Managing Test Anxiety: Tools to Help You Feel More Prepared

Test anxiety can be overwhelming, but there are tools that can help you manage it. Below are a few strategies you can try to manage the anxiety that happens before, during, and after an exam.

Days or Weeks Before the Exam

Plan Ahead

• Begin studying for the exam early, and seek out tutoring services if you need them.

• Engage in self-care activities such as getting enough sleep and moving your body. You can also speak with a counselor if needed. Many university counseling centers offer virtual group therapy that focuses on test anxiety, so it may be helpful to check them out.

Reframe Your Thoughts

• The way we talk to ourselves plays a huge role in how we feel, how we act, and how we view the world. When we talk to ourselves harshly, it can make us feel bad, defeated, or even sad. However, reframing negative thoughts into more positive and realistic ones can lift our mood and decrease anxiety.

  • For example, instead of saying:

    • “I’m not prepared.”

    • “I suck at taking tests.”

    • “This is too hard.”

    Try saying:

    • “I studied the best I could.”

    • “I can do hard things because I’ve done hard things in the past.”

    • “I studied this whole week, and it’s okay if I don’t know the answer to every question.”

    • “I am here for a reason. I am capable, and my test results do not define me.”

• You can also write reminders to yourself and place them somewhere you will see them. Writing reminders such as “I am capable,” “I can do hard things,” “Exam scores do not define me,” and can help you believe these things and may lessen your anxiety over time.

Engage in Mindfulness Activities

Research has shown that mindfulness can help reduce anxiety, including test-taking anxiety. Mindfulness exercises can be done in many different ways. You can listen to a guided meditation on Youtube, practice breathing techniques, or journal your thoughts. These activities help decrease anxiety the more you use them.

During the exam

Breathing Techniques

• These techniques can be done outside the classroom or while you are sitting in your chair. You can try either square breathing or the physiological sigh to help calm your anxiety.

  • Square breathing

    • Inhale: Slowly breathe in through your nose for a count of four

    • Hold: Hold your breath at the top for a count of four

    • Exhale: Slowly breathe out through your mouth for a count of four

    • Hold: Hold your breath at the bottom for a count of four

  • The Physiological Sigh

    • Take a deep breath: Slowly inhale through your nose.

    • Take a second, shorter inhale: Sneak in a second breath of air before exhaling.

    • Exhale slowly: Exhale long and slowly through your mouth. Release the breath slowly and fully, allowing your shoulders to soften.

    • Repeat: Repeat for 3–5 rounds.

      Then, allow your breath to find its natural rhythm without forcing it.

Mindfulness Activity

• A quick mindfulness activity can continue to help calm anxiety. You can try one or both of the following exercises.

  • Relax your body: After trying the breathing exercises, take a mindful moment to relax your shoulders, unclench your jaw, and stretch if you need to. We often hold a lot of anxiety and tension in our shoulders. Taking a moment to relax your shoulders and body can help relieve some of that tension.

  • Use your senses: Take a sip of cold or hot water, or have a sour candy. Take a few moments to notice the water in your mouth and pay attention to its temperature. It doesn’t have to be plain hot water—it can be uncaffeinated tea. You can do the same thing with a sour candy. Take a few seconds to notice the sourness, what it tastes like, and how it feels.

  This quick mindfulness moment can give you a short mental break and help ease some of the anxiety before continuing with your exam.

***Lastly, remind yourself that you are capable and you’ve got this!

After the exam

Rest

After an exam, you may feel a variety of emotions. You might feel more anxious because you’re worried about failing, exhausted from all the studying, or relieved that the exam is finally over.

Regardless of how you are feeling, it’s important to prioritize rest. Remind yourself that the exam is over and that worrying about it won’t change the outcome or help you feel better.

Distract yourself from anxious thoughts by taking a nap, spending time with friends, going out to eat, or watching your favorite show. You are deserving of rest regardless of how you performed on the exam.

If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading! I wanted to create this blog post because test anxiety is rough and can really affect your mental health.

If you’re not too tired of reading, I’ve included a little more information below about things that may not help with test anxiety.

What Not to Do

A research study conducted in 2023 showed that drinking more caffeinated beverages, consuming more energy drinks, and getting less sleep the night before an exam were associated with increased anxiety. Even though it may feel like a good idea to pull an all-nighter or drink more caffeine to help you focus, these things may actually make your anxiety worse.

Instead, prioritize rest, get enough sleep, and limit your caffeine intake.

Remember rest is not something you earn. It’s something we all deserve.

References

Jirjees, F., Odeh, M., Al-Haddad, A., Ass'ad, R., Hassanin, Y., Al-Obaidi, H., Kharaba, Z., Alfoteih, Y., & Alzoubi, K. H. (2024). Test anxiety and coping strategies among university students an exploratory study in the UAE. Scientific reports, 14(1), 25835. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-59739-4

Sun, Y., Lv, K., Xie, W., & Wang, Y. (2025). The effectiveness of brief mindfulness training in reducing test anxiety among high school students. BMC psychology, 13(1), 205. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02553-y