Alison R. answered • 05/19/21
Teaching the Next Generation of Fiction Writers
There are just some people who are not good test-takers. Do you have anxiety before a test because of this? When you're anxious, you tend not to be able to pull the answers for questions out of your head.
These days you can usually ask for accommodation to be able to get into a stress-free space for test-taking. Also, I don't study for the last 24 hours before a test, and instead do something I enjoy, like reading or taking a walk. You're less likely to retain any last-minute stress studying that you do. Also, eat a good breakfast that morning and do a relaxing exercise like yoga, tai-chi, or meditation before the test to settle your nerves.
If your school allows you to listen to music during a test, create a playlist of comforting but upbeat music to keep you motivated. Also, don't rush through the test. Read each question slowly before you answer. If you're not finishing tests in the time, skim through the test and answer the multiple-choice/true&false questions first, then work through the short essays in the order of how comfortable you feel answering the question. However, make sure if your test is on the computer that you CAN do this--some won't let you skip so be careful.
If none of these work for you, talk with your teacher and see if there is a way you can work together to figure out what you may need to do to help with your test-taking skills. And believe in yourself--the more you feel you can't do something like taking a test), the harder it becomes to do. To quote from DUNE: Fear is the mind-killer.
You got this!
