Ever experienced that jittery feeling where your legs shake and your hands tremble so much it could be mistaken for Parkinson’s? Accompanied by a sudden chill you feel despite sweating buckets?
No, it’s not public speaking, coming off a high or confessing your undying love to someone who doesn’t spare you a second glance.
It’s good old-fashioned test anxiety.
Okay, maybe I exaggerated a bit. Or a lot. But you get the idea. Test Anxiety affects everyone— from the most studious students to the least.
We are only four weeks into the semester, so what’s this about test anxiety?
With first exams around the corner, the season of test anxiety begins. I speak from experience because, just this Thursday, I had my first exam in my Astronomy class.
I had prepared well enough for the exam but still, I couldn’t shake off the dreadful feeling. So, I rushed to a nearby coffee shop. I got myself an iced caramel latte (it somehow reduces my jitters) before heading to class.
Wanna guess how the exam went? It was easy. And that made me mad. Why? Because I had spent the whole week stressing about it. I probably slept less than four hours the night before, just to make sure I covered every single detail.
I had spent 72+ hours stressing over an exam that was over in twenty minutes. It didn’t feel fair. But who knows—- maybe it was thanks to my paranoia that the test seemed so simple.
Can you get to the point?
So, what am I driving at? I’m not here to advise on how to cure or stop test anxiety. I wish I knew. What I’m here to say is that the feeling doesn’t have to be seen as negative.
Dare I say, test anxiety is a positive thing?
Up until the week of my Astronomy exam, I was sure I didn’t care about that class. After all, it’s just a course I took to complete my general elective requirements.
Boy was I wrong. I did care—a lot, for that matter. It was clear in the way I prepared and how scared I was about not doing my best.
I had stopped paying attention in class at around the second week. But in four days, I was able to catch up with the class, and the topics that once made no sense suddenly didn’t so seem bad.
Don’t understand what this post is about?
Still, have no idea what I’m trying to say? Here it is: the good side of test anxiety is that it shows that you care. Ever felt anxious about taking a personality quiz or a color analysis test? Exactly. You don’t get anxious about something unless, deep down, you care about the outcome.
Plus, because test anxiety often comes with a panic to be more prepared, it gives you another chance to catch up if you’ve fallen behind— like I had.
In a way, it’s a reset. After the exam, you start the next class on the same page as everyone else. You understand the material a little better and maybe even realize you care about the class more than you thought.
This sets you up for a successful semester. And for some of you lucky peanuts, the final replaces your lowest test. So, even if the first exam was awful you have nothing to worry about. It has just served as an opportunity to get back on track.
So we should embrace Test Anxiety?
At the end of the day, test anxiety isn’t always a bad thing. It’s a sign that you care about your performance and the outcome. And while it may feel overwhelming at times, it can also push you to prepare better, stay focused, and ultimately succeed.
So next time you feel those jitters creeping in, remember: they’re just a reminder that you’re invested in what you’re doing. And that’s not something to be afraid of—it’s something to embrace. So embrace those sweaty palms—you care, and that’s a good thing.
Feel like reading more? Check out my latest post, “Viva México“