Fear of exams

[CorNokZ]

Hey guys

So since I started Uni I have developed a sick sick fear of exams. I was supposed to go in to the examination in about an hour, but I've had to tell my teacher that I won't be doing it this time, but have decided to postpone it until around Christmas time. I am normally not nervous, ever, but when it comes to exams I get shaky, sweaty, nausios and at times even sick. The last couple of nights I've woken up every hour and felt dizzy and had a hard time falling asleep again. Regardless of how well prepared I am and I can answer all the questions we get asked in class, I get like this and it is taking it's toll on me

I currently have 4 exams I haven't passed due to nervousness and my teachers dont understand it either. They get really surprised when I enter the room because I am a totally different person and not my usual happy and witty person, but quite the opposite.

Anyone else has/had it like this? If you have overcome it, what did you do? I am seriously thinking of getting a shrink to have a look at me(FH Doctor first tho, as always)

Cheers

 

[Ezteq]

well my friend had a terrible fear of exams and thngs and used to get beta blockers from the Dr to help calm him down...there is also a natural remedy you can take which calms sickness (good for hangovers too) called slippery elm (i shit you not!) these ar ok short term solutions but really you need to address the fear and get it dealt with.

I used to get quite nervy about stuff like exams and found the way to solve it for me is to prepare myself so thoroughly that I was actually excited to do them...but that's just me (oh and even though I like them I stay the hell away from the other students before an exam because fear is catching).

I hope you get over this because, believe it or not, exams can be a lot of fun!!

 

[Chilly]

man up. if you keep skiving you'll never be able to do it and you'll be fucked.

 

[CorNokZ]

I know, I've had many good exams, but lately they've just been shit. And no matter how well prepared I am it is the same.. I can be fine 5 minutes before, but when entering the room I dunno what happens, but I have nothing to say and cant remember jack shit

 

[Chilly]

Did it start with you getting a bad mark?

 

[Huntingtons]

do it naked.



im not overly nervous about exams so i cant help. but maybe take a few days before the exam after youve done preparing and feel confident and dont work with it at all. Be around friends who dont worry.

 

[ileks]

Everyone gets nervous beforhand mate, the key is keeping it under control once you get into the exam. I've had exams where I've had to read the question about 5 times because I'm just not taking anything in because of the nerves. Try and avoid the hard questions at the start, do the questions you are most comfortable with and you might find after 20 minutes you get into "the zone" and forget about the nerves. Then you can start to think properly and hopefully do well.

Personallly It's in the weeks leading up to the exams and in particular the night before that I crack up. I can't go from revision straight to bed. If I do I will be thinking about the exam alll night and won't get to sleep. I find the best thing to do is take a couple of sleeping tablets (the over the counter ones that work- not the herbal ones) and watch TV for 30-45 minutes before going to sleep. You need sleep to do well.

When you get into the exam hall you've got to just think fuck it, I'm here now and getting nervous won't do me any good.

Also avoid any fucking nerds that come near you when you are waiting to go in. nothing worse than some c-unit coming up to you and telling you how screwed they are when both you and they know that they have been revising for fucking months. That or they will remind you of something you might not have remembered and you will work yourself into a panic.

 

[TdC]

dude, I was so freaked out at my last programming exam that it took me -six- goes to get my student number on the friggin exam paper. and I was prepared for that one.

another exam that I certainly wasn't prepared for, I didn't give a toss and was really fast to completion as well, passing too. Just don't know. Zen yourself out, get in the zone, do whatever, like have a wank even. Anything that puts you in the Martin Sheen frame of mind is good, eh?

 

[Huntingtons]

thats not a bad idea. Cept it should be charlie sheen!


maybe wear 1 of his t-shirts

 

[TdC]

I like Martin Sheen better, but you're right, it's Charlie

 

[Ezteq]

aw Zenning out is fabulous, I'm not even joking here, the number of times I've come close to freaking out about something (i.e. getting dumped) and just thought to myself 'worrying will not change it, it is what it is' like a mantra really really helped.

I mean at the end of it all, when it comes to exams, yes they are important but 1) you are not going to die or the world is not going to end if you fudge it and 2) there is usually the option to resit. Keep your shit in perspective sweetie!!

 

[Ormorof]

deffo avoid other people, i tend to avoid talking to other people before the exam because they just make me nervous "did you study <insert subject here> i bet it will be really important!" or "oh shit this exam will be so hard oh noes!" etc

and dont cram at the last moment in the morning before the exam, usually doesnt help, if you dont know it by then its a waste of time

failing to prepare is preparing to fail

 

[Ch3tan]

Why don't you see your doctor? Sounds like anxiety / panic attacks?

 

[Bahumat]

Sounds like FIV to me.

 

[TdC]

or HIV!! @_@

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Never understood exam nerves. You go in, answer stuff (or not), then leave.

Either way I was normally first out of the exam hall, exam times are hilariously overlong for the most part.

 

[TdC]

you should come to my school. average allotted time for answering a question is approx 20 secs.

 

[Wazzerphuk]

That's about 15 seconds too long.

 

[Talyn]

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*does a little dance and faints*

 

[Scouse]

Fear is the mind-killer...

 

[Lamp]

Sit an exam or tear your willy skin in your zipper. Hmm. Decisions decisions.

 

[TdC]

That's about 15 seconds too long.

heh, it prolly is, but given my appraisal of my average school mate, and I include myself for bad days...it could be about a minute longer

 

[Everz]

It's funny.. I was like this before. Want to know the best cure.. don't care, go into the exam with the mindframe that if you fail then you have failed, if you have passed then you have passed.

 

[MYstIC G]

man up. if you keep skiving you'll never be able to do it and you'll be fucked.

This I'm afraid CorNokZ.

I had a similar experience to you during my GCSE's. I became totally convinced I was going to tank in every subject because I'd not been studying properly due to family stuff (that I won't go into), which made me feel sick all the time.

I got through by talking to the teachers. Every time I felt sick, I asked them to let me stand outside the door for air and they let me. The first exam was awful, I was like a yo-yo, every 5-10 minutes I couldn't concentrate from feeling sick so went outside. You just have to grind it out. I did, I still passed, every exam after that was fine.

I even got to resit one that I'd completely missed to begin with, although that ended up sucking because I wasn't supposed to be in that day so didn't know it was a mufti day so I got bonus exam day in uniform

That being said, I've never had any issues with any exams since including the professional interview I had to sit for my Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors membership.

If you don't fancy this then I'd suggest that you follow Chet's advice and seek medical help. If you don't and you fail everything you'll just end up with an entire shitstorm to deal with that'll make you feel even worse.