I was wondering if anyone else has had to deal with test anxiety in college. Mine has gotten progressively worse the past couple of years. I am taking classes online, but the final exams are given on campus, in the old basketball stadium. So there are like 1000 people taking a test at once. I arrived early and as I was sitting there I slowly started freaking out. More and more people were sitting down at the tables. I barely had elbow room. There was people sitting at both sides of me, and right across too. After 15 minutes I was about to vomit and/or cry. I ended up leaving and having an all out panic attack. It took me almost a half hour to calm down to the point that I could drive home.

So I haven't taken my finals. And I haven't contacted my professors. I feel very uncomfortable and don't really know how to go about handling this. I am seeing my doctor tomorrow so hopefully that will give me some direction. But if you have had to deal with this and could give some advice.. that would be appreciated :yes

I am glad to see someone else has this issue too, my anxiety has been off the wall lately and I am not sure why... No matter how hard I study, I still seem to panic when it comes to taking the test... i get paniced about my time limit and I get paniced about not knowing the answers... but I have found that if i just take deep breathes and make sure I have water to drink, and try to block other people out then it is okay... also, maybe if you have to be at a huge table with others you could sit at the end? or even if you explain that you can't work with so many people around they could give you just a single desk... i mean that is not too much to ask, especially if it is to take you FINAL!
hope this maybe helped a little.. (L)

i know exactly what you are going through! my best advise is to just take a deep breath and SLOW down. I tend to just fly through the test and make a lot of dumb mistakes! But you can do it!!! Good luck!

I have a miserable time with anxiety over big tests too. I always have a sick stomach and can feel my heart racing whenever a final is being passed out... I cover up every question until I'm up to it so that I can't see the others and have one i don't know stress me out. I really take my time and really focus on my breathing because that helps so much more than you realize. Try to avoid too much sugar or caffeine right before the exam, if possible too because that will only frazzle you more. I even just sit there for a minute, close my eyes and try to stay calm. Good luck with your finals!! I hope you can keep yourself calm. :hugehug

I talked to my doc today, he said he will write a letter and whatever else he needs to do to get me different test accommodations. I checked to see what the process is for all of this.. and it's supposed to be done weeks before the first day of class. So I hope I will be able to make up these finals. Otherwise I'm fucked and in the hole a few grand.

i have test anxiety terribly, and have not talked to my dr about it. i should really look into it though because i'm a bad test taker because of it.. ugh! what solutions have you ladies found?

I have it, it's why I dropped out after only 1 semester.

i have test anxiety terribly, and have not talked to my dr about it. i should really look into it though because i'm a bad test taker because of it.. ugh! what solutions have you ladies found?

I take tests better in a calm, quiet environment with very few people and distractions. My doc is writing a letter to the university disability support services to get the accomodations.

I really hope I can makeup these finals. I'm gonna be soo screwed :tears

You poor thing :sadeyes. I don't get panic attacks over exams. I'm not sure what to tell you. Maybe with that amount of people - you were a bit claustrophobic and than nervous on top of that so it was a recipe for an attack?! You poor girl. Go see the Dr. just to be safe. Maybe with your man gone it's some subconscious worries festering or something. Call the Professor and reschedule.

i do okay with test, but i get major anxiety over projects. i will cry and freak out until i just avoid it until it's too late and i have to turn in something totally half assed.

I have really bad test anxiety to the point that I saw a psychologist and had some testing done because I was freaking out really bad at the mention of a test. Turns out I am ADHD and that test anxiety is normal in dealing with it. I am hoping that Aderall (sp?)will help next semester. Good luck with everything!!!