Are tests hard for you to take? Do you find it difficult to study? Many students face stress due to tests. About 11 percent of students reported that they face severe psychological and physiological symptoms. There are various strategies that students can try to help with test anxiety. Some of them include chewing gum, getting enough sleep and working in a quiet place. 

I am not a test person. Even though I am a straight A student, I used to never be able to sit there and be focused and remember everything. My seventh grade teacher, Mrs. Parisi, told me that she chewed gum when she took tests and writing papers; it helped her remember things and stay focused. Ever since then, I have not taken one test without chewing gum. It increases my ability to focus and remember the information. 

In basic terms, Penn State’s SC200 course summed up that chewing gum increases your blood pressure, heart rate and it wakes up your brain to allow you to focus. 

In addition to the smell and taste of gum helping jumpstart a memory and to focus, working in a quiet place can also help. 

Charles Ann MacDonald, a senior, explained that she likes to study in a quiet room because it helps her focus. 

Another tip is to exercise before you study. The two main reasons why exercising positively impacts your studying session is because it is a stress-reducer, and it floods your brain with the information you need to know. 

Olivia Pittman, the author of ”5 Study Hacks Proven By Science( and Why They Work), explained, “It has long been theorized that sleep helps stabilize the memories we form throughout the day.”  

Nicole Herrera, a senior, stated,” Whenever I burn lavender incense at night, the next morning I usually feel very rejuvenated and I have a clear conscious.” 

It works with the part of the brain, hippocampus, which is important for reasoning and memory. 

Lastly, according to collegeraptor.com, studying before you fall asleep is scientifically proven to help you remember the information a lot better. Sleep helps you stabilize the memories you make throughout the day. Instead of pulling an all-nighter to try and get your studying in, it is better to get 7-8 hours of sleep with a study session before you go to bed.

School and stress seem to go hand-in-hand.  It is very beneficial to practice good study habits to help with the pressure students face each day.