Anyone have any helpful information or experience brain lock when taking a timed test? I know the information and do fine with assignments but when it comes to test day, and I sit down to take the test my brain goes into complete blank panic. It's just my math class I brain lock in.
I am in college and currently working to get my accommodations done and approved. I know I need longer testing time and another testing location besides with the other students. Anyone have accommodations or suggestions?
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Inattentivewinner16
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Inattentivewinner16, I had the same brain freeze many times in my past. One of the things that really pissed me off was walking out of the test a suddenly remembering all those things I had lost during the test itself.
Unfortunately I didn't come up with tricks to help my test taking but I did teach college science for several decades, and I was able to provide some help along the way. Basically the goal is to reduce any anxiety during the test as low as possible.
My message boils down to to things: 1) practice taking the tests by working all the material (math problems) as if they were actual test questions and 2) do this practice over and over again as much as you can. There are no easy ways to do this these are hard. Think of a sports analogy: make your practice harder than the actual games.
One thing that I would tell my students over and over again is that test taking is learned behavior. That is you can also learn how to take tests just as you can learn the material being tested.
See if your teachers can provide you with test from past classes so that you can see the level of difficulty as well as how the questions are written. You will need to do this for each class and remember that how you might go about preparing for one subject (math) you might need to prepare differently for an English test.
Since you mentioned math, that means that there are many math problems that you will be required to do in addition to the tests, correct? I also told my students to work these problems as if you were having to answer them on a test. I assume that you can't use any text book during the tests correct? If that is true, then you need to work these homework problems like on test, no book, no notes etc. This means that you have to do all the hard studying before working the homework problems, then try to work the problem. Try as hard as you can until you get really stuck and only then look at book or notes only enough to start again. This is hard so start slowly. The more you practice the better you will get, and the better your grades.
Treating the homework problems like exam questions also means that you should impose a time limit on working each problem, because your exams have a time limit. Use your phone or an old fashioned egg timer.
Another thing you can do to lower any anxiety might be to sit in a certain seat for each test ask teacher if you might sit up front so that you are not looking at everyone in front of you.
If possible you might also try doing a great deal of your studying in the same room (seat) as the room were the test is given.
See if your school has tutoring or study help services that can give you additional support.
Finally, see about adhd meds, get plenty of sleep the night before test (which means that you need to do all your study prep well in advance of test day.
I quote: My message boils down to to things: 1) practice taking the tests by working all the material (math problems) as if they were actual test questions and 2) do this practice over and over again as much as you can.
Yes! Plan: construct a bunch of questions as a test.
Get a quiet place. Hydrate. Bathroom stop. Breathe.
Do the questions as under test conditions.
Then observe: can you do the questions? Does Brain freeze strike? What else goes on?
Hello Inattentiveeinner16,Suggestions made by Trigger4me are great. I would add that reducing physical anxiety is key.
If you don't already, may I suggest meditation? You don't have to do it long - 5 min can have a big impact - and you don't have to sit still either. See if there is a moving or guided meditation that suits you.
As you enter the test take some extremely slow, extremely deep breaths and repeat any time you mind goes blank.
OR
Get you heart rate up with a sprint to class, jumping jacks, etc. This creates better focus.
If you go blank in the middle of the test shake your hands hard and and breathe deep.
OR
A combo of any of those - sprint to class, then breathe deep several times before the test begins.
A different location will be great and if you can stand up or stretch while testing that helps too.
The most socially acceptable form of movement during tests is chewing gum. That too helps with focus.
Try some of these and you will find a combo that works for you.
The mind going blank is Anxiety so as best you can find what works for you to reduce your anxiety. And yes, anxiety can be present even if you feel relatively calm physically.
Kudos for looking for input sometimes just putting the challenge out there has a big impact on reducing it.
Good luck! Keep us posted on what works for you when you get the chance.
I went to college in the UK. I had a dyslexia test. I was confirmed mildly dyslexic and they gave me an extra half an hour in my test.
Maybe you could try the same thing but with ADD at the forefront, or maybe take a dyslexia test? They're harder than they sound, and with ADD you may find you have slight to mild dyslexia naturally. It's just the way our brains are being on the spectrum and all
Ask your math instructor(s) directly, explaining what your struggle is.
Ask if you could be allowed to use a formula sheet (note sheet with formulas that you might need) to use during the test.
~~~~~
Memory is a tricky thing. It is often context-specific. For many people (including me), memory can be triggered by a place. (When I am at home, I can't easily recall tasks that I have waiting for me at work, but when I get to work I can remember them much more easily.)
If you have a good ability to visualize things in your head, then try this:
• As you study for the test, visualize yourself in that classroom, using the formulas and method and that's you're studying.
• During the test, if you can't remember something that you know that you did while doing homework or studying, then visualize where you were while studying/doing homework.
Note: not everyone can visualize images and environments in their head very well. If you cannot do so naturally, I don't think it's likely that you'll be able to teach yourself to do so. This works for me sometimes, but not all the time.
~~~~~
As you prepare for the test, consider what your instructor spent the most time and attention on teaching, and what is specifically noted on the syllabus. These topics are more likely to be on the test.
• As you study, maybe try the "Rubber Duck Debugging" method. It is said that when some software programmers are debugging code, they will explain what they are doing step-by-step to a picture or inanimate object (like a rubber duck), as if with a colleague. This helps with processing the information visually, verbally, and by listening to themselves. It enables a deeper way of processing the information. - If you are only explaining to yourself, you might ignore a lot because you "already know it". If you explain to someone else, you are more intentional and thorough.
As you are going through the test:
• On multiple choice and true/false questions, the answer that you first believe to be right usually is the correct answer. Trust your gut. Don't second guess yourself.
• Some questions might give you a clue about how to answer other questions, so be open minded (like a detective, looking for clues when you have a mystery to solve).
• If you can, treat it like a puzzle or a game. Your brain might my more engaged, less stressed, and maybe even enjoy itself a bit.
If you are motivated by treats and rewards, then promise yourself a reward for taking the test. THEN GIVE YOURSELF THE REWARD AFTERWARDS, NO MATTER HOW YOU FEEL LIKE YOU DID!
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