Many students dread test day, and it’s easy to understand why. Tests are important, and students may feel that they just aren’t good at “test taking.” Test anxiety can indeed be a significant challenge, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With a few tips, students can ease their anxiety and make writing a test much less intimidating.
1. Always Keep Your Goals in Mind
As students progress through their courses, they know that the test is inevitable. This can sometimes feel like a brick wall that the student is constantly speeding toward. However, a change in mindset can help immensely. Instead of focusing on the test as the destination, think of what comes after the test. Why do you want to pass the test? For most students at Ontario Virtual School, the goal is to earn the course credit, then the Ontario Secondary School Diploma, and then move on to post-secondary education or into the job market. The test doesn’t need to be a big, daunting moment. It’s really an opportunity to prove your skills and move one step closer to your long-term goals, whatever they may be.
2. Keep Up With Your Coursework
Keeping your goals in mind can also help you to be properly prepared for them. If you are aware of the upcoming test and the importance of what comes after it, you’ll be more motivated to stay engaged in class and study the material thoroughly. When you keep up with your coursework, there’s no need to worry about the test. Instead of stressing, you can view it as just another day at school. Since you’ve already prepared well, you can focus on demonstrating the knowledge you’ve gained, rather than worrying about new material. In fact, knowing that you can make the test a stress-free experience can be a strong motivator to keep up with your coursework. Avoiding that stress is a great reward in itself!
3. Prepare Your Environment
If you are taking your courses online, as you do with OVS, you have an excellent opportunity to craft the perfect test-taking environment for yourself. Try to find a private, quiet environment, free of stress and distractions. Depending on your learning style, you may consider turning your desk toward a wall. On the other hand, maybe facing a window might actually help you relax, and thus focus more on the test than on your own anxiety. You know yourself best, and you can take advantage of that to give yourself the best experience while you complete your test.
4. Don’t Forget Your Materials
What do you need to actually complete your test? Pencil? Pen? Paper? If you’re taking an online course, perhaps you should think about if your batteries are charged, and if you have a stable internet connection. Some tests may allow short collections of notes, and others may allow a calculator. Think about all of your options and prepare them well in advance. We’ve all experienced the panic of realizing we forgot a pencil on test day, but just a bit of extra attention to these seemingly small matters can go a long way.
Test anxiety is a perfectly normal thing that many students experience, but they don’t need to. With just a bit of forethought, preparation, and a change in attitude, students can stop test fear and anxiety. Instead of seeing tests as roadblocks, you can see them as milestones on your educational journey, markers that show how far you’ve come.