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Test Anxiety
Similar to many of you, I suffer from bad test anxiety. If I don't get in the zone within the first 5 questions, I panic for the whole test, effectively snowballing. Really bad too. It's causing 10-15 point swings lately. When I'm chill, I can score 170+ pretty consistently. Otherwise, it's the Wild West.
I freeze up, don't even go through my strategies, and I just feel like this is my first test ever. Everything I've done goes out the window. I misread rules. I forget diagrams. Hell I can't even answer a main conclusion question. I don't understand it. I feel like I can provide an in depth explanation to a vast majority of questions and games. But sometimes, I just feel like I don't know anything. It affects me most on games too. Perhaps because I'm used to finishing every game in less than 6 or 7 minutes. So when I don't, I panic and just move on. This happened during my September test and I scored 9 points below my average.
I've tried meditation, I work out 3x a week, and feel like my balance is pretty good with friends and family. But none of that seems to be helping much. All of this so weird to me. I'm not an anxious person whatsoever.
I was hoping for any guidance. I know this is different from most posts but at the same time, I feel that mental state is something that is sometimes over looked. But again, any help would be greatly appreciated.
Comments
How long did you try meditation for? It doesn't work in a few inconsistent tries. To reap the benefits of meditation, you you have to make a conscious effort to let all that ish go in the moment and over longer periods of time you'll notice the benefit. That can take conscious effort (it did for me). I had major test anxiety and aside from regular exercise, this is the only thing that helped me get out of the panic zone and focus on what I can/should do in the present. Have you tried the app Calm? It's a great way to ease into meditation (rather than just have silence and not know why/what you are doing). They have a 7 day trial of how/why meditation can help. You got this!
Heyy to be quite frank, I don't know why, but I usually score higher in actual exams than in the practice tests. That happened to me for the sat, gre, and other important things.
With that said, however, I think LSAT is a different beast. Ive also experienced panic while taking pts and know exactly what you are talking about. That moment of freeze where everything you have studied goes out to the window. Trust me, I've been there.
Here's what works, at least for me, but it might help you. Have you heard of grounding technique during panic attacks? The idea is that you start to name and observe physical reality (like, I see a chair. My heart is beating etc etc) which helps you to move away from your own thoughts. Essentially the same as meditation. However, obviously you don't have the time to practice grounding technique or meditation when the clock is ticking.
Here's what you do instead: focus on identifying the subject and the verb of each sentence. That's the "physical reality" you identify. When you are panicking, everything becomes overwhelming and even comprehending a sentence becomes a mountain to move. I've been there.
If you just start identifying subjects and verbs, you are focusing on something other than your panic, which helps to reduce it. Also important, you will notice that you can identify the subject and the verb of each sentence even when you are panicking. It might take longer than the usual, but you can. They are easy enough to identify, but are also the core elements of a sentence. If you can identify the subject and the verb of each sentence, then you have what you need to understand a sentence. The key is that you become so good with the grammar that when you are panicking, you start to identify the elements of the grammar and try to connect the relationships. That way you can comprehend a sentence, then the stimulus, even as you panic.
This obvious takes practice, but the benefit is also that of confidence: if you know that you can do what you need to do even when panicking, panic is no longer a formidable foe.
Panic -> Disaster ? No such sufficient and necessary relationship. You can panic and still do just as well.
Sometimes medication can help when nothing else will. Ask your doc about beta blockers like propanolol. It's great for people with performance anxiety and it doesn't alter consciousness. Give them a try for a PT and see how it goes. If that doesn't work, the only other way I know to reduce test anxiety is to know the material 100%. Best of luck.
With the caution that I am not a doctor and you obviously should talk to yours, I second looking into propranolol or other beta blockers. It's widely prescribed for people whose jobs involve a lot of performance anxiety--think musicians and surgeons. I take it myself and find it pretty harmless.
I have similar problems and started using a meditation app called Headspace.
I used to meditate using an app called Insight Timer without knowing what I was doing. It wasn't really helpful.
Meditation was a game changer for me. If properly done, it will improbe all areas of life!!
Hey -- this was mentioned elsewhere on the forum, or perhaps on one of JY's videos, but he recommends just completely closing your eyes and counting to 10, or even 20, if you feel a breakdown or panic attack come on during the test. Yes, this is precious seconds wasted, but at the same time the brain is conditioned to "reset" when you close your eyes. I've tried this before when I completely blanked on a LG section during a PT and it was helpful. I still bombed one game, but I was able to reset myself and finish the section.
