Lack of control is one of the prime causes of stress. A ton of research shows
that if you don’t have a sense of control over what’s happening in your life,
you can easily end up feeling helpless and hopeless. So just having concrete
things to do and to think about—taking control—will help reduce your stress.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Take one minute to list the areas of the test that you are good at. They can be
general (“algebra”) or specific (“quadratic equations”). Put down as many as
you can think of, and if possible, time yourself. Write for the entire time; don’t
stop writing until you’ve reached the one-minute stopping point.
Next, take one minute to list areas of the test you’re not so good at, just plain
bad at, have failed at, or keep failing at. Again, keep it to one minute and
continue writing until you reach the cutoff. Don’t be afraid to identify and
write down your weak spots! In all probability, as you do both lists, you’ll find
you are strong in some areas and not so strong in others. Taking stock of your
assets and liabilities lets you know the areas you don’t have to worry about
and the ones that will demand extra attention and effort.
VERY SUPERSTITIOUS
Stress expert Stephen Sideroff, PhD, tells of a client who always
stressed out before, during, and even after taking tests. Yet she always
got outstanding scores. It became obvious that she was thinking
superstitiously—subconsciously believing that the great scores were a
result of her worrying. She didn’t trust herself and believed that if she
didn’t worry, she wouldn’t study hard enough. Sideroff convinced her