Six Test Prep Strategies to Help Mitigate Anxiety!

Everyone knows that tests are difficult. They are designed to be, and because of this, students tend to stress and panic over exams. But what if there were six simple test-taking strategies and habits you could adopt to help keep yourself from being overly anxious about tests? While these strategies aren't foolproof or easy to follow, we are confident that incorporating these six simple strategies and techniques into a student's test prep can go a long way in helping them feel more confident and prepared before going into an exam!

• Study Effectively: Don't just reread notes. Use active learning techniques like summarizing, explaining concepts out loud, creating flashcards, and completing practice questions.

  
  

• Understand the Material: Focus on understanding the underlying concepts rather than just memorizing facts. This may require more specific, topic-based studying of the specific material you are being tested on.

  
  

• Plan Your Study Time: Break down the material you need to study into manageable chunks and schedule regular study sessions. If possible (and to mitigate test anxiety and stress) avoid cramming, be proactive, and begin studying a week before the test, not the night before!

  
  

• Identify Weak Areas: Focus extra attention on topics you find challenging during your studies.

  
  

• Practice with Past Papers/Sample Questions (If you have access to this material): Practicing with previous test material can help you understand the test format, question types, and time constraints for the test.

  
  

• Get Enough Sleep: Being well-rested improves focus and memory, don't try to cram your studying the night before the test! Have you used any of these test prep strategies before? Have they helped you feel more confident before taking a test? Is there a test prep strategy we didn't mention in our list? Leave a comment below!