Disclaimer: I will be using the term “high school equivalency” because a very well-known testing vendor’s name is copyrighted! It’s the one that is 3 letters starting with the letter after F, then the letter after D, and then the letter after C at the end! Their copyright policy seems rather strict and I don’t want any cease and desist letters. I will be substituting H.S.E. or “high school equivalency” because that is the name of the credential you earn after you take all 4 of those exams anyways!
Hi, my name is Andrea and I suffer from test anxiety. Can you relate? Then this post is for you! Don’t suffer from test anxiety? Please tell the rest of us your secrets. I feel inspired to write the post because today I took an H.S.E. examiner certification test and was a nervous wreck! The weird part? I’ve already passed this test in 2022, 2023, and 2024 and it’s open book! Part of my role at work involves being the back-up H.S.E. examiner and it’s a requirement to re-certify every year. Set a timer and make me sit still and the sweat beads practically start forming immediately. It had to be done though! Well, the good news is I passed! I knew I would be nervous so I planned ahead. Here are some ideas for how you can, too!
This is an “off the cuff” from the heart blog post so these tips are in no particular order. I thought maybe I’d organize them by before and after the test but I’m just letting the ideas flow! Hopefully one or more of these ideas help you. If nothing else, know you aren’t alone! Sometimes that helps me more than anything. Note that I did not call this post “How to Eliminate Test Anxiety.” I think recognizing that you might experience it and finding ways to cope or combat it depending on how you look at it is a better approach. We feel testing anxiety because it matters to us. If we didn’t get nervous, that means you are apathetic and don’t care. I hope you do care about being successful on your exams!
That’s a great starting point. It might sound cliche, but in the words of author and speaker Simon Sinek, “start with why.” Are you wanting to be a high school graduate for better job opportunities? Are you doing it for confidence and personal satisfaction? Are you doing this to be a good role model for your family and/or friends? Maybe you are planning to enroll in a college program or new career pathway when you finish. Sometimes the circumstance is more legal related. This could be a probation or a parole requirement. All of those are great reasons. If you are doing this as a young person because your parents are “making you”, first of all be grateful. You will one day look back on this and be glad they did! Now shift your mindset and pick your own reason. High school graduates having more earning potential is excellent motivation.
Now that you have your “why” it will help keep you focused. The more you study and prepare, the less anxiety you will have because you will feel ready. This isn’t a study skills post, but I will tell you to DO THE THING. As in, study. A lot of people think you can literally just sign up and test with no preparation. Sure, you can go that route but why not set yourself up to succeed by studying? Look for an adult education program in your area. Do practice tests ahead of time. Practice timing yourself to keep on pace.
When it comes to scheduling be strategic. If you are on a tight deadline to finish your exams and earn your High School Equivalency, build in a cushion! For example, my H.S.E. examiner certification window starts in August and ends in October. Well, last year I learned my lesson about waiting until the end of that window. Enter “Hurricane Helene” stage left! Our entire campus was closed for almost a month, and I was barely able to get the testing done before the deadline. That’s why this year I scheduled it for today-August 22nd! I gave myself a 6 week window in case something random happened today. Luckily no alien invasions or natural disasters did!
Some other things to think about with scheduling are your natural body clock. I am NOT a morning person. I get to work at 8:30 on Fridays but you better believe I gave myself a little time to wake up and did testing at 10:15 AM. I wanted to make sure I got it taken care of but not before I was mentally ready. Don’t schedule yours immediately after work or right before when you are in a rush. If possible take it on a day off. I have seen people work third shift jobs and then come straight to test and practically fall asleep. Also, not to sound like a mom but don’t go out all night to a concert the night before or stay up playing video games. You need to be well-rested. I understand having trouble falling asleep but you can prevent being tired from avoiding those type of scenarios the night before.
