Test Taking Strategy Workshop Helps to Relieve 'Test Anxiety'

Around Campus Editor

   Rubye Graham- Emerson held a workshop open to counseling students in the Gateway Students Support Services Harris Hall Room 200, Dec. 9.

   It’s that time of year again, finals. Just those six letters stress students out. Graham-Emerson gave a little hope to students, during the finals for this semester.

   The workshop focused on helping cope with the anxieties that finals bring.

   “The first thing you have to remember when studying is that you have to free yourself of all distractions,” she said. “If you have to baby sit for someone, you’re going to have to tell them to come get the baby because you don’t have time for that now. Not that you don’t love the poor little child, but you have to study,” Graham-Emerson said.

   The students learned that “Test Anxiety” is common to all students in college. If not handled properly, it could cause a student to end up with less than satisfying grade on his or her test. Common symptoms for this is having “butterflies in your stomach,“ inability to concentrate, a feeling of panic and probably the most common of them all, going blank on a test. For this uncomforting obstacle, she suggested breathing.

   “When you breathe deeply for several minutes, it forces your heart to beat slower. Slowing down a rapidly beating heart reduces your feelings of panic. This works when your nervous, such as speaking before a group,” She said.

   She explained to the students that even the most unimportant factors come into play when studying. When studying:

• Find a comfortable chair.
• Don’t study on a bed, because you put yourself at risk of falling asleep.
• Also, make sure you have enough light, preferably, sunlight.
• Study your materials 60 minutes during the day and study 90 minutes during the evening hours.

  
   When planning to study, Emerson suggests, “Be sure schedule at least 2-3 hours of study time for each hour of class each week- i.e., a 3 hour course would require approx. 6-9 hours of study time outside of class.”

   The studying strategy she suggested for students is to select a good mood, as well as an environment and time. She said students need to plan a study time every day and organize your notes, make sure to eat “brain food” and get good nights sleep prior to test day.

   Finally on test day, get to class early and get a good seat. See how much time you will need for each section of the test. Make sure to work quickly by filling in answers that you may already know. That way, you’ll have time to work on harder questions.

   In giving the students these and other valuable tips, she ended the lecture assuring everyone “Remember these tips to study and test better.”

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