nervous test taker

[poetikfuzion]

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Dear Board,
Ive posted a few times here, its a great place for the flow of info...but heres my question. I get nervous taking tests, especially when the teacher is glaring at me while taking it and staring. Its quite nerveracking to have this. I know the information on alot of my tests but when I take them, I get sweaty, trembly feeling, and constantly feel the professor is staring at me taking the test. Is this just me or does anyone else feel what Im saying? Do you take the DAT in front of a person whos watching your every move? I just need to learn not to give a !@#% I guess right? lol thanks ganggggggggggggggg. heh
Peace

 

[Barry20]

Poetic,

Sorry to hear of your problem, however, I don't think its uncommon. You nailed it in your last sentence. Who gives a damn?!? Thats the attitude you have to take. As far as the DAT is concerned. You will not have anyone in front of you. In fact, the facilities where you take the DAT will ensure that you don't hear a peep. I wore some earmuffs that blocked out all the sound in the room. Its just you and the screen. Calm down.

Nic

 

[ohcdn]

Actually, there is a video camera situated over you, but dont worry about that, its only Mr. Prometric keeping an eye on you

 

[croco]

I had no idea there was a camera. Man, I was saying to myself, man, it could be so easy to cheat in this place.😛

 

[ecdoesit]

in additional to the camera
there is a proctor.

be aware of the other people who is taking other tests, especially the people who are typing their essays.
luckily they provide you with headphones.

 

[savvysearch]

I think there is only one camera. I didnt see any camera in front of me, but I did see a camera at the corner of the room like any room under survaillance.


No one stares at you, you also get your own cubicle-like desk you you shouldnt have reason to be nervous (unless you get nervous because of the camera!).

 

[NewNameForGoogleBot]

Originally posted by poetikfuzion
I just need to learn not to give a !@#% I guess right?

That's for sure, this is hardly the last test you'll have to take. Wouldn't that be nice!

 

[Bickle]

Poetik,

If you are stressed out about taking the DAT, think of how you will react when you have to write the board exams?

Remember, the DAT is only hard if you think it is hard.

 

[busupshot83]

I blow at standarized test too poetik... I fine confidence has lots to do with it: if your confident about the material going into the DAT, don't sweat; if your not confident, then... sweat.

 

[Midoc]

The boards are in essence no different than the DAT and for some people they are actually easier. In both cases you have learned all the material at least once (or at least have had the material presented to you) all you have to do is remember it. For some people the hardcore study/cram sessions are needed to remember what they learned before, for others they don't need to do that. For instance I'm blessed with being able to remember miniscule facts for a long time and so I only studied two days and did very well on the DAT. I want to keep my options open as far as specializing goes so I plan to study a lot more for the boards. However if I didn't care about specializing I wouldn't have to study much for the boards. Thats the reason boards are in a sense easier; you only have to pass, you don't have to do well.

 

[Midoc]

To the OP: invest in a pair of ear plugs. A number of my classmates use these during tests. If you're not distracted and look up you'll never know if the professor is staring at you or not. Also if you're distracted a lot and looking around the prof might be staring at you because your looking around might look like you're attempting to cheat.

Do whatever it takes (as long as its legal/moral) to get into the groove for a test. If you cram the last few mintues before a test, don't do it. You might only get an answer or two and you might just freak yourself out enough so that you screw everything up. Instead take that time to take a few deep breaths, relax and laugh at everyone else frantically pawing through their notes. 😀

 

[predentchick]

Hmmmmm.... interesting that nobody has posted what I am going to: I was monitered every 10-15 min when I was talking the DAT. There was a camera above the computer screen and the prometric proctor walked around and stayed behind each computer for a couple seconds in a rotational manner around all the computers. Ya know, to check things out. I don't have text anxiety, but I can imagine how this would be annoying. If this does happen to you, poet, I am sure you can turn around and ask the proctor to not be so obvious in their surveillance b/c it is making you not concentrate as well. Anyhow, it doesn't sound like this is the situation for the most part, but I wanted to let you know of my experience just in case....

