# Exam overthinking



## CreamCheese (Jul 21, 2010)

Does anybody else have this problem?
I think I've become progressively better, but yesterday I took an exam and put the right answer, then really thought too hard into the question and changed it to the wrong one. This happens to me a lot-I tend to extract what I convince myself is "common sense" with whatever I have learned sometimes because I study too hard and tend to forget things later on. I have major test anxiety and fall into a lot of pressure when taking exams. 



I am going to be meeting with my therapist for the first time this semester next week...thinking about talking to her about it too.


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## cavemanslaststand (Jan 6, 2011)

CreamCheese said:


> (more...)
> 
> I am going to be meeting with my therapist for the first time this semester next week...thinking about talking to her about it too.


While I applaud the therapist idea, it's not too uncommon to overthink an exam depending on what type of exam of course.

If you are interested, there are performance tactics both through practising and military type speed drills. Hate to use athletics, but the more you practice, the more automatic it becomes on game day.

Not just using psycho-babble. Been through plenty of USN speed drills. Basically, you just have to let loose and be fast even if you make mistakes, then repeat, then repeat. "Big picture thinking" sometimes helps.

So if you have extra homework or even homework corrections you can do, take additional time to do speed drills with it no matter whether it's assigned or not. It's painfull exercise, but battle day is won by drilling.

EDIT: Sorry for the overly bland post stating the obvious. Good luck.


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