FML

"K-Roll-PorscheTamer" (k-roll390) 02/13/2015 at 10:58 • Filed to: Fml

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I just realized that I've actually got anxiety issues when it comes to test taking. How'd I figure that out finally, my mind went completely blank and I froze on my calc exam this morning. I only answered ONE question out of the 10.

That's a 10/100(potentially 10% if I got it right). Good news is I'm not as stupid as I thought; I knew what to expect and do walking into the exam, the anxiety of taking a math exam just screwed me over. So yay for not being stupid?

What do I do about anxiety? Please help someone?

Mattbob > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 02/13/2015 at 11:02

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Talk to the teacher about it and explain your situation. They might let you take it in their office. I have had teachers let me do this, in this exact scenario. Probably depends on the teacher and school though. Also, go to office hours to build up a relationship with the teacher and subject so you are less anxious about it.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 02/13/2015 at 11:06

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Erg. I'm not sure I have an answer for you, despite having been consistently in the same boat during my college years. I had to retake all my calc classes once, in large part due to this sort of thing (and avoidance). I think a large part of it was (no lie) giving less of a shit the second time around, but that's a really hard thing to induce artificially. Head in after a couple shots of rum? It's trickier in a math-based class because relaxation and lack of stress is so hard to get at the same time as... well, smarts. There's a very narrow window you can end up in after really long studying in which you both know the material very well and DGAF, but then you run the risk of getting caught by a question requiring "nimbleness" to solve... which is a lot of the substance of calc tests because otherwise they have *nothing*. No point.

WRXerFish - WRX-Wing pilot > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 02/13/2015 at 11:06

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I personally have issues with test taking. When I was in school I would work it out with the teachers to take the tests/exams in a quiet room with extended time.

It helped me out immensely.

ttyymmnn > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 02/13/2015 at 11:18

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Go see your doctor. I'm a professional musician, which means public performances. And even after forty years of doing this I still get nervous. There was a stretch in grad school where my anxiety got so bad that it was debilitating and I couldn't play. I now take beta blockers (metoprolol). It doesn't necessarily help with the mental aspect of nervousness, but it does help with the physical symptoms. You might also think about hypnosis, yoga or other disciplines that will help quiet and focus your mind. You might also look into relaxation regimens such as the Alexander Technique. After you talk to your doctor and get a clinical diagnosis of anxiety, you can approach your teachers and see if they can make arrangements for a different testing situation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Best wishes.

BeaterGT > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 02/13/2015 at 11:19

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This is why I focused on solely on test taking or whatever made up the most percentage of my grade. It was usually a project/paper or a number of exams, NEVER homework.

Money Hustard > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 02/13/2015 at 11:21

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Xanax, bro.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 02/13/2015 at 11:27

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I had to retake all my calc classes once, in large part due to this sort of thing (and avoidance).

I had to retake my formal logic class twice. So I was 100% ahead of you on retaking courses. I think I also had to retake that health class because of a case of DGAFitis.

I think I had complained to you about that at one point, but there was a point at which the DGAFness kicked in.

ttyymmnn > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 02/13/2015 at 11:30

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The alcohol can help, but it affects mentation. And it can lead to dependence. I took Xanax (Alprazolam) for a short time for anxiety but it is habit forming so I stopped. My trumpet teacher told me about a famous cornet soloist who had problems with nerves so he drank a glass of red wine before each performance. He became an alcoholic.

Charles Martel > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 02/13/2015 at 11:35

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Not to be crass, but I used to rub one out for good luck. It sure helps with the anxiety too.

jariten1781 > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 02/13/2015 at 11:59

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Couple things I did.

Practice: What I mean here is you need to take 'fake tests' regularly so the experience itself isn't so novel when it's for real. The mechanics of taking a test are very different from doing homework or studying. When doing those things you move in little chunks, check your text book/the internet/your notes/whatever after each step. When you take an exam you can't do that. What I did was, if I knew a 10 question calc test was coming up, I'd take 10 questions out of the bank or text book that I hadn't answered yet, copy them down, then go to the library or computer lab and take a 'test' with the same resources and time constraints I'd be allowed during the actual exam. I'd do that multiple times in the run up to the exam until I was scoring adequately.

Get ahold of last year's exams: If you can't find a student who has theirs, talk to the TA or prof about getting an example one. This helps for classes where the professor is actually doing their job and creating their own exams rather than just grabbing questions from the instructors version of the text. Sometimes their wording is different than the text book author's and can really throw you off your game. Even if you just get questions without a key, knowing how the prof likes to ask them is hugely helpful.

And the biggest:

Take it seriously and study with a regular schedule: You've reached the time where cramming won't work anymore. This is a huge breaking point in college where a lot of people are weeded out. Just doing the assignments as they're assigned and trying to memorize the equations/constants the day or two before in big all night study fests just ain't gonna cut it anymore. Exams will create significantly less anxiety for you if you've regularly studied and the day or two before the exam you realize you're just practicing and not really learning anything new in preparation. It's hard to shake the old habits but you've got to develop the new routine if you don't want to be on the ragged edge for the rest of your college career. Put together a study schedule (seriously, write it down on a piece of paper) and stick to it 100%. Schedule video game breaks/club activities/social time/whatever as well and keep them constrained to that time as well. A well defined structure helps to quash anxiety.

See a doctor if you try implementing all of that and anxiety is still wracking you. For some folks it's just not naturally controllable. However, try to change your behavior and thought patterns before reaching for a chemical solution. A good doc will push you in that direction anyway.

Stephen Krogmeier > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 02/13/2015 at 12:46

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I did the exact same thing on my first thermodynamics test my senior year of undergrad. Learning some breathing exercises really helped me. Still managed to pass the class. Just hang in there.

JKER > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 02/13/2015 at 14:24

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Explain it to your prof right away. You can almost always arrange to have it taken in a different setting/time by yourself.