They may not know how to study, may not have had the time they needed to study, or may struggle with learning certain kinds of material necessary for the exam. S ome may wait until the last minute to study, and then feel stressed due to the extreme time pressure, possible lack of sleep, and even caffeine in their systems. Others may put a great deal of pressure on themselves to excel and have a hard time accepting less than perfect scores or A s . These people often feel scared and worried in response to these demands and feel panicked at even the slightest thought that they may not do as well as they would like. These panicked thoughts and feelings lead to their minds going blank when they sit down to take the test.
Some anxiety is very normal and often good.
Everyone experiences it at times, and it can help us be more alert and focused. It's the negative beliefs we hold about anxiety and its affects on us that get in our way and cause a decline in our performance. What's important is to learn what the anxiety might be telling us and then learn to manage it and use it to our advantage. Or it might be a sign that we are putting much too much pressure on ourselves. If so, read over these ideas and try out the ones that seem to apply to you.