How to deal with exam nerves?

It is completely normal (and also functional) to feel nervous before taking an exam. They can be more or less intense, but restlessness when facing important tests is a sign that we are aware of the relevance of this in our lives. In other words, it means that we are conscious people and emotionally healthy.

It is also common for us to have the feeling that we do not remember anything, despite the fact that we have been studying for weeks. Although, perhaps, the most "fearsome" thing is the fear of going blank at the crucial moment. In summary; Nerves before an exam are not pathological, but they can become a problem if they are strong enough. If you want to know how to properly deal with these nerves, keep reading.

How to deal with exam nerves?

We have already mentioned it: nerves before an important test are completely normal. In addition to the state of uncertainty caused by the doubt of how we are going to do, there is also the stress of preparing for the exam, which requires high concentration and a certain renunciation of other activities that may be pleasant.

So how to deal with nerves and stress?

tests and stress

The nerves and stress caused by the proximity of an exam have nothing to do with a lack of skills, since these appear even if we carry the subject perfectly well. However, a high level of stress can cause memory lapses, blockages and poor content assimilation.

Thus, proper management of our emotional state is key when preparing for and facing a test. Stress is something functional, which helps us to move forward and be decisive and, as long as it does not become in something pathological or dysfunctional, it is absolutely normal to feel it in important moments of our life. Without functional stress, we would not react to vital stimuli and we would not be able to carry out any decision.

In principle, performance and stress before exams is presented in a curve. In this way, the more stress we feel at the beginning, the more active and invested we will be in our preparation, and we will be more capable of giving up other activities in favor of studying.

Later, when a specific point is passed, the curve changes direction; the more stress, the worse performance. In other words, arousal (the ability to be attentive and reactive) decreases considerably, and our mind becomes incapable of processing information. To make the situation worse, the feeling of not moving forward and wasting our time can cause us a feeling of frustration and worsen our self-esteem, and this will not help us at all.

In conclusion, we can say that the lack of stress is abnormal and problematic, but the excess is also. How to achieve, then, a functional stress level? Managing emotions is the key.

• Related article: "Types of stress and its triggers"

Emotional management during test preparation

Here are some tips that can help you face your exams properly and with the right and necessary stress.

1. Put your fears in writing

Often, what causes us the most stress is not knowing what we are feeling. In order to identify it, It is very useful to write down on a piece of paper the emotions that come to us, both positive and negative.. It is especially important to point out the fears that block us or cause us concern.

For example, if what we write down is "fear of failing", we can ask ourselves: What are the chances of that happening? Have we gone to class? Have we been attentive to the explanations? Have we studied properly throughout the course? These questions will help us to be more realistic and to distinguish the real situation from our fears.

If it turns out that we have barely attended the lessons, it is normal for us to feel restless. So, the most practical thing is to start studying immediately. Feeling afraid and wallowing in it is not going to help us pass.

• You may be interested in: "What is hidden behind our Fears?"

2. plan the study

After understanding what scares us and becoming aware that it is still an unreal scenario, it is time to move on to the action plan. It is highly necessary to plan our study; otherwise, our preparation will be chaotic and will only cause us more fear and frustration.

This programming can go through specifying what agenda to study daily, what summaries to make and when, what hours of the day we are going to dedicate to studying, etc. It is also important not to distribute the time equally and to focus especially on the issues that have not been so clear to us or about which we have doubts.

The benefits of proper planning are not only to be able to face the exam better and have a better chance of passing, but we will also obtain an improvement in our self-esteem, since we will have a feeling of control over our Actions.

• Related article: "11 vital study techniques to learn more"

3. Ask… but choose well who

Evil for many, consolation for fools, the saying goes. And, although it is not a solution, it can be therapeutic to realize that you are not the only one suffering stress from the test. Asking your peers can be helpful in this regard. Besides, some may be able to advise you on what techniques to follow to reduce nervousness.

But beware! Look carefully who you ask. Talking to people who know how to manage their emotions is very beneficial, but asking those who don't know how to manage their stress can lead you to the same bottomless pit. So ask, but choose well who.

• You may be interested in: "Emotional management: 10 keys to master your emotions"

4. evoke what you have learned

Studying is not only making summaries and diagrams. It is very useful to evoke what has already been studied, to check if, indeed, you have internalized it properly. You can have someone ask you about the topic, or you can summarize the content and then check if what you have written is correct. Think that recall is an optimal technique to stimulate the brain to remember and implant information.

The evocation will allow us to considerably reduce stress, since we will see what we know and what topics we still need to review, which will give us security and control.

It's an exam, not the end of the world

And remember: despite the fact that the exam you are going to face is, of course, important and as such you should prepare for it, it is not the end of the world. Most have second chances or other alternatives, so try not to overdo it or dramatize it.

The most important thing is to know that failing an exam does not mean that we are a failure or anything similar; simply, we are human beings with ups and downs and better and worse moments and, of course, we are wrong.