Test Anxiety: Keeping It in Perspective

Sometimes those of us who have test anxiety put more emphasis on tests than necessary. In the weeks before a big test, it may seem like time practically stops at the test date: You can't focus on anything besides the date, and it feels like a huge burden as it comes closer, as if everything about your life depends on your performance. While it's true that a big test may determine certain things about your life, dwelling on this worsens anxiety and may even feed into your self-esteem or confidence issues.

So to keep big tests in perspective, let's look at what tests can and can't do:

Tests may determine your career path for a time. There are definitely certain tests that affect the overall course of your life. But what if the "worst" happens and you don't do well? Will the world fall apart? The result may not be exactly what you had hoped for, but if that particular career path is what you were meant to do with your life, then one test score may set you back for a while but will not ultimately keep you from pursuing that dream.

Tests do not reflect your self-worth. You are a valuable person regardless of your performance on this next test. You have the right to be treasured and loved, even if you fail the test miserably! To pull yourself out of testing tunnel vision, volunteer with a local charity group or join up with a community organization. Working to help others may remind you that the human experience is varied and beautiful, and you can be part of it whether you do well on the test or not.

Tests assess what you know on a particular day. From the time we're children in elementary school, tests are often given far more weight than justified. Most achievement tests take place on one day, during a four-hour time span. Anyone who has ever been "off" one day and then "on" the next (as we all have experienced at some time) should know that one day's test results may not be the best indicator of someone's knowledge. That's why most tests have retakes.

Tests cannot sum up everything about who you are. If you do well on one particular test, does that mean that you are a great person who can do well on everything? Of course not! But people with test anxiety often think that a test reflects how smart and competent they are in all areas of life, and that if they don't do well on the test then it must mean they are unintelligent and incompetent. But this simply isn't true - you are much more than your performance on one test.

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