Testing anxiety is something that many people struggle with. UCLA School of Mental Health says that 40% to 60% of people struggle with testing anxiety in the U.S. alone. When the pressure of testing gets too much, like a student isn’t adequately prepared for the test and fears failure, that is testing anxiety. It is a real thing that happens to many people around you. Some students expressed their feelings about testing anxiety.

“Some of my symptoms are getting butterflies in my stomach before a test or studying hard the night before a test, but then forgetting everything right before,” Taryn Windell (7) said.

Windell’s symptoms are very normal and common for a person who has testing anxiety. Other symptoms include sweaty hands, rushes of adrenaline, and headaches. This result in bad test scores and fear of failure.

“I have had anxiety since I was seven so I get really nervous before tests. For example, the upcoming STAAR test is really stressing me out because I’m not good at math,” Taryn Windell (7) said.

Windell, like many other students, are stressed out about the STAAR test. The test shows how well you learned the information taught to you. This stresses people with testing anxiety out because they don’t know how good they are going to do.

Ms. Castro, one of the 7th grade ELA teachers said, “Yes, I have students all the time who have testing anxiety. My favorite advice to tell them is to breathe, take your time, and read the question slowly and carefully.” 

Overall, testing anxiety really affects students’ lives. It harms their mental health and makes them uncomfortable.