Zofromuxo’s guide on test anxiety, stress & negativity

[zofromuxo]

After reading an article suggestion for this topic, I looked in the article archive and post archive for such topics and was disappointed to find nothing at all.
So, I decided to compile my own experience and took notes on relevant materials and distilled it in these sections.

Pre-Exam

During-Exam

Post-Exam

External Factors

FAQS/AMA

Further Reading/References

[zofromuxo]

Pre-Exam
The starting points for anxiety, stress and negativity.
Let’s start with the anxiety.
In typically revolves around 5 categories.
1.   Fear of the Unknown
2.   Fear of Inadequacy
3.   Fear of the Stakes
4.   Perfectionism
5.   Past Failures
-The good news for you is that these can be minimised and dissipated with these simple steps

1. Fear of the Unknown

-We all fear things we don’t have information of and that is natural. You wouldn’t want to put yourself in danger of doing something you have nothing about.
But with exams, you don’t ever have 100% information on the exam itself, in terms of content, what happens on the day, who you’ll meet, will you have someone hit a tennis ball at your face, have a teacher say “you will do fine.”, whether you will choke during the exam or if you cry after the exam, etc. There is so much unknown things and that scares you. 
-So how do we resolve this?

Simply, simulate your practice exams as close as possible to the exam conditions.
-This means doing it in the examination room or something close in terms of feelings/setting and look, do the exam at the same time, wear the same clothes you would, etc.
-This works because it isn’t unfamiliar and unknown, but a known entity like drinking water.

2. Fear of Inadequacy

-All this study for essentially 1 big assessment to show for it. The exam. A big looming thing that determines your grades. You start doubting whether you can do it, if you have studied enough, do I really know my material, what happens if they ask this question in this way can I answer it and get it correct.
Eventually you stress like mad over all these what ifs

-Prepare for the exam Like duh
: Go through and list your weak spots you have for the subject
: Then plan some time to study these. This cuts the excuses and brainpower needed to decide when to do it since you have already set it out.

-Positive self-talk
: Remind yourself to be confident, that you have studied all this year and don’t you are capable for this. Your study sessions, your hard work, your tears, your anger and stress wasn’t in vain.

-Venting
* a relevant article on the study below
-A study done by the University of Chicago found “that students who were prone to test anxiety improved their high–stakes test scores by nearly one grade point after they were given 10 minutes to write about what was causing them fear”.
This works because you free up your brain on focusing on the anxieties and stress of the exam and instead channel it towards doing the exam.
*Make sure your fears are about the exam to make this effective & if you can write a rebuttal under your fears as well.

3. Fear of the Stakes

-We all know the weighting behind these final exams. It can make and break our study scores, it affects our ATAR and thus our chance of getting into courses. Of course, this creates a lot of pressure that flows onto anxiety and stress on yourself.

-Research alternative pathways/back-up options
: You can get the course you want always , it may not be the easiest nor most convenient. But you can get it. That is all that matters.

-The ATAR doesn’t define you
: Really it doesn’t, I know this because I still feel welcomed on this community despite not scoring into the 80+ ATAR Range. So, don’t feel your ATAR defines you, trust me on this.

- Also don’t worry about what others think. I know this is hard for some of you, you get exposed to your parents, your friends, your teachers and even ATARNotes itself. It is alright, hang in there. Focus on whatyou want not them. At the end of the day, whose life, is it? Yours or theirs?

 

4. Perfectionism

-We set a goal we want and work hard for it all year. So, when we get to the exam we feel that each and every answer must be perfect.
:Just do your best and be realistic.

5. Past Failures

-We all think about our mistakes, failures, fuckups and rarely success. But why?
*It may be potentially due to the Negativity Bias: a tendency to remember and give more emotional weight to negative events instead of positive events.

