If Scantron sheets prompt your palms to sweat and number two pencils provoke panic attacks, help is on its way through Student Survival Workshops.
The Learning Enhancement Program at the U will host a workshop about test anxiety Friday from 10 a.m. to noon in OSH room 105. The program has hosted several other workshops this semester.”(Time management and test-taking anxiety) seem to be the things students struggle with most,” said Tina Hatch, a second-year coordinator with the program.
In addition to the pre-scheduled workshop, small groups may call the center and set up specific, personal sessions.
Jinna Lee, assistant coordinator of the program and a doctoral student in psychology, teaches the test survival workshops.
“They’ve gone great so far,” Lee said. “I really enjoy teaching them.”
Lee said students can expect sessions to be a mixture of information and “breaking up the time block with more interactive things.”
Hatch explained that though the workshops have been held for years, attendance varies, and the center generally receives more calls from students seeking help.
“We’d love to see more people there,” Hatch said. “Both types of sessions are absolutely free and provide solid information on time management and strategies for both preparing for and taking tests.”
For students who cannot attend the workshops or set up individualized sessions, Lee offers general advice about time management and test taking anxiety.
“Time management is really about prioritizing, and in order to do that, you need to have clear goals,” Lee said. “I’m always surprised at how unclear some students’ goals are.”
In the case of test-taking anxiety, Lee said overcoming it is a skill that can be mastered, and learning how to manage anxiety “simply takes practice.”
The program’s website also offers basic study tips, including note taking, oral presentations and critical thinking advice. Also offered through the center is a three-credit-hour course in the educational psychology department called Strategies for College Success.
Program members welcome any questions about services at 801-581-8746 and by e-mail at [email protected].