Student Learning Development

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Overcoming Exam Nerves

• Student Learning Development
• Caroline Forsyth
• Adapted from presentation by Dr Mark Mathews

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Todays workshop

1. Signs of Anxiety
2. Managing Anxiety
3. Lifestyle Changes
4. On the Day

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Physical Signs of Anxiety

• Acceleration of heart and lung
• Paling or flushing
• Inhibition of stomach
• Constriction of blood
• vessels
• Dilation of pupils
• Auditory exclusion
• Tunnel vision
• Shaking

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And the body becomes flooded with adrenaline
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At very high levels of Adrenalineyour brain
shuts down
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which is inconvenient if you are sitting an exam
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Emotional and Cognitive signs of Stress

• Feeling irritable/angry
• Feeling tearful
• Negative thinking
• A sense of dread
• Mind racing,
• Poor concentration,
• Forgetfulness,
• Obsessing
• Imagining worst case scenario

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Exam Success is

• 50 50

how well you know your material
personal reactions to exams
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Q How can we manage anxiety?
A Practice
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Simulate Exam Conditions
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Practice Everything
Timings Answer Technique Same Clothes Same Pens
.. Your goal should be to have as little new
information as possible on exam day
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Practice Dealing with Negative Emotions

• Sometimes we avoid thinking about exams
• Avoid dealing with anxieties
• Leaves space for negative thoughts

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Replace Negative Thoughts With Positives Thoughts
and Feelings
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Relaxation Exercises
https//itunes.apple.com/itunes-u/relaxation-audio
-sessions/id431727868?mt10
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Visualisation
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Being relaxed and confident
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Getting good results!
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The Practicalities
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Exam Centres
Find out where your exam is. Visit the exam
venue before your exam
Tie down the details
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Lifestyle Changes Healthy Diet

• Avoid
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Salt Sugar

More Water Carbohydrates Vegetables
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Regular Exercise
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Take time for fun
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Get Plenty of Sleep
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How do you prepare?

• What will you do to prepare for the exams?
• What do you do the night before?
• What do you do on the day of your exam?
• 5 minutes

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• On the Day

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Things to do

• Eat breakfast
• Try to stay calm
• Give yourself enough time
• Avoid anything that increases anxiety
• Arrive Early, Avoid People!

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Relaxation

• Keep calm If you start to feel nervous, breathe
  deeply.
• Use Relaxation exercises
• Don't panic Say to yourself in your head
• 'I CAN do this exam'

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In the hall

• Focus on doing well (positive)
• Fill out your answer books
• If you panic, use relaxation techniques
• Be prepared warm clothes, water
• Know where everything is

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In the Exam
Loss of Focus
Relaxation
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Planning your answer

• Deconstruct the question first
• Do quick outline
• Rough notes under headings
• Then begin to write your answer

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Practice Exam Skills

• Manage your personal reactions to exams. They are
  as important as how well you know your material.
• Replace negative thoughts with positives and
  practice until the positives become automatic.
• Knowing something is not the same as being able
  to do it when the situation demands it. You need
  to practice in a simulated environment.

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Student Learning Development
Exam simulation Luce Hall, Wednesday 24th April
3-5pm Exam Strategies Workshop, Thursday 25th
April 1-2pm Thank you for your time Visit our
website at http//student-learning.tcd.ie