 

[aphistis]

Originally posted by Midoc
To the OP: invest in a pair of ear plugs. A number of my classmates use these during tests. If you're not distracted and look up you'll never know if the professor is staring at you or not. Also if you're distracted a lot and looking around the prof might be staring at you because your looking around might look like you're attempting to cheat.

Do whatever it takes (as long as its legal/moral) to get into the groove for a test. If you cram the last few mintues before a test, don't do it. You might only get an answer or two and you might just freak yourself out enough so that you screw everything up. Instead take that time to take a few deep breaths, relax and laugh at everyone else frantically pawing through their notes. 😀

Dan, I *love* your chill attitude toward dental school. Mine is very similar for the most part. Dental school is way too important to take as seriously as most of the folks here do 😉

 

[Bickle]

Originally posted by predentchick
Hmmmmm.... interesting that nobody has posted what I am going to: I was monitered every 10-15 min when I was talking the DAT. There was a camera above the computer screen and the prometric proctor walked around and stayed behind each computer for a couple seconds in a rotational manner around all the computers. Ya know, to check things out. I don't have text anxiety, but I can imagine how this would be annoying. If this does happen to you, poet, I am sure you can turn around and ask the proctor to not be so obvious in their surveillance b/c it is making you not concentrate as well. Anyhow, it doesn't sound like this is the situation for the most part, but I wanted to let you know of my experience just in case....

predent,

If your not doing anything that would be considered cheating, then why worry about it? Just concentrate and do well.

 

[ItsGavinC]

Originally posted by aphistis
Dan, I *love* your chill attitude toward dental school. Mine is very similar for the most part. Dental school is way too important to take as seriously as most of the folks here do 😉

Truth to that.

I've chilled out more in these last 12 weeks we've been in class than ever before.

I'm also LOVING school more than ever before because I'm refusing to get uptight about the little stuff.

A test point here and there won't affect me at all. To be honest, a bad grade on an exam or in a class here and there is of little consequence to me.

It says NOTHING about my capabilities as a dentist.

To cap it off, my wife and son (and the one on the way) are more than happy that I've got much more time to spend with them.

 

[critterbug]

And we are happy that you have much more time to spend on SDN

 

[aphistis]

Gavin, you've got another one on the way? Congrats! Drinks are on me in a few months; the cigars, of course, are up to you 😀

 

[predentchick]

Dentaldream...... Are you kidding me? I have come across a lot of freakin jerks on this website. It is really dissapointing. The starter of this thread was asking for experiences about their testing center regarding TEST ANXIETY. I thought I would do him/her a service to let them know what was going on. The constant monitoring didn't bother me at all, but it may bother them. If they know the possiblity of the situation beforehand, they can probably deal with it better IF it happens. So as far as telling me in a round-about way that I was cheating, get a life & grow up. We're all professionals here, or at least some of us are trying to be. Was that comment really necessary?

 

[Bickle]

predent,

I dont recall ever saying that you were a cheater. I was just saying that if someone is following the rules, there is no need to worry about all of the supervision.

 

[NewNameForGoogleBot]

Originally posted by predentchick
Dentaldream...... Are you kidding me? I have come across a lot of freakin jerks on this website. It is really dissapointing. The starter of this thread was asking for experiences about their testing center regarding TEST ANXIETY. I thought I would do him/her a service to let them know what was going on. The constant monitoring didn't bother me at all, but it may bother them. If they know the possiblity of the situation beforehand, they can probably deal with it better IF it happens. So as far as telling me in a round-about way that I was cheating, get a life & grow up. We're all professionals here, or at least some of us are trying to be. Was that comment really necessary?

Get a life? I think you should take you own advice and unbunch your panties. Dentaldream was just offering his spin on things. Was your comment really nessicary?

Why do we have so many people on this site with hairtrigger tempers?🙄

 

[aphistis]

Originally posted by jaap
Get a life? I think you should take you own advice and unbunch your panties. Dentaldream was just offering his spin on things. Was your comment really nessicary?

Why do we have so many people on this site with hairtrigger tempers?🙄

Mostly because of the ridiculously elevated superiority complex-to-person ratio, if you ask me.