by Warlock 10 Replies latest jw friends
As some of you know, I have a daughter in college. She has one problem that I hope some of you can help with.
Whenever she takes a test, her mind just goes blank. She knows the material, but she just stresses out. This is causing her grades to dip.
Can you please give me some ideas to pass on to her?
I'm not a real help, because I never had that problem.
Warlock
She needs to speak to a school counselor. She is suffering from anexity and they can allow her to take a test in a empty room or make other arrangements.
Good morning, Warlock.
Does your daughter attend a college where there are study groups before exams? When I went back to college, a group from our class would meet a day or two before exams and go over the important concepts likely to be on the exam. We would bounce ideas off each other to help us remember, like using key words, associating an idea with a familiar cartoon character or cultural icon, or even a classmate. She needs to take good notes and then condense them and summarize them to as few words as possible to aid in remembering the key points.
It sounds like your daughter panics. A lot of people in our family have panic attacks and anxiety disorder, and it locks up the brain for some reason. She may not be to the point where she needs medication, so some relaxation techniques, biofeedback, yoga, or whatever, might help her to relax. Of course, in addition to all of this, good nutrition, exercise, fresh air and other healthy habits will help.
Hoping I said something useful,
SandraC
That happened to me in my accounting classes. I think it's a stres thing and second guessing yourself, that was the only class I bombed my tests in. I ended usually with only a B average because my test scores brought the rest of my grade so low. I'd study for hours and for several days before tests but it happened every time I would freak out. I never solved it, I just keep taking time off school and then second guessing my goals.
Hello Mum!
I just wanted to say I really appreciate your tips there. I have an exam next Saturday and am already panicking. I am rubbish when I can't have notes with me to stimulate my memory, then again maybe I can do theme/context/string association with my pens - red for Karl Marx tec, Blue for conservative and green for liberal, and black for radical feminism.
And also I think being physically on top form cannot be underestimated so i am going to concentrate on my yoga and getting proper sleep, no late night partying and hopefully this will all help.
Warlock - I hope something in Mum's tips can help your daughter. Its hard when you get good marks in coursework but the exam situation stresses and lets you down. She has my sympathies.
(crumpet of the "straight A's in my History coursework and Ungraded in the exam" class)
Hi, Crumpet! Thanks for the warm and fuzzy feedback.
My therapist told me that I have a "caretaker" personality, so I'm glad I have this forum to give me the opportunity to be helpful when I can.
Ever better at solving other's problems than my own,
SandraC
Thank you all for your great suggestions.
If I would have asked the elders, do you think they would have said "Tell her to pray more"?
Or would they have said "She shouldn't be in college anyway"?
Warlock
What goes thru my mind is know the material like the back of your hand. Make your own test of the material. The obstacle to that approach is time. If there is not enough time to study you wont feel comfortable with the material. When I took some college courses. I was told for evey hour in class you need to spend 3 out of class. Thats a pretty tall order. Some people get thru without following that guideline but thats what I had to do to feel comfortable. So I guess there is a difference between knowing the material and knowing the material like the back of your hand.
breathing deeply always helped...course i think mr miyagi hit it best with the karate kid..."wax on...wax off" lol...but point being anything to center the mind and calm the body...some hot tea as well is nice...anyways...hope all goes well for ur daughter!
-Z-
This always happened to me and all I can say is that it really sucks. I can remember questions and the correct answers from a test that I failed 20 years ago.
