TEST ANXIETY

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• 3 Likes

  DivineRaze Alum Member

  August 2019 550 karma

  @ebby_luna Test anxiety is normal and I get it sometimes. I have taken the LSAT mutiple times and September will be my last. Throughout the process of taking it and having a few test days under my belt, I will tell you what works for me as I improve my score every time that I have taken it so far. I initially stop taking preptests and avoid any LSAT material the entire week leading up to test day; it may seem hard but this is something that I have to do. This is because if your mind is constantly on the LSAT you start thinking about "Oh god the test day is right around the corner" and you start stressing yourself out before test day even comes. I start working out intensely the days leading up to test day and this helps me shed unwanted stresses and the dopamine release is beneficial. I purchased a 3mg melatonin and L- theanine and take one the night before the test because sometimes the stress doesn't let me sleep. This was a game changer for me by the way. I slept and woke up perfectly on time and it felt like I had slept for 10 hours. The day of the test I do what I have been doing daily prior to test day and try NOT TO DRINK a lot of water (hydrate profusely the day before). I puff my chest out and move with self-confidence and go in with the mentality that I will do my best and whatever happens happens. People at the test center generally talk to me and I talk back and I feel like that helped my anxiety, but this is relative. I take a deep breath and keep my eye focus and peripherals in the area of the paper or tablet so I don't get distracted by anything. I think the LSAT is about a 75/25 split between mental discipline and how you utilize your LSAT logic skills. Go with your gut and unless you have a "AH HA!" moment DONT change your answer. I think that covers everything, if something I didn't cover comes to mind I will comment back. As far as the digital LSAT you should try the Digital version of preptests on 7sage as I feel it is essentially the same at its core. Your time will be shown to you and a popup will show when its T- 5 minutes remaining. I think the best thing you can do is take the week off all lsat material and discussion prior to test day to give your mind a chance to both digest what you have learned and so it can relax and remove the stress you associate with test day. Go out and socialize or take walks, both work amazing. I wish you the best of luck and you can do it don't stress yourself out too much. If it makes you feel any better the September test will be my 5th time taking this test. Nothing in life is worth it if it comes easy, keep your mental discipline and don't be too hard on yourself! Cheers!
• 3 Likes

  AudaciousRed Alum Member

  August 2019 edited August 2019 2689 karma

  Deep breaths. Before July's test started, I actually closed my eyes for a bit and just chilled and thought of other things. I stretched a lot before going in and on break.
  This was my third time, and it was much easier, but there is still a ton of stress. Go easy on the caffeine in the morning. Have a hot tea, and then no more caffeine until test break. Realize that you have to breathe. Deep breaths every now and then.
  And when you see something of immense difficulty where your brain is freaking out, say "screw that noise" and skip ahead and around. Come back to it later, be it a question, a passage, or a game. As JY says: low hanging fruit. Every question is worth the same. Grab what you can first. If you see something that just makes you want to scream, move on to something else and come back to it. Sometimes, your brain just needs time to roll it around, anyway.
  Also, do fun relaxing things before and have plans afterwards. My test center was out of town. I spent the weekend with my family experiencing one of the cities I want to apply in. Gelato and sushi for the win Then after, we had plans to hit a Philly cheese steak place. So I had something cool to look forward to and think about. I did not bring or do any practice material. The days right before, just drop it. You either know it or you don't. Let your brain rest. Go to the movies. Sleep in for a couple days.

  On digital, there is a timer in the corner all the time. At 5 minutes, you get a popup warning that you cannot ignore. It's a little jarring, but I found it less stressful than when the proctor would suddenly boom out "5 MINUTES!" The digital test was much more quiet. Very little noise, no erasing going on to shake the table.
• 1 Like

  BlindReviewer Alum Member

  August 2019 855 karma

  To add onto what people have said above, I actually don't look at the clock except for at certain checkpoints. So for the paper exam, I just flipped my watch over and would check in when I hit the end of the second page of LR, to see if I was on track, and I would also check between passages and games for LG and RC. Your attention should be on the task at hand, not the time, as that's kind of wasted focus (unless you're falling behind). You can hide the clock on the digital but it'll be unhidable in the last 5 minutes.

  As for test anxiety, I haven't had extreme immobilizing test anxiety, but there was a part of my July exam where I had messed up on game 1 and was freaking out, and could not focus on game 2. I had to just put my pencil down and close my eyes and breath and get it together before moving forward. So doing that really helps calm you down, and doing everything you can to not think about the score or the weight of the exam but just the material itself. Meditation helps train you to push out thoughts, but I think just practicing the mental aspect of the test in PTs and sections is a key part of prep.

  For more general advice, I was never a competitive athlete or anything, but I would suggest thinking about ways to channel that nervous energy and anxiety into excitement and confidence. I don't know how best to explain it, but I just tried to get myself really pumped up and on my game the entire day of the exam. I really screwed up on the last LR section before the break, and had to pick myself and come back to play for the last two sections.

  Also, if you just do lots and lots and lots of sections repeatedly, you'll eventually come to fear the test a little less, because you know you've seen everything and you've seen it so many times. At least that for me helped get over the mental barrier of "Oh my god I'm gonna get something that's gonna totally screw me and there's nothing I'll be able to do about it."
• Loisisdetermined Live Member

  August 2019 edited August 2019 44 karma

  This is such great information. I was doing ALL of the wrong things before taking the test and the anxiety would kill me from there. Part of the anxiety came from not being really confident. 7 sage has helped me tremendously, so much more than Kaplan or Testmasters ever did. I am someone who needs things explained a second time and I could not keep asking the instructor and feeling like I was holding up the class. With this format, I can go back as much as I want and repeat the lessons until I "get it". It is great being able to get feedback from other students and knowing that others struggle with the same things as I do. Thank you guys so much!
• studyingandrestudying Core Member

  August 2019 5254 karma

  There's two podcasts you may find useful on pre-test day routines, one on 7Sage and another on Thinking LSAT.
• AudaciousRed Alum Member

  August 2019 2689 karma

  @Loisisdetermined said:
  This is such great information. I was doing ALL of the wrong things before taking the test and the anxiety would kill me from there. Part of the anxiety came from not being really confident. 7 sage has helped me tremendously, so much more than Kaplan or Testmasters ever did. I am someone who needs things explained a second time and I could not keep asking the instructor and feeling like I was holding up the class. With this format, I can go back as much as I want and repeat the lessons until I "get it". It is great being able to get feedback from other students and knowing that others struggle with the same things as I do. Thank you guys so much!

  Also.. ask. Ask away! If you do not understand a video explanation or something in the CC, or even something in a PT, use that help hash tag! People here are awesome and want to see you succeed. You are NOT holding up anything, especially here. Do what you need to in order to kick this test's butt!
• 1234abcd-1 Member

  August 2019 422 karma

  This honestly has helped a lot!! thank you guys!!!