How to Tell if You Have Test Anxiety

It's normal to feel a little nervous before an important test. But if you chronically have uncomfortable symptoms before a test, then you might have test anxiety. Test anxiety affects many people of all ages and intelligence, and its symptoms are rooted in your biological "fight or flight" response. For whatever reason, your mind likely perceives an upcoming exam as a threat, and then initiates a cascade of hormones that prepare the body for quick action in the face of this threat.

To see if you have test anxiety, look over the following checklist and make a note of which ones ring true for you:

• Worrying about the test distracts me from studying.
• I can't sleep well when a big test is coming up.
• I don't ever feel ready for a test, even if I study a lot.
• I can't relax physically before a test.
• I "freeze" when taking tests: I can't think and forget things I already know.
• My stomach becomes upset before important tests.
• I have negative thoughts while taking tests.
• My muscles become very tense when I take a test.
• I often have panicky feelings when I have to take a test.

If you checked several or more of these items, you likely have test anxiety that exceeds the normal nervousness associated with test taking. But you don't have to suffer from test anxiety forever. These three ideas will help you cope: 1) embrace the anxiety (rather than fighting against it) by deciding to use it to your advantage; 2) try to work on underlying psychological issues that may be contributing to the anxiety; and 3) set up a study plan for the next test so that you feel better prepared.

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