2008 Woodie Awards
Tricks and tips to pass finals
Psychology experts offer ideas for reducing anxiety
By: Joe Nevills
Issue date: 12/7/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Everyone has been there at least once before.
It's exam day and whether the material is down cold or not, the room still is spinning from nerves. The fear of failure is so great that it can almost be paralyzing.
With exams just around the corner, test anxiety is about to become a big part of many students' lives.
"It is not uncommon that many students experience test anxiety around exams," said Ross Rapaport, director of the Counseling Center. "There are predictable times of the year that are more stressful than others."
However, there are methods to combat, or even eliminate, that gnawing feeling a major test can bring.
The best way to reduce test-related jitters is to be adequately prepared, Rapaport said.
"A lot of students are anxious because they are not well prepared," he said. "One of the best things you can do is start studying now."
A presentation by the Trauma and Anxiety Disorders Clinic on Sunday evening discussed several ways to increase the effectiveness of study sessions.
"You want to pay attention to how you study best," said Anica Pless, Massachusetts psychology graduate assistant.
Pless suggested setting an alarm clock during breaks from studying to make sure a short break stays short. She also suggested moving to an area not lit with fluorescent lighting, as the harsh light can cause headaches.
Aaron Kaiser, an Ann Arbor graduate assistant of psychology, stressed the quality of study time over quantity. He said retention is what is important.
"If you spend 40 hours studying, that doesn't necessarily mean you are going to do well," he said.
For students who do not have 40 hours to set aside for studying, Rapaport suggested using small bits of normally wasted time to chip away at tasks.
"You can probably do a couple math problems in 20 minutes," he said.
Diet also plays a crucial role in test anxiety, both before and during the test.
Though it may provide a temporary boost, caffeine will not make the worries go away, Pless said.
"You're perkier when you have caffeine," she said. "But you also get those feelings of anxiety."
Proper nutrition on test day is just as important.
"You want to make sure you eat before the test," Pless said. "Hunger symptoms can sort of be like anxiety symptoms."
The presenters recommended going through the test and answering the questions already known right away. This may provide a confidence boost and could reveal a few tips for the harder questions.
For essay questions, Pless suggested writing an outline for the response. Even if time runs out before everything can be written down, the fact that the main points are on the page could result in partial credit, depending on the professor's policy.
When all else fails, Pless has one more piece of advice: Don't just leave the answer blank.
"Definitely guess," she said, "It can't hurt you."
news@cm-life.com
It's exam day and whether the material is down cold or not, the room still is spinning from nerves. The fear of failure is so great that it can almost be paralyzing.
With exams just around the corner, test anxiety is about to become a big part of many students' lives.
"It is not uncommon that many students experience test anxiety around exams," said Ross Rapaport, director of the Counseling Center. "There are predictable times of the year that are more stressful than others."
However, there are methods to combat, or even eliminate, that gnawing feeling a major test can bring.
The best way to reduce test-related jitters is to be adequately prepared, Rapaport said.
"A lot of students are anxious because they are not well prepared," he said. "One of the best things you can do is start studying now."
A presentation by the Trauma and Anxiety Disorders Clinic on Sunday evening discussed several ways to increase the effectiveness of study sessions.
"You want to pay attention to how you study best," said Anica Pless, Massachusetts psychology graduate assistant.
Pless suggested setting an alarm clock during breaks from studying to make sure a short break stays short. She also suggested moving to an area not lit with fluorescent lighting, as the harsh light can cause headaches.
Aaron Kaiser, an Ann Arbor graduate assistant of psychology, stressed the quality of study time over quantity. He said retention is what is important.
"If you spend 40 hours studying, that doesn't necessarily mean you are going to do well," he said.
For students who do not have 40 hours to set aside for studying, Rapaport suggested using small bits of normally wasted time to chip away at tasks.
"You can probably do a couple math problems in 20 minutes," he said.
Diet also plays a crucial role in test anxiety, both before and during the test.
Though it may provide a temporary boost, caffeine will not make the worries go away, Pless said.
"You're perkier when you have caffeine," she said. "But you also get those feelings of anxiety."
Proper nutrition on test day is just as important.
"You want to make sure you eat before the test," Pless said. "Hunger symptoms can sort of be like anxiety symptoms."
The presenters recommended going through the test and answering the questions already known right away. This may provide a confidence boost and could reveal a few tips for the harder questions.
For essay questions, Pless suggested writing an outline for the response. Even if time runs out before everything can be written down, the fact that the main points are on the page could result in partial credit, depending on the professor's policy.
When all else fails, Pless has one more piece of advice: Don't just leave the answer blank.
"Definitely guess," she said, "It can't hurt you."
news@cm-life.com
