Test Anxiety

Feeling nervous before an exam is common. But sometimes that anxiety can make it harder to study, concentrate or show what you know.

You don’t have to wait until test anxiety is seriously affecting your academics to reach out for support.

What Test Anxiety Can Look Like

You Might

• Worry excessively about an upcoming exam
• Have difficulty concentrating while studying
• Feel like your mind goes blank during a test
• Experience racing thoughts or difficulty focusing
• Feel restless, tense or panicked
• Have trouble sleeping before an exam
• Avoid studying because thinking about the test feels overwhelming
• Put intense pressure on yourself to earn a certain grade

Things You Can Try

• Breaking studying into shorter sessions can make preparing for an exam feel more manageable.
• Try practice questions or work within a time limit so the testing environment feels more familiar.
• Notice thoughts like “I’m going to fail” or “I have to get an A.” Try replacing them with something more realistic and helpful.
• Slow breathing or focusing on what you can see, hear and feel can help bring your attention back to the present.
• Sleep, regular meals, movement and breaks are important parts of preparing for an exam.

Talking With a Counselor

Test anxiety is something you can talk about with a CMHC counselor. You don’t have to be in crisis or feel overwhelmed by anxiety to reach out.

A counselor can help you better understand what happens when you experience test anxiety and develop strategies for managing it before and during exams.

Get Support From CMHC

Call CMHC at 512-471-3515 and select option 3. You’ll have a brief conversation with a counselor about what’s going on, and we’ll help you figure out what kind of support may be helpful.

You can also connect with your school or college’s CARE counselor or schedule single-session counseling at CMHC @ WCP.