If you are feeling worried there are some things you can do to help:-

Talk to a friend – they are going through tests/ exams as well so they understand.

Talk to your parents/ family – they cam help listen and support you.

Talk to your teacher - they will have been through tests with other classes so understand your worries.

Preparation is important – if you know what to expect and have revised you will feel calmer.

Take a break – do something else which you enjoy, this will take your mind off the test.

Be Prepared
Feeling well prepared can help to reduce anxiety:

• Start revision early. Trying to grasp a whole year's work in the final days or hours before an exam is likely to lead to anxiety.
  
• Have a structured revision timetable - including breaks and pleasurable activities.
  
• Think about the kind of questions that will be asked - practice with past exam papers
  
• Seek help and advice from your department if there is anything you are not sure about. Some departments run pre-exam workshops which can be very useful.
  

You need to be drinking water regularly throughout the day and when you are revising. Children need to drink about a litre of pure water a day to replace lost fluids.

When you are dehydrated your mental performance deteriorates by 10%.
You can concentrate better if you are not distracted by the effects of dehydration such as thirst, tiredness and irritability.
Drinking water can also help to keep your body healthy. It reduces headaches, bladder, kidney and bowel problems.

During the Exam
When you get into the exam room and sit down, the following approach can help settle your nerves:

• Take a deep breath in and a long breath out
  Breathe in again and straighten your back - as if someone were pulling a lever between your shoulder blades
  
• Look straight ahead at something inanimate (the wall, a picture, the clock...) and focus your mind on the positive thought 'I CAN DO this exam' as you breathe out.
  
• Take another deep breath in and a long breathe out. Then breathe normally.
  
• You have time to read the paper, so do this thoroughly. If you begin to feel panicky again, repeat the focusing exercise. Panicking will stop you reading carefully so it is important to keep yourself focused and positive.
• Read the whole paper once, then read it again and mark the questions you think you can answer. The read those questions carefully - make sure you understand what is required - and select the ones you are going to answer.
  
• Plan out your answer for each question as you go. If you find that thoughts or ideas about other questions come into your head, jot them down on a separate piece of paper - don't spend time thinking about them now.
  
• If you concentration wanders or you begin to feel panic, you could try the focusing exercise again or use other techniques you’ll find on It’s all about me.
  

Keep active!
Exercise helps to keep you fit and healthy but it is also a great stress buster! If you are feeling stressed when doing your revision, take time out to do some exercise! By exercising you will get the blood pumping around your body, it will help you to think clearly and give you the feel good factor.

Remember to plan some exercise breaks in to your revision timetable.