How to face an oral exam: 5 methods to overcome anxiety

Face an oral exam is for many university students a source of anxiety and stress.

Often, even if you’re well aware of your preparation, anxieties and fears grow as the day of the exam approaches.

Within certain limits, feeling anxiety is not wrong because it is a symptom of a determined will to excel in life and to do one’s best to overcome the obstacles.

Anxiety turns into a problem when it starts to cause physical and mental discomfort, such as: headaches, stomach cramps, insomnia, difficulty concentrating.

During the preparation for an exam, if badly managed, anxiety can lead to problems that do not allow one to face the test with the right serenity.

How to face an oral examination without being overwhelmed by agitation and fear of failure?

Before we move on to tips on how to overcome anxiety and face an oral exam, let us take a closer look at exam-related anxiety.

As is often said “to defeat your enemy you must first know him” this also applies to exam-related anxiety.

First of all, we need to identify the type of anxiety that presents itself: it can manifest in different ways and times, in the form of physical and/or psychological discomfort.

While preparing for the exam, many students, often unconsciously, adopt behaviors to stifle anxiety. For example by surfing the web excessively or texting their colleagues or friends all the time. Rather than managing this psychophysical state, they tend to procrastinate.

The most common symptoms before the assesment are related to physical complaints such as continuous headaches or disturbed sleep.

The most easily recognisable symptoms are those that occur during the examination. Such as nausea, severe palpitations and excessive sweating, right up to the most dreaded symptom for all students, the black-out: the temporary removal of all knowledge learned.

Has this ever happened to you? Don’t worry, you’re not the only one.

Do you think it’s over? We reveal that exam-related anxiety also exists after you’ve taken the exam, especially if it didn’t go as you hoped. We can call them “aftermath”, but be aware that they can cause increased anxieties and fears for subsequent tests as well.
If you feel anger, apathy, demotivation and low self-esteem after the test, know that these are caused by the anxiety that has overwhelmed you in your last few weeks.

Here are 5 methods that will help you control your anxiety and face an oral exam in the best possible way

Here’s another thing, there is a way to manage anxiety and face an oral test without being a victim of uncontrolled fear.

Obviously, while this is good advice, it may not be enough, as it does not provide the ultimate solution to anxiety attacks. So if your discomfort is very strong, the first advice we give you is to talk to a professional who can actually help you overcome the problem.

Acquire a method of studying and organization

It may sound trivial, but acquiring a method and having good organization helps a lot in managing anxiety.

Not knowing where to start and how long you will take to prepare each topic can be a source of great stress and cause panic attacks. 

Define a study plan now and everything will run more smoothly.

Still haven’t acquired a study method? It may help you to read our article ‘How to study for a university exam: 7 useful tips‘.

Take care of your body and your psyche will benefit too

You have to take care of yourself both mentally and physically. Look after your body by exercising regularly, preferably outdoors. Follow a healthy diet and devote the right hours to sleep.

Avoid sweets, foods and drinks very sugary, are in fact exciting foods and encourage states of agitation, but prefer vegetables and fruit.

Meditate and learn to relax

Google conducted an analysis that showed that the search for relaxing videos is becoming a trend that captures the attention of Generation Z. More than 80 per cent of respondents said they watch relaxing content.

Today’s students are therefore more familiar with relaxation and meditation techniques, from which they are able to benefit. If you are not yet among them, we recommend that you try it, even if it only takes a few minutes.

An example: Inhale while mentally counting to 3 and exhale while doing the same. Meanwhile, visualize the numbers while counting and concentrate only on your breath. After a few minutes, you will feel the worry subside and you will be back in control.

Accept stress

Pretending to eliminate anxiety for good is not only wrong but also counterproductive. You need to understand that being nervous about a test is completely natural; in fact, in the right measure it helps you get the most out of your mind.

Rather than repressing it, learn to manage this energy and turn it into a strength to perform at your best.

Establish a pre-examination routine

Create a routine with ‘rituals’ that help you find security and tranquility.

What actions have the power to relax you before an exam? It can be a warm bath the night before, a walk while listening to your favorite music or a special meal.

Find your rituals and repeat them before you face the test, you will see it will be easier to manage your anxiety.

Conclusions

As you can see, there are many things you can do to manage anxiety, you just need to have the consistency to follow certain behaviors that will prove useful not only for this occasion, but also in other stressful situations that will come your way in life.

Finally, remember that a great way to cope with assessment preparation is to study in a company. Preparing with one or more colleagues will allow you to share your moods with someone who is probably experiencing them as you are, and give free rein to anxiety and fear.

All In-Domus campuses have study rooms and relaxation areas precisely to give all students the opportunity to organize study groups but also to carve out moments of relaxation and disconnect from pre-exam stress for a while.

Live, Study and Feel In-Domus!