Standardized Testing

The month of May is always paired with end of the year finals, core testing, and now introducing AP, ACT, SAT, and SAT2s when winding down the school year. I guess I can understand the reasoning behind these assessments and all this testing, it's coherent that there has to be some way of evaluating what we've comprehended from the school year; although sometimes, a lot of the times, all these multiple choice questions become painfully tedious, stressful, and escalate to dreadful.

I understand that it's important to do well on every test you take, because you never know how it could somehow effect you and you always want to put yourself in the best position for success. When it comes to the core testing at our schools, it's always been a tedious process, but never something to truly worry about. Those scores just go to the state for teacher, school, and district assessment, for the most part; it's always something I try my best on, but I won't loose any sleep over guessing on a question I truly didn't understand.

On the other hand, tests like APs, ACTs, and SATs are starting to affect our collegiate futures and rankings, in other words these tests actually start to "count". These are some of the tests that have been feeding stress and anxiety over the past month, and month-to-come... who am I kidding I guess it never really ends. Between now and the moment I finally get an acceptance letter, I don't think the stress of getting into college will ever really settle, especially the anxiety of it directed towards taking these standardized tests.

Photo Courtesy hbculifestyle.com

When walking into a test room, a wave of tension seizes me. The way the desks are arranged all differently than usual, spread apart from each other as much as possible while still maintaining the linear grid-like pattern and spacial evenness between each desk. While taking a seat I tend to always imagine what I'll be doing when I'm done with the test, and I foresee the moment in the future when I'm looking back at the moment I'm in right then, thinking about how relieved I'll be once I just get the whole thing over with. The worst part is writing my name on the bubble sheet. I just hate those Scantrons so much; they make me feel nauseous by this point.

I think that one of the challenges of staying focused for up to hours at a time during these tests. I honestly think that's 50% of the test, is just maintaining your composure, especially on a test like the ACT, or an AP test, which can be up to three hours long. Just after a few minutes the room seems half the size to me, and continues to shrink the longer I'm in that testing room. The mere sound of someone tapping the pencil in the desk or erasing an answer can make me want to scream.

Testing feels like the end of the world right now, but in truth of it we'll all live. Hopefully another breakthrough of assessing students besides these standardized tests will be relevant soon enough, but for now I'll be filling in those bubbles with a No. 2 pencil, not mechanical of course.

Second Quarter Finals

With two days left in quarter two, units and lessons are ending, and the final tests, quizzes, and assesments are resurfacing. I am not a great test taker, so when up to 50% of my ultimate grade in a class is relying on a final, it can build up some anxiety. I also know that I can't be the only one who does fine in class but struggles when given a sixty-question multiple choice test. I have a hard time believing that a Scantron score can give a full perspective assessment on how much I'm learning or how "smart" I am. I find it sad that a number, like a test score, is what's determining my learning levels, but until they find a better system I'll be up at all hours studying.

Scantron
Photo Courtesy: delmar.edu

Just thinking about how many tests I have the next day gives me that tickle of uneasiness in the pit of my stomach. The stress from it all starts to affect other aspects of my life. I notice that I am more irritable with my friends and family when I am stressed out from school. I get tired more easily and often. I feel so overwhelmed by everything that sometimes I don't have any energy left in me to contain snapping at someone.

Everyone gets stressed out from school, a stress relief can be helpful. Sometimes going for a run with some good music can help me take my mind off of things for things for a little bit, sometimes all I need is a long hot shower. Deep breaths are also important ;). Although it is crucial to have a relief to all of this anxiety, you can't just ignore what you need to do because that will make it worse. You need to make sure you are studying and preparing for your classes because this will make you feel more confident going into your test, and in the process hopefully relieving some of your stress at the source.

Photo Courtesy: mindpostinspiration.com

Good study habits are NEVER a bad thing. The number one thing on my list of bad habits probably has to be procrastination. Take it from someone who puts the "pro" in procrastination, don't do it. If you get what you need to get done before it has to be done it gives you so much more wiggle room for something to go wrong. Turning in your work earlier makes school amazingly easier, and not on time, early. Give yourself more than one night to study for your tests too. It's one way to eliminate majorities of your stress. No one likes a last minute time crunch. Another study deficiency to kick to the curb is your phone. I know it can be harder than it should be sometimes, but if you can keep it in a drawer while you study for half-an-hour or so while you study, you'd be surprised by how much more you retain from your studying just by being completely focussed and immersed in what you're learning. One other thing that can help you if you're going through the same end-of-the-quarter shenanigans that I am: sleep. A full eight hours is a must if you're looking to at least keep your eyes open during your tests. Yes, that is a very hypocritical thing to say on my part, but we all try, right? ;) Keep up good study habits and that will most likely make your week go ten times easier.

Good luck on your finals, god knows I need it.

Dress to stress...

Alright between school, sports, friends, parents, and sometimes just the elephant-on-your-chest of life itself adds up. A.k.a. stress.

Definition and Photo Courtesy of Merriam-Webster Dictionary

If feels like a little tornado gusting inside of your stomach and tumbling its way into your chest, sucking the breath from your lips and leaving you wide eyed. It smells of body oder and tastes like the sourness of nothing between your teeth. As the sweat collects on your hairline, you suddenly become aware of the massive weight your clothes now seem to put on your body, your cotton t-shirt dragging you down to hell. All you can do is sit there and simply tell them you're fine. Even though the monster inside you is punching holes in your wholeness.

It happens, the chemical build up of toxins due to the fight or flight reaction process our bodies experience for survival purposes. Stress and anxiety are purely a human extinct, but purely the thing eating kids alive these days. Stress can lead to depression. Depression is the third leading cause of death in people ages fifteen to forty-four, and it is estimated that ten to fifteen percent of teens are depressed. We all experience it, the stress and anxiety, yet some of us still can't cope with it. That being the scary part.

My cause of stress is mostly caused by school work and deadlines. I'm a natural procrastinator, and don't act like you haven't ever been there too; pulling the two-hours-of-sleep nights to get that project in on time. Well, maybe not to those extremes. Homework isn't always the most pleasant when you struggle managing your time. Then why don't we through a little after-school practice or game in there, which is always something to look forward to, until the reality of that blog post you had to do tonight is looking you in the eye. Along with the fact that you had gotten in a fight with your mom that morning sprinkled on top of the situation. Now she is ignoring you the whole ride home. You still haven't caught up on your reading you needed to do yesterday, as  well as feeding the dogs and doing your laundry before your mom gets even more mad at you then-- KABAM! It started as a little salamander slithering through your tummy but now it has escalated to a basketball stuck up your sarcophagus and before you know it the stress seems to have engulfed you whole. Yes, I know the feeling.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Once more.

Maybe twice.

That can usually do the trick. For me, at least.

If you are interested on learning more about the direct side effects and health facts behind stress these are a few links that you make take use of:

Mayo Clinic

Help Guide

American Psychological Association

University of Maryland