Turn nervous energy into productive focus by using these tips:

Before:

  1. Keep study times brief--this reduces stress and increases recall.
  2. Imagine successfully performing in the exam location.

During:

  1. Redefine physical anxiety as motivation, or focus, or energy.
  2. To counter fear, take a few slow breaths--and think something like "doing fine."

After:

  1. Try "Do your work, then step back" instead of "let it go."
  2. Associate the exam with something pleasant to decondition your mind from worries.