What is exam anxiety?

A certain amount of temporary stress is necessary and even helps us perform. The function of stress is to tell us that something is important. In the right dose, stress helps us prepare, stay motivated enough for a task, prioritise and focus.

But, if stress levels are too high, this can have the opposite effect. Being on the verge of panic makes it difficult to concentrate, think properly, make decisions and prioritise. This can affect several parts of the exam process – for example, reading and interpreting questions, accessing our knowledge and formulating what we have learned in writing. We may even experience a “blank mind” if we have a blackout.

These reactions are due to stress triggering our fight/flight response when the brain perceives that we are under threat, and prepares us to let go of everything to focus on getting us to safety by either fighting for our life or fleeing.