-So, what this means is we overdo the negativity of the events where.
: You aren’t defined by both past failures and successes.
: We change every day meaning anything can happen on a given day

*If you find yourself, thinking you will repeat a past mistake.
: Analyse it like a scientist does
: Get as much info as possible on it like what you did wrong, why you did it wrong, how you did wrong. Then learn from it. Because mistakes are just mistakes. Take them as a learning opportunity and not something to use to hate yourself for all eternity.
: Reflect on these answers and write a plan to address them. If I write really, really, really, really long sentences that just keep going on and on and on, then how should I address this issue?
Just practice writing sentences. Do them in various lengths like short, medium and long ones. Do ones without quotes and with quotes.
: Also change your inputs and you will get a different output.

[zofromuxo]

During Exam
This is a hard section to write because everyone is different when it comes to exam anxiety. Some of us get triggered off a question they can’t answer and breakdown (me), some get it triggered off realising they only have 5 minutes left, others get it started by mindblanks and for some they don’t get triggered at all and just decide to have a panic attack right there during it for a random reason. So, I have kept this as general as possible to cover all bases, but do share your strategies and tips for this.

Be cocky
-Courtesy of elysepopplewell
-Exactly as it says, it helps not get sucked into the whole “OMG, so screwed LOL” mindset.

Have an exam routine/ritual
-Decide if you are going to stick with your friends and chat or be alone
-Are you going to think of a relaxing place, do a breathing exercise, vent on a piece of paper?
-Having a ritual helps minimise your stress levels on the day and the brewing anxiety.

Know your triggers
*This is important to know as it minimises your stress levels and increases your chances of exam success, but also diminishes the post-exam beatdown everyone does.
-Some of these include having people ask question about the exam, saying the whole “I’m screwed for the exam!!”, the person who questions whether you know the content, people showing obvious signs of breakdown, talking about the exams and only that and many more.
-Know them and avoid them

Mindblank/Panic Attack/Onset of Breakdown Situation
-If you for whatever reason get in a situation like this. Do NOT under any circumstance keep going on the exam. By that I mean try and answer a question. CLOSE THE BOOK.
Trust me, if you think you can plow through NO NO NO NO. Bad move, trust me on this.

Here’s an excellent guide on it by the TSFX Exam Study Guide (2015)

Step 1: Distract yourself from the perceived threat.

Step 2: Take a few deep breaths and relax.

Step 3: Employ some rational self-talk and reverse psychology.
(a) Identify what is happening in your brain i.e. that thought blocking agents are
scrambling your brain. Accept that this is a normal response when exposed to
stress, and that the response can be controlled and modified.
(b) Acknowledge your personal situation as it stands.
(c) Acknowledge the fact that panicking is only going to make you perform to a
lower standard than otherwise possible, and stop panicking.

Step 4: Complete an easy question/task Once your confidence has improved, tackle the larger/challenging tasks.

This is honestly the best step by step guide on this. It is both simple and effective.
Of course, tailor it to suit you as this may not fully suit you. Which is fine. But have a plan to deal with this because sometimes shit happens and you can breakdown.

[zofromuxo]

Post Exam
Ahh the end of the exam. The greatest feeling of all. It means they can go and live their lives. But for you, it may not be the same. It all depends on whether you did well (Mostly a resounding no for most of you).

-Don’t think you bombed/tanked/shat the bed/crashed and burned/RIP Score or Mark/RIP ATAR/RIP Course you wanted/RIP Dreams and Goals/RIP Relationships and all the negative thoughts we have.
: You mostly didn’t and your being a drama queen.
Take a 3rd person perspective or the “outsider” perspective. What would you think/say/do if someone else was thinking what you were? Then take those actions/advice and apply it on yourself.

We all sometimes get in our heads and think we are the only ones feeling these things. You aren’t.
: Which means you can also ask for help from others. Whether this means your friends, teachers, co-ordinators, counsellors, therapist, psychologist, mentors and/or the Internet.

-Also, if you see someone in tears and no one is comforting them. Comfort them. Don’t leave them to their own devices, if you feel uncomfortable at comforting them. You can also guide them to see a teacher or co-ordinator.

