Test Anxiety

[civilrobot PE etc etc]

Do you have it? How did you cope when taking the exam?

 

[Wow_PE!]

Took a candy break . It helps!

 

[Violator]

to be honest back then it was helpful to enjoy a nice cigarette 

 

[john813_PE]

Had a hard time falling asleep that night, even taking zzzquil.

Woke up, was hard to eat, didn't feel hungry. Once I got to the testing center, talking to some pre test helped calm my nerves.

When I got to my desk, I just wanted the test to start. Waiting in the chair sucked. Then I opened the exam and realized the AM questions to start weren't really stuff I reviewed. But just took a deep breath and the AM felt easier as time went on by. Usually during the exam the anxiety drops, it's the lead up to it that tough for me.

The PM section I got burnt out on towards the end and anxiety kicked up a notch when I realized the Water/Waste sections were also different/harder than what I studied lol. And thoughts of retaking it hit. 

 

[Jesse25302]

Had a hard time falling asleep that night, even taking zzzquil.

Woke up, was hard to eat, didn't feel hungry. Once I got to the testing center, talking to some pre test helped calm my nerves.

When I got to my desk, I just wanted the test to start. Waiting in the chair sucked. Then I opened the exam and realized the AM questions to start weren't really stuff I reviewed. But just took a deep breath and the AM felt easier as time went on by. Usually during the exam the anxiety drops, it's the lead up to it that tough for me.

The PM section I got burnt out on towards the end and anxiety kicked up a notch when I realized the Water/Waste sections were also different/harder than what I studied lol. And thoughts of retaking it hit. 

This is exactly what happened to me when I took the PE in October. I've always had terrible test anxiety, no matter how well I knew the material. I didn't sleep. I didn't eat or drink. I couldn't think or focus. I calmed down during the test because I was distracted. I also hit the wall about halfway through the PM session. Questions seemed harder than what I studied. I started running out of time and I started to think of having to take it again. Fortunately, I didn't have to. 

 

[Reverse Polish]

I have anxiety in general, and spending months preparing for one exam only raises the stakes.  I did my best to anticipate anything that could be thrown at me, and overprepare for the exam.  

Lo and behold, the first problem on the exam was something I hadn't studied much at all.  I reminded myself to breathe, ask myself "What are they really asking you?", mentally note the concepts presented, and take the problem step-by-step.  Same thing happened in the afternoon--except with the SE Buildings exam, there are only four problems in the PM and no multiple-choice process of elimination--so there really isn't an option other than to grind through it.  I reminded myself to keep breathing, lest I throw away my months of preparation, gave myself a good pep talk, and worked through each step.  

The "best" part of the SE Exam is that you get to have crazy anxiety two days in a row.  

I remember having a good amount of anxiety when I took the PE exam years ago too, and I recall I was mentally useless afterward.  Knowing the material thoroughly, and being able to work through curveballs, is far better than rote memorization.  

These exams are supposed to be challenging but are not impossible.  If you're anxious, it's because passing the exam is important to you.