I completely agree with @"yeram.choi" ! 10-20 seconds lost is preferable to missing the whole section because of a panic attack
I use headspace too. On another note I noticed that I have dropped a lot of weight from stress due to LSAT. I did some research and I am going to try this Happy Molecule supplement which is known to have Gaba - a natural neurotransmitter that reduces stress overall. There have been trials that prove that Gaba relieves anxiety and stress and so far its safe to consume as it occurs naturally in some foods. So let's see.
Hmm... Advice above seems good. Sometimes you just need to take 20 seconds and breathe. You think you can't afford the time, but you can't afford to freak out and mess up the whole section either.
Also, talk to your doctor about meds. You may have just a general anxiety disorder.
Oh I gained weight from stress! (I should exercise more and shouldn't be eating too much...)
I drink stress relief herb tea...
You know what im really suffering from is regret. I have spent over $800 on the powerscore books (ugh) and have been using them since Dec. to study for the LSAT while doing my PhD coursework (im applying for a joint PhD JD to start next fall) as much as I could. I found I was NOT improving at ALL in my Logic Games...I mean really, an hour or so a day for 5 days a week for 3 months and nothing. I was just about to give up when a law school friend recommended this site to me...YESTERDAY. I have found so much improvement in a range of areas, not just LGs, and am really feeling regretful I didnt start earlier than basically a week before test day. My score is still only a 165, and Im aiming for at least a 175. Im sure that if I would have started this program earlier I would have been there by now. Theres just too much to get through for me to 'reset' the way Ive been learning at this stage, so I'm feeling panicked, stressed and regretful
Have any of you guys had experience with switching from PS to 7stage? Any advice on 'rewiring' tactics and fast learning? Good luck to all!
Thanks so much for your replies everyone! Sorry for the delayed replies; I was on a break.
@"nessa.k13.0" I do the calm app every morning. Even have tried the focus and anxiety lessons. How long did it take until you actually got it? Sometimes I do it on the train but it's not as helpful...
@TheoryandPractice some of the best advice I have gotten on this topic. Thanks so much! I printed this out and hung it up
@"yeram.choi" I do this but it doesn't work often. Is it universal for you? If not how do you get it to work even when it's not? Better yet, what do you do when it's not working?
@Sami interesting! I'm all for supplements. I'll look into this. Thanks!
@akistotle have you tried calm? I felt that headspace had too much structure. If so can you compare?
Just came looking for this post because I am seriously suffering from test anxiety as well. However, I have found that mine is usually only limited to one section. I do headspace as well and it was helping for a while but I'm still prone to just lose it. I have no idea what to do......
you're not alone @JustDoIt
@arezuriahi hey I'm curious, are you applying to joint programs to concurrently start JD and PhD or are you doing PhD coursework at a university and moving into a joint degree? If it's the latter you could very well postpone this cycle and get really good at the LSAT.
Yeah I feel ya on that. I had that issue where it didn't matter because I eventually could only focus on freaking out. That's why I like Calm better @JustDoIt than headspace for LSAT purposes. You can go through more techniques for how to bring your attention back to what you should do and focus on the thing in the moment that is most within your control.
It can sound hokey, but you really have to practice forgiving yourself for falling short and making a mistake, then practice moving forward. The cool thing is there are various ways to do that---you can have a mantra (just a line that you repeat to yourself that motivates you and puts you at ease) or a counted moment to regroup and/or a combination of the two things. It also helps (when you aren't studying) if you take time to really think and explore what exactly is giving you that anxiety so you can name it, re-frame the issue and thus your mindset, and kill it. For example: are you putting all your ambitions and dreams on that test and then freak out when you don't know something because you can see your goals skipping further away from you, aka you failing? Are you focusing on the weight of the expectations of others place upon you? When you think about what the things that you are worried about are (which are the sources of your anxiety) and acknowledge them, then you can get rid of the paralyzing level of nervousness about them when it's time to perform because you have settled those problems.
How can you do that? With the first example question, think about then write down what exactly your dreams are and what you need to do to get there. Break those goals down. Write your aspirations on paper. If you are dealing with issues of motivation perhaps include why you want to do those things. When you get to LSAT on your list, actively think about and write the concepts you need to master, the types of lessons you need to learn, and the things you have learned (I use a planner to track what I did and what I need to do). The idea is to make those goals much more achievable by breaking down into manageable steps what you can do each week, day, every few hours--if you need to. Then when it comes to the that first example causing your freak out, think above how you're going to make those dreams come true and actively acknowledge or say that panicking is going to directly get in the way of you reaching those goals. Don't take thinking about these things and writing them down for granted, yeah we often know/say we can do something but for some reason we are not going through the LSAT like someone who truly understands that panicking won't help---so we gotta do the work of making that value and truly being confident our reality. Work up to first believing in it (write it when you wake up if you have to), you consciously acting on that belief (say it to yourself if you need to), and then you won't have to consciously think so much about mechanically doing things to act on the belief (that you won't panic and you can do what you decided) because it'll become a habit. Forgive yourself for failing and freaking out in the past because you can do nothing about what has already happened. Then decide to move forward with focusing on what you can do, with the notion you will do it (you choose your mantra), and that you will also keep practicing techniques and encourage yourself (plus whatever else you decide will help) to kill that doubt. That's what I mean when I say re-frame and name the issue and fear. Work towards actually internalizing the notion that freaking out will not help you and that it is within your control to do well.