-"So what?" Exercise (From Richa Chadha)
: You make a statement and then ask yourself "so what? at the end of it.
Here's an example

X was rude.

So what?

I felt disrespected.

So what?

I don’t like being disrespected.

So what?

What if everyone stops respecting me?

So what?

I will be alone and loathed.

So what?

I don’t want to be alone.

So what?

I have an irrational fear of loneliness.

So what?

It’s irrational.

So what?

So nothing. I’m good.

So what?

So nothing.

[zofromuxo]

External Factors

Stress

From the Elevate publication of Science of Student Success (2002) with notes made by me.

“Technique 15: Monitor your stress”
-The idea of a stress profile, where everyone has 3 different zones
1. Zone of Nothing 
2. Peak Stress Profile
3. Zone of Breakdown
(Essentially like the Yerson-Dodson Law)
1. Zone of Nothing
Traits associated with this is being unmotivated, apathetic, lethargic and/or lazy
: You can get out of this by having a set goal and purpose
: If you have one, then evaluate why it isn’t motivating you
-Is it because the goal is long-term and you have no short-term goal?
-Is the goal achieved already?
-Is the goal still relevant? 
These questions and more can help you reflect and hopefully help you decide why you’re in this zone.

*Note: Sometimes we just procrastinate and that is fine. But if it is prolonged then it becomes an issue. We aren’t machines that could work on 100% output.

2. Peak Stress Profile
-Traits associated with this motivated, focused and productive
-You need to spend most of your time here.

3. Zone of Breakdown
-Traits associated with this include Nervousness, Flustered, Difficulty to Focus, Inability to Think Straight, Moody & Tired, Emotional, Irritated, Tense, Increased Sweat, Clammy and Cold, Sleeplessness, Loss of Appetite, Butterflies, Shakes and Nausea. 
-If any or more is present then you are above peak stress profile.

*Note: Yes, some of these symptoms can be associated to other things like Puberty and being on your Period. But if none of those factors are present then yes you are reaching breakdown.

How to deal with this?

Exercise
-We aren’t known for having a sedentary lifestyle. So get up and move. Take a walk outside, do a sporting activity, do a run, hit a punching bag, kick a footy, go to batting centre and hit some home runs, play golf or tennis. Do something that makes you move your body.

Socialise/Talking to People
-We are social creatures so naturally the best support for dealing with stress, anxiety and negativity is talking it out amongst your friends.
-It is a wonderful way to vent your issues and get some support as well.
-Your friends aren’t the only ones you can socialise with though.
-You can always see a therapist and counsellor for more serious choking issues
: This isn’t something to be ashamed of and I encourage this strongly if your struggling to deal with your anxiety from exams.

Cultivating inner peace/happiness/gratitude
-Sometimes you need to indulge and treat yourself to get away from the negativity.

Yoga
-Ask our resident expert heids for starting points on this. 

Meditation
-This can deviate between focusing on your breath, seeing your thoughts pass, focus on sensations of your body, being mindful of your surroundings, guided or non-guided and more.
-Different types for different people.
Headspace and Smiling Mind are good starting points for beginners.

Expectations

We all have them. Whether you verbalise and/or write them down or not at all. It exists in your mind, your heart and affects your perception. This can also be shaped by the environment like your parents, friends, teacher and even your school.
This can both help you and break you. It depends on how realistic the expectation is, the ability to change them and how well you deal with expectations in general.
Some people really can’t stand expectations. It adds extra stress, pressure and anxiety they don’t need. They feel that their expectation is something that depends on other people and that if they don’t achieve their expectations they will leave them.  This can stem from their own expectations nott matching with others in terms of score, ATAR, course, career path to what future you want.
Expectations aren’t all doom and gloom. They can help motivate you, keep you on track with what you want and keep you accountable on what you want to achieve at the end of the year. 

How to deal with it?

