You’ve been in school since you could talk. You’ve taken hundreds of tests before. Now you’re facing your NP certification exam and your mind goes blank, your palms get sweaty, and your stomach feels like a black hole.
Simple case of nerves or severe test anxiety?
Catastrophic or mild, if these classic signs of test anxiety sound familiar, here are seven ways to manage it before and during the stressful certification exam.
1. Identify the beast.
It’s normal to feel nervous, but if you’re experiencing any of the following:
- inability to concentrate
- racing thoughts
- feelings of dread
- physical symptoms like a fast heartbeat, headache, or nausea
You may be dealing with actual test anxiety—whether mild or severe. You need to know that you’re not alone and some level of anxiety is normal.
You may have legitimate reasons for the anxiety such as bad test taking experiences, inadequate prep time, or fear of failure, so knowing the why of text anxiety will allow you to name the beast and deal with the issue.
Now that you’ve named it . . . get some perspective.
Keep in mind that the NP certification exam is just another test. Seriously, it is. You haven’t gotten to this point in your career and your education by being a poor test taker or by giving in to crippling text anxiety. You’ve taken tests in the past and passed or you wouldn’t be reading this right now.
Tame that beast with logic!
2. Be prepared. Sleep well. Eat healthy.
The holy trinity of test readiness: preparation, rest, and fuel.
It’s a given that if you’ve prepped sufficiently for a test, you will feel more confident when you sit down to take the test. To get an extra boost of cool and collected, you may need to focus your prep time to include question reviews or overviews of tough concepts.
Getting adequate sleep is crucial; shoot for at least 7 to 9 hours. Pulling an all-nighter the night before any test will do more harm than good leaving you groggy and unable to focus, exacerbating the anxiety. What most people do not realize is that a good night’s sleep should start at least 3 nights prior to test day. The results from one night of sleep deprivation will last all day.
One Night of Sleep Loss Will . . .
- Make you feel hungrier
- Make you more susceptible to being sick
- Make you feel stressed
- Make your blood sugar rise
- Make it harder to concentrate
- Make your memory lapse
- Make you more emotional
- Make you look horrible all day
Get some nourishment! Start consuming healthy foods at least two to three days prior to test day. You don’t want to go in feeling bloated or groggy.
Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and simple sugars several days prior. You don’t want your body dealing with these chemicals instead of energizing your brain cells. Eat breakfast the day of the test, infusing your mind and body with foods that provide a steady stream of nutrients.
3. Think positive.
I know, I know . . . It’s ridiculous to imagine that positive thinking will change anything, but that’s not what science says. Your thoughts become your actions and your actions become your habits.
Develop a mantra that can go with you on text day like “I’ve worked hard to be here. I deserve this” or “I can do this. My future is bright.” Start using this weeks, if not months, prior to the big day. Your brain has no idea whether you deserve this or not, you have to tell it.
Imagining a happy or calm place came help too. When your heart is pounding and you can’t take a deep breath, close your eyes and go to this place in your mind. Focus on deep breathing and positive thoughts. The act of deep breathing changes the chemistry in your body, slowing your heart rate and your racing thoughts.
Be sure to practice at home before test day.
4. Test site know how.
Several days or weeks before, find the texting site address and know exactly what time you need to be there. Do a dry run from your home to the testing site so you know where you’re going and how long it will take. Be sure you note the time of day and consider traffic as a potential obstacle.
You can avoid feeling rushed the morning of the text by setting the alarm to be out the door on time and gathering everything you need the night before. Heck, plan out your outfit (don’t forget a sweater, many testing sites are cold) and plan what you’ll have for breakfast while you’re at it.
5. Read carefully.
During the test, slow down and focus. Read the directions carefully; be sure you understand how to answer the questions and how much time you have. Read all questions thoroughly.
Be alert for phrases such as “all of the following except” or any form thereof: except, not, or least. This includes reading every answer option before choosing an answer.
6. Ignore other people.
Is everyone else scribbling notes? So what. Is the person behind you tapping their foot? Who cares. Put on your noise-canceling headphones (available at the testing center). Additionally, most testing centers will allow you to bring your own High Fidelity earplugs (here’s a pair that I swear by!), but be sure to disclose ahead of time that you have them and plan on using them. Blocking out the noise will make it easier to pay attention to your screen and your space.
If you know ahead of time that you really have a problem with distraction from those around you, do this: When you get to the test center, ask for a testing spot in a corner or situated away from others.
7. Be a clock watcher.
Fortunately, the certification exam is a timed test, otherwise some of us would sit at the test center for hours, maybe days. There are a lot of questions, so staying on pace is important. If you know the test has 150 questions and you have 180 minutes, that’s just over one minute per question. Be sure to scope out the test before you press the start button.
Time Saving Tip
If you’ve read the question twice and reviewed each answer and still don’t have a clue, do this:
–eliminate the obvious wrong answers (hopefully you can narrow it to two possible right answers)
–make a logical guess (yes, you can do this)
–flag the question to return to if you have time at the end
Watch the clock. There will be a clock or even a count down on the computer screen you’re testing on, so use it. Don’t spend too much time on any one question. More than 3 minutes is probably too long, you should employ the time saving tip above.
Knowing that you’re nearing the end of test time is helpful as well. Make use of those final minutes to review the flagged questions, but don’t change answers unless you know the right answer, it’s possible your gut answer knows more than you think.
Take a deep breath and realize that some level of nervousness is normal when facing a test of this magnitude. I know, I said it was just another test and it is more important than that 8th grade pop quiz in Spanish.
Just be sure to follow the steps above and only choose “C” when it’s the right answer. If I can do it, you can too.
Leave a comment and let me know how it goes.
You got this!!
