James Donaldson on Mental Health - Tips for Beating Test Anxiety

During the test Even after having done all you can to prepare, it’s still good to be armed with some strategies for getting through the test and putting the brakes on any anxiety you might start feeling in the moment.

Schuster says that kids who learn and use basic test-taking strategies tend to feel more confident.

For example, he recommends: Don’t spend too much time on any one question.

If it’s a multiple choice test, read each answer and then cross out the ones you know aren’t right to help yourself narrow it down.

Pick an answer and stick with it — we all have the tendency to second-guess ourselves and it can lead to wasted time and wrong answers.

Break things up: When you start to feel panicked, look for a way to change the focus.

Cruger says that if he sees a question that really throws him off during a test — the kind of question that makes him think, “Is this written in English?!” — he will sometimes turn to the last page and answer the last question first.

“Somehow breaking up the routine seems to be helpful for getting things done,” he says.

“Other people have told me they do this, too.” Practice calming techniques: Sometimes kids like to bring things like worry stones into tests that they can use almost like a stress ball.

Practicing deep breathing and using mindfulness techniques can also be effective.