With the second example question, not living up to the expectations of others, decide who is more important to getting to your goal. Hopefully it's you. Perhaps you realize you DGAF about what others think because at the end of the day it doesn't matter. You should live for your personal aspirations first and not those of others. Perhaps you realize you were comparing yourself to someone, which then you can acknowledge that you shouldn't because each person really has their own set of hurdles to overcome and things to deal with. Do similar things mentioned in the earlier paragraph to eliminate any mental blocks with that issue as well.
The more you practice and expose yourself to the situation where you freak out (while armed with: greater understanding and mastery of the test, a better mindset, your reasons why you're there, techniques that help you, and ultimately confidence) the better you'll become at not having freak out sessions during the test. If you take time before practicing and facing the LSAT, work through your problems (this includes things others have mentioned above like taking supplements or seeing a doctor if you need to), keep practicing, and stay determined to beat it, one day you'll notice you don't freak out as much or at all. Don't underestimate what negative things we can and do subconsciously convince ourselves of. This is what I meant with my first comment about doing the work to get over mental blocks in order to reap the benefits of mediation.
Amazing advice. Thank you @"nessa.k13.0"
Wow, great and timely advice @"nessa.k13.0"
@Zachary_P and @RafaelBernard you're welcome, I'm glad it can help
@"nessa.k13.0" thanks so so sooooo much! Adding this to my print outs!
P.S. you should be a life coach! I'll be your first client haha
I had some anxiety on test day. Quite a bit actually. Because it was the "real thing," I had a crisis of confidence and wasn't allowing myself to be comfortable with anything less than 100% confidence on a question. If any of you know me and my strategies, you'll know that that is an enormous departure from my norm which is highly aggressive. I felt myself panicking, and the first step in dealing with it is that I realized it immediately.
"You're panicking and abandoning the strategies that make you successful." Just being able to stop and very specifically say that to myself was vital. I think that was largely due to having developed such deliberate strategies. I know exactly how I take the LSAT, and any deviation is very conspicuous to me. I knew on the very first question that something was going wrong, and that was key.
To deal with it, I acknowledged and accepted that I was afraid. I'm totally embarrassed by that, but it's the truth. What really matters though is that I responded to that fear with courage and didn't let the fear dictate my actions. That same voice in my head that said "you're panicking" began telling me what my strategies demanded I do. "You're 90% confident it's A. Your strategy is to choose it and move on without reading the remaining answer choices." And I'd just do whatever that voice told me. I trusted my process. I trusted the empirical data I'd compiled from countless PTs which overwhelmingly prove the effectiveness of my strategies. My emotions were contradicting what I knew was right, but I still knew what was right, and so I could still choose to act on that. And that's what I did. So know yourself; know how you take this test. From there, you've just got to have the trust and the courage to overcome your doubts.
During my meditation session yesterday I tried to visualize the entire test and that really helped.
Here's what I did:
- I focused on my breathing
- Then closed my eyes,
- Allowed thoughts to come and go.
- Counted breaths up to 10 several times (In:1; Out: 2; In:3; Out:4....)
- Brought attention back to breathing whenever I realized my mind was wandering.
Finally, I opened my eyes to a new world with renewed motivation to SLAY on Monday!
Hope this helps.
You're welcome. Haha thanks for giving me a career plan C! (Plan B is ambulance chasing...you laugh now but Morgan&Morgan is making its way fr the south the the rest of the U.S.)
@RafaelBernard I have a deadline to apply by this fall, but I def have considered moving the LSAT test to Sept. the only problem is that I've paid for this one already, and as you know, no refunds. That would be 250 out the window if I postponed
awesome! good luck!
Well with the new way of doing things you can just take it again. If you end up having to take it again just don't sign up until you're nearer to your goal score. Best of luck tomorrow! I am considering the joint degree route as well. You'll do great
@"Cant Get Right" thanks so much!
@Itzcally did this this morning. It worked, but I wonder if it will work as good on test day. I mean I have tried it on test day to no avail, that's my only concern
@"nessa.k13.0" 95% sure I saw a billboard AND a commercial for them when I was visiting my cousins in FL...RIP