Feeling nervous before an exam is completely normal. In fact, a little stress can be a good thing - it shows you care about your performance and can help sharpen your focus. Whether you're preparing for a big test or giving a class presentation, some anxiety is expected. It can even be useful, motivating you to study, stay alert, and perform at your best. The key is finding ways to manage stress so it works for you, not against you.
From Trent Counselling Services, here’s your go-to guide for tackling test stress with practical strategies you can use right now.
Watch Now: “Sunny Days Ahead”
Learn actionable pre-test and in-test strategies to reduce stress and boost performance.
More from Trent:
1. Stress-Busting PDF:
Explore our helpful handout on effective techniques like grounding exercises, breathing, and more to calm your nerves.
2. Academic Skills: Prepare For and Write Exams
3. Student Health Services: Healthy Habits
Other Helpful Resources:
Pause. Breathe. Press Play.
Use these guided meditation videos to ground yourself and find calm. All you have to do is sit back and press play:
Calm: 5-4-3-2-1: A Simple, Grounding Exercise to Calm Anxiety (0:35)
Headspace: Managing Anxious Thoughts And Stress With Mindfulness (2:27)
Headspace: Grounding Exercise for Racing Minds: Calming Meditation with Dora Kamau (3:07)
Headspace: Calming Meditation for Crisis Response: Taking One Next Step After Difficult Events (6:42)
- Are you or someone you know experiencing a mental health crisis? Visit: Emergency & Crisis Supports
Headspace: Short Meditation: Release Stress and Anxious Thoughts (8:00)
More Websites & Articles:
- Simon Fraser University: Successfully Dealing with Exam Anxiety
- Student Mental Health Network: Stress Reduction Mental Health Resources
- Brock University: Building a Self Care Plan
YouTube Videos on Test Anxiety:
- CrashCourse: Test Anxiety (8:49)
- Greg & Mitch: 7 Tips To Beat Exam Anxiety (4:36)
- Thomas Frank: How to Beat Test Anxiety and Take on Exams Without Stress (9:02)
Recommended Books for Test Success:
- "Crush Your test Anxiety: How to be Calm, Confident and Focused on Any Test" by Ben Bernstein.
- "Test Success: Strategies for Calming Test Anxiety" by Beth Sack-Rogers.
- "Eliminate Exam Anxiety: Creating an instant Release of Stress Anxiety Tension" by Melvin Tombleson.
Phone Apps:
These apps and games are related to mindfulness, stress, anxiety, problem solving, meditation and more and can help you keep track of how you’re feeling:
- Antistress
- BoosterBuddy
- Breathr
- Calm
- Catch It
- Finch
- Headspace
- HealthyMinds
- MindShift
- Petit BamBou
Healthy Habits for Exam Success:
Watch CMHA: Mood Matters: How Food, Movement & Sleep Can Have an Impact on You
Visit University of Surrey: Sleep Tips for Exam Success and Eating for Exam Success
Watch Times Foodie: Brain Food that is Perfect to Eat During Exams - Brain Foods to Boost Your Exam Performance
Read WikiHow: How To Have Fun After Exams