Know thyself (yourself)
-You must be objective and not subjective about expectations. Are they reasonable? Did you set them?  Are they things I want now? Do I need to change them?
:Expectations should be yours and only yours alone and not others. Don’t let others make them for you.Your only setting yourself for a miserable time during assessments.

Be happy about yourself
-You need to accept yourself for who you are. Both the good and bad. You can’t please everyone and that’s okay. It doesn’t make you a bad person and you shouldn’t feel bad about it either.
-You also can't please everyone as well. "You can be a juicy ripe peach and there'll still be someone who doesn't like peaches."

Making them realistic and dreamy
-You cause undue stress by not doing so. You can be dreamy about it, but make sure you can achieve it in some capacity. 
-Enter Stretch goals. These are goals that are set to be beyond your current capabilities or your current perception of your capabilities.
: These are useful to push yourself to improve but also make sure you don’t just stay in a rut, slump or dip.

Accept failure
-We all make mistakes and failures. We don’t achieve all our expectations. Get that in your skull and remember it. It isn’t worth stressing over it.
-It is better to accept you have failed and learn from it. You will thank yourself for not having to go through elevated stress level behaviours.
-“The best things, the richest things aren’t supposed to come easily to us”

[zofromuxo]

FAQs/AMA

How can you spout/back up any of this zofromuxo? Aren’t you a con artist? Are you seeking “free” respect for this topic?

I wish I was honestly. I really feel passionate about this. As I was heavily affected by these things. I spent all my highschool life, but the start of Year 12 struggling with this. It ranged from bursting in tears during assessments to hiding in toilets, behind classrooms, in secluded corners and behind my school’s garden to cry my heart out and say I was “stupid, useless, pathetic and that me failing my assessments were why people hated me” to the point when I ran out of breath.  Only to repeat the cycle again and again till a SAC in Year 12.

I stopped doing this, when I luckily had the foresight to write a note for my teacher that was coming back from an excursion about my struggle. They then emailed me that they had read my note and understood how I felt. If they had sent that email any later, I would be dead. Just another value added on the Youth suicide rate. 

So, in a nutshell, I’m not a con artist nor a liar or someone seeking pity for this.

It was mainly my fault for it getting to that point. But if I could help even one of you with this topic, then I’ll be happy and over the moon. No one deserves to go through what I went through. It isn’t worth it.

I have another idea you didn’t put in

Shoot me a PM about it and I’ll add it. If it is an article/video/research paper/book, I’m going to take some time before adding it here. This is to make sure it is legitimate or adds something new to what I’ve written here. If it is something you have written, I'll test it out myself and get others as well. If it is worth it, I'll add it with credit to you. I don’t want to add things that are based in theory, I want this to be as practical based as possible.

Do you still struggle with this?

Yes I do. We all do. It just doesn’t escalate it to the point listed in the first FAQ.

Can I talk to you about this?

Yes always. My PM are always open to anyone.
However, I'm not a psychologist. So if need be, I will respectfully tell you to see one. This isn't because I don't want to help you. Far from it. This is to ensure you get the help you need.

[zofromuxo]

Further Reading/References
Test Anxiety: How to Take On Your Exams Without Stress- College Info Geek
Writing about Worries Eases Anxiety and Improves Test Performance
7 Tips to Beat Exam Anxiety
Test Anxiety: Crash Course Study Skills #8
How to make stress your friend | Kelly McGongial Ted Talk
How to stay calm when you'll be stressed | Daniel Levitin Ted Talk
Where to Get Help – General Services
Where to Get Help – Specialised Services
Burning Out? Time to Rekindle the Fire => One of my favourite Guides on this site, I cannot recommend this enough. If you are burning out, this is the GOAT guide on it.
TSFX Exam Study Guide aka VCE Survival Guide (2015)
41 tips for VCE Success by Joseph 41 I had no idea he wrote this till I went back and researched for this topic, lol. Still a great guide
Elevate of Science of Student Success (2002)