Towson University student Jordan Marini was overwhelmed once the clock ticked and the test

time began. She felt an ache starting to grow in her belly, telling her that she would fail if she did
not pass this test. This is the feeling that most students feel when they are suffering from
anxiety. Minutes in, other students were already on question three. Marini compares herself to
other students. Most anxious students typically second-guessed themselves throughout the test
due to difficulty concentrating.

This feeling is familiar amongst college students. Do exams threaten students? Could it be a
fear of failure, lack of preparation, or is it the high pressure? These feelings provide ample
reasons for students to feel anxious during test taking.

Disability Specialist Joshua Donaldson states, "Anxiety comes from different levels, whether the
content they are being assessed on, or the environment they are being tested in."

In some situations, anxiety may affect one's cognitive skills.

A former Towson University student, Zach Epstein, explained how he would take exams groggy.
"I cannot sleep the night before an exam, sometimes because I do not start studying till the night
before...Sometimes I am prepared, but I still can't fall asleep because I am anxious about the
exam, which only makes it worse."

Anxiety before a test can even affect a student's cognitive ability to perform during an exam.
There are different types of anxieties students can experience, such as physical, emotional, or
behavioral symptoms of test anxiety.

Donaldson said, "If anxiety is not managed, and you don't utilize the support and resources
around you, and if it results in physical symptoms … it can be threatening for test taking."

Physical symptoms involve excessive sweating, shortness of breath, and rapid heartbeat.
Emotional symptoms include feelings of stress, fear, helplessness, and disappointment.
Moreover lastly, behavioral symptoms are inability to concentrate, thinking negatively,
procrastination, and comparing.

Jordan Marini a sophomore at Towson University majoring in mass communications said,

"Multiple choice questions, I know one of those answers are right and it's so frustrating because
I always second guess myself, and I ask myself, 'am I stupid?'"

A negative self-talk is also a usual form of anxiety during test taking; Jordan continued, "Re-read
the question, and then I'll change the answers that were right."

Having anxiety like this always makes students second guess if even their initial answer was
correct.

Today's exams might be even more challenging for some students living in a post-covid state.
Donaldson said, "Living in a post-covid-state, it's the return to in-person exams, with exams that
were online, students didn't have a lot of environmental stressors."

Students have gotten used to that luxury because there are no distractions, and students
typically have access to their notes. With the return of in-person exams, test anxiety became
more intense.

Do tests threaten Towson University students?

Students who connect their self-worth to their test scores experience tremendous pressure to
perform well. The assumption that testing situations are accurate markers of intelligence is
reinforced; thus, test anxiety can be understood.

Epstein said, "It was tied to my self-worth; I would feel more like shit if I didn't do well or if
somebody else was doing better than me."

This type of pressure and comparison can be a root of test anxiety.

Epstein mentioned, "I was always told you gotta get good grades in this class so that you can be
in the highest level next year" Epstein continues, "that it was tied to my family and others' image
of me."

This pressure comes from wanting to do well, but it comes from family and the environment.

"My family's standard was like 'It gotta be an A or A plus', "Epstein stated.

The amount of pressure a family puts on a student depends on how well the student would do in
school. Students with higher standards tend to feel anxiety differently than students with lower
expectations.

Speaking with Marini, she is the C's get degrees type. Her standard for school was lower than
Epstein's, for an example Marini said,

"They (Marini's parents) never put as much pressure on me as they did on my sisters."

Since her parents never put as much pressure on her in school, she tends to lack in preparation
for exams which can endorse another kind of anxiety.

"Anxiety can be good because it makes you feel like you need to study more; you need to be
more prepared," Donaldson explained.

Students who get test anxiety tend to care more about school and their grades.
Donaldson continued, "Definitely a benefit … anxiety allows you to identify what types of
resources you need to utilize."

Typically students experience much anxiety by overworking themselves, and they find resources
to utilize such as office hours, tutoring, and learning centers.

Are tests even an accurate assumption of knowledge? Alternative forms of assessments such
as term papers, self-reflection exercises, labs, and more can be less anxiety-inducing.

Donaldson believes that "tests and quizzes are a part of assessments, shaping whether or not
students fully understand the curriculum."

Everyone is different, and there are other forms of assessment to prove one's cognitive ability.

Marini said, "I know the material, and I could talk about and explain it to them; I just don't do well
writing it out."

How to prevent test anxiety, It is important to learn relaxation techniques to help students feel
less overwhelmed—knowing how to study effectively. Study earlier. Get plenty of sleep and
some exercise.

Resources Towson has for students to help. The tutoring and learning center is a great resource
to help develop different test prep activities, so students can fully understand the presented
material. There is anxiety that focuses on writing papers, so being proactive and utilizing the
writing center.

If it rises to the need for additional support, getting the approval through Accessibility and
Disability Services(ADS) is an option.

Submit an application of documentation relating to disability. ADS offers different

accommodations that can be put in place to assist the student.

Suppose it arises to a level regarding test taking. In that case, you are then looking at the
possible time and a half or test to reduce internal distractions or using the testing center
provided by Towson University to minimize the distracting environment. It can play a significant
role in students being able to focus.

SOURCE LIST

Disability Specialist Joshua Donaldson

Phone: 410-622-1898 Email: jdonaldson@towson.edu

Former Towson University Student Zachary Epstein

Phone: 908-616-2024 Email: zachepstein7@ gmail.com

Current Towson University Student Jordan Marini

Phone: 410-000-0000 Email: jmarin@students.towson.edu

Bockarova, Mariana. “Threatened by Tests: Cognitive Test Anxiety in Students.”

Psychology Today, 2022 Sussex Publishers, LLC, 31 Mar. 2022,

www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/romantically-attached/202203/threatened-tests-cognit

ive-test-anxiety-in-students.

UNC-Chapel Hill Learning Center. “Test Anxiety –.” Learning Center, 1 Oct. 2021,

learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/tackling-test-anxiety.