you know wellnotes that you know well..

Bring a watch so you won't have to worry about the

time.

DURING DURING THE TESTTHE TEST

Decide where to sit

Generally it makes sense to go to the seat where you usually sit,

to take out and “show”

what you learned

in the same place where

you took in and

“got” the information

But you might in this special circumstance switch to a new seat for good reasons such as:

Wanting fewer distractions

moving away from your friends

moving away from windows and hallway doors

Wanting to be in the front row

to get the test faster

to be closer to the professor

to be closer to the board for instructions

Circle or underline key words in questions to

keep you focused