Test anxiety

Techytach

Anyone else have a serious problem with this?

My first cert I was so high strung I nearly jumped every time I heard a sound. I passed, but the anxiety sure didn't help any.

Even when I study, I start to think negative thoughts, like I can never pass this, never remember this, I will fail, etc.

Has anyone gone through this and overcome it?

scaredoftests

I have an issue with any type of test(I am dyslexic). So, I have a mantra 'Don't let your fear control your fate'. Study/practice as hard as you can and try to chase away those negative thoughts. They won't help you, positive thoughts will.

Infosec85

I always get anxious and stressed before exams, I'm certainly not a lover of them...

wd40

You have to ask yourself: What is the worst thing that could happen?

You could fail, it will hurt you financially and delay your study plans, that's it!, if keeping your job depends on passing then that will be a different story.

Over the years I developed a very thick skin for exams, this is really bad as this will make you feel that you don't need to study to pass and end up failing (which is OK, you will fail some exams).

So, some anxiety is good, just don't let it control you.

Lexluethar

I have anxiety as well when taking exams. Over time i've found what study methods work best for me and i've also developed a thick skin for failing exams. Once you get past the idea of no harm comes from failing the exam (other than some lost money / time). Once you remind yourself of that day in and day out while studying my anxiety subsides.

Also i don't tell anyone that i'm taking the exam - for me i feel more pressure if people know i'm taking it (IE anxiety from thinking people will think i'm less of a person if i fail).

So.. thick skin, you can and will fail exams it's not a big deal, don't tell anyone to reduce stress levels and remember nothing bad happens from failing.

I've learned the high from passing an exam is 10x better than the despair of failing one.

Techytach

That is actually a really good tip Lex. Last time basically everyone knew I was taking it. Next time I am not telling anyone...

I think right now I am particularly stressed because I feel like if I fail icnd2 (CCNA) all my hard work to get my new career off the ground will stall and fail. I just need to relax and remember I can retake it. 150$ isn't much in the long run. I really wish though that they let you take it a 2nd time for free if you fail the first, and say nearly pass it.

Node Man

I get very bad anxiety regarding tests. But I try to focus on this idea: I would prefer to fail a test than not take one.

wd40

Lexluethar: Excellent point about not telling anyone, I keep exam days to myself (I tell the wife of course (for approval )) If I pass I broadcast the good news, If I fail nobody knows about it.

As a note I failed 3 out of 14 exams that I have taken so far, which is around 21% failure rate, this does not mean that I am a bad IT person, it just means that I was not prepared to take those exams at that time.

Plantwiz

@wd40

rather than focus on 21% failure, why are you not focused on your 79% success rate?

wd40

Plantwiz:

I am not focusing on either of the numbers, I will not waste my "psychological" energy on thinking about my past success or failure.

But of course it would be good to increase the success rate in the future.

Chevel

@Lexluethar I'm going to so the same. Thank you for the tips. I usually don't tell anyone when I take my exams. I do need thick skin for failing though, I fear that so much. I shouldn't though.

Lexluethar

Chevel the failing thing will come with time. Honestly you will only get over it by taking exams and failing them. Once you go back to the books, study and retake and pass the failing doesn't seem as bad. Also since you didn't tell anyone there is no real pressure of talking to others about your failure because they didn't know.

My wife is the only one i tell, I even just tell work i'm heading out early that day - i don't give details. If needed I would just take that personal day.

ITSpectre

How I deal with anxiety is I remember the old saying someone told me years ago... "its not how you start, its how you finish" So what if I fail a test... its a test..... a test of my knowledge and understanding of a topic. We are tested all the time in life... at work, school, and general decision making.
Don't let it get to you... I would rather focus on success then failure.

Sheiko37

If you're having disproportionate or severe anxiety then simply thinking positive might not really help, and telling someone "don't let it get to you" is like telling someone with depression to "cheer up".

ITSpectre

Sheiko37 wrote: »

If you're having disproportionate or severe anxiety then simply thinking positive might not really help, and telling someone "don't let it get to you" is like telling someone with depression to "cheer up".

In my years of life I have learned most of what we feel and experience first starts in our mind. If we change our way of thinking and our thoughts we can change our lives and how we handle things.

Chevel

Lexluethar wrote: »

Chevel the failing thing will come with time. Honestly you will only get over it by taking exams and failing them. Once you go back to the books, study and retake and pass the failing doesn't seem as bad. Also since you didn't tell anyone there is no real pressure of talking to others about your failure because they didn't know.

My wife is the only one i tell, I even just tell work i'm heading out early that day - i don't give details. If needed I would just take that personal day.

That is very true I just feel as though I failed myself, "I'm stupid", " the test is so easy" and "how could you fail it?" etc For example I'm finishing up my server 2008 certification ( last test is the 70-640) Already I'm having withdrawals and anxiety and I just started studying a little over a week ago. The good news is apparently Microsoft is offering a 4 chance retake offer. I would feel less embarrassed and possibly saving more money if I take the offer.

Lexluethar

Chevel you aren't alone man. My MCSA 2008 was the hardest set of exams i've gone through. I failed more of those exams than i passed (failed 5 total times over the 3 exams required).

I promise you once you legitimately pass the exam (IE no brain ****) and get your MCSA you will feel like a million dollars.

Chevel

I've failed my fair share of exams I just find instead of getting more desensitized and realizing the world isn't going to end. I get a bit discouraged. I agree with you though when I did pass my exams I definitely felt a great big confidence boost!

beads

If it helps... Please keep a couple of things in mind.

Certifications and post school, college or university tests are a different animal all together and have little comparison to the exams your most familiar. Only the environment changes but animals being animals still behave the same.

Second the only way your going to become comfortable paying and taking tests is to prepare well and take more exams. Really exams become easier and easier to pass as you become more comfortable, more familiar with the format. Look for an article or two on how to write test questions.

https://www.asisonline.org/Certification/Resources/Pages/Write-Exam-Questions.aspx

Learning to recognize the usual test question traps will help ease your anxiety. Unfortunately, the best material is either in book form or presented seminar style. Personally, I have done both and have written certification questions for a couple of exams. More a dark art than you might think.

You might have heard the old saying: Practice makes perfect?

Same here.

Good luck.

- b/eads

coolkevin

I failed the CCNA the first time I took it and I felt like such a failure that I wanted to jump off a bridge or something. Lots of certs later, I don't hardly sweat it. I think that we (I) have a tendency to get so hyper-focused on a cert that nothing else in the world seems to matter.

Just remember that if you fail an exam, it was the best thing that you could have done to prepare to pass it the next time.

devilbones

I just printed out my exam confirmation for Thursday and my heart started beating fast. I do get a bit anxious but I love the feeling.