Web Site for the Official Student Newspaper of Normandale Community College in Bloomington, Minnesota

Tips on Anxiety

By Barb Teed
Some tips on test anxiety from Kristen Cooper, coordinator of the NCC TRIO/Upward
Bound program.

• Know the difference between test anxiety and poor preparation
• Replace negative self-talk with positive
self-talk
• Attitude is everything!
• Cramming doesn’t work. Study over a period of time
• Rest the night before the exam

• Eat a good breakfast and avoid caffeine
the day of the test
• Do relaxation techniques before the test
• Arrive early and avoid test-anxious students
• Focus on answering the questions, not on your grade or others’ performance
• Think about your post-exam reward
• See a NCC counselor if you need more help with test anxiety