While I’m on a mom kick, make sure you set an alarm and give yourself plenty of time to arrive at the testing center. Maybe set 2 alarms that day! Make sure you eat something before trying to test. If you’re “hangry” you won’t be able to focus! My stomach started growling when I was getting ready to sign myself in to test so I took a pause and ate some peanut butter and crackers first. My usual snack time is around 10:30 so I thought I better be proactive because I definitely don’t do well “hangry!”
Also, as someone with a sensitive stomach be careful with adventurous eating the day before or the morning of such as super spicy or greasy. I don’t think I need to spell out why. Also, energy drinks are terrible for you. I’ve seen people trying to chug a Monster and then test. Those do wear off so set yourself up ahead of time by not being so exhausted you feel like you need one!
Also, wear something comfortable! Maybe wear a favorite something. Spoiler, I wore my favorite sparkly blue sweater. When you are planning that outfit, make sure you don’t factor in a hat! You can wear it there but won’t be allowed to test wearing it. You also won’t be able to wear a big, puffy jacket so hopefully that isn’t your favorite thing in the world. Most people are testing in hoodies and leggings/sweats or jeans. No need to get too fancy but if that makes you feel like you are dressed for success, wear something cute!
Ok, you have been a strategic scheduler, STUDIED, focused on a reason for why you want to do this, and more! Now what? Well, you want to find a way to manage your stress level the day before and morning/day of testing. You don’t want to get overstressed/overstimulated and your brain go into flight, fight. or freeze mode. That’s where our logic goes out the window and we react with emotions. Our mind feels blank! Not ideal for testing!
Find your hype person and/or an anthem if you like music. Talk to your hype person before testing. If you don’t have one, I’ll be it. YOU CAN DO THIS! It all starts with the TRY. Don’t count yourself out before you even test. Be proud of yourself for taking this big step to better yourself. Arrive early and go for a walk in the parking lot to “get your wiggles out” (yes, I taught elementary). Listen to that anthem on the way there or while you walk. Find a mantra if that’s your thing! I love dancing. Dance it out. Meditate. Whatever HEALTHY way you have to cope with stress:).
There are some mental reframing things you can do, too. You can think of your nervous as excitement aka “nervi-cited.” I got this idea from author and psychologist Amy Cuddy. Her book Presence really helped me to do this. She also has a great TED Talk. Here is a link to her website: https://www.amycuddy.com/
I love a TED Talk….another one that really put things into perspective was one from another author and all-around guru Tim Ferriss about “fear-setting” instead of goal-setting. In short, it’s envisioning the worst case scenario and figuring out a plan in case that happens. With HSE exams, if you are unsuccessful you will get a list of skills to work on with your score report. You can retest as many times as you need to until you pass. There may be a waiting period but eventually you will be able to try again. I have seen people try for 10 years. He also gets into Stoicism in this post which is a philosophy where you focus on logic vs emotions. Great for us high-strung, control freaks who worry about the “what if’s.” Here is a link to his talk which is also on YouTube: https://www.ted.com/talks/tim_ferriss_why_you_should_define_your_fears_instead_of_your_goals
Last but not least, find a way to celebrate your success! If you don’t pass, then celebrate your courage trying. I got lunch with a treat on the way home today! Small wins are worth acknowledging. I know sometimes testers struggle with being ashamed because they aren’t graduates so they may keep going through this process a secret. Everyone has a story and yours matters. There are all kinds of really valid reasons for not finishing traditional high school. Like I said above, you should be proud of yourself, and others will be as well. You never know how your story could inspire someone else!
Bonus tip for those of us with ADHD: I know I struggle to sit still so I had a built-in fidget/comfort item along with my favorite sweater. I wore this necklace on purpose because of the dangly part on the bottom. It gave me a “fidget.”
I also have a post from when I taught 5th grade about writing your “worries’ down and then ripping them up! It’s worth a try! It’s written for teachers, but you can definitely borrow my idea for yourself! Find it here!
Last thought….are you planning on enrolling in community college classes during your testing journey or when you graduate? Here is a recent post I wrote for that:).
