The Bar Exam Jitters: Controlling Your Anxiety

I saw one of my students yesterday in the midst of an anxiety attack. Despite studying diligently for the last few weeks, and despite earning the highest final exam grade in my class, she was a bundle of nerves and tension wondering how she was going to learn everything for the bar exam. She kept telling me that the exam was only 6 weeks away.

Sound familiar? You all will go through those jitters and fears until the exam. You will continuously ask yourself, am I studying enough? Do I know enough? How will I learn everything I need to learn? Why is the time going so slowly and then so fast?

Your anxiety is normal, but do not let that nervousness overwhelm you. It is completely natural to have test anxiety.

Yes, studying for the bar exam is not fun. It is tedious, hard work and you feel like the whole world is passing you by while you are miserable. But remember your ultimate goal. After this experience you will fulfill your dream of being a lawyer. And, in most cases, this will be the only bar exam you have to take unless you plan to leave the jurisdiction.

Try to Stay Calm

If you have too much anxiety, you will not be able to study efficiently or effectively. Too much anxiety will have a detrimental effect on your preparation and your performance. You cannot absorb the law if you are completely stressed. Try relaxation exercises or do something you like to do as a reward for a good study day. If you like watching a particular tv show, record it and watch it on one of your breaks as a reward. If you want to watch the playoffs, get up early or make up those 3 hours or, better yet, watch the 4th quarter only. Save an hour for exercise if that relaxes your mind.

Be diligent and disciplined and you’ll start to feel less stressed out.

Know the Exam Like the Back of Your Hand

To lessen your anxiety, you need to boost your confidence about the bar exam. You can only achieve this by taking the time to understand the tested material, answering practice questions, and becoming familiar with the organization of the bar exam.. The more confident you are about the exam, the less likely you will be to experience test anxiety.

Another thing you can do to ease your nerves is make sure you won't be in for any surprises the day of the exam. You should drive by the test facility a few days before your scheduled exam date and locate everything you need for the test (like your identification and admission ticket) and set it aside. Be sure you get a good night's sleep the night before so you can wake up with enough time to get ready. If you're going to be traveling to the test center during rush hour, give yourself plenty of time to arrive early.

Be Confident in Yourself and Your Abilities

You have been successful your whole life. You did well in college, got into law school, studied and clawed your way to a degree, and you can pass the bar exam. Remember, you don’t have to be a genius to pass the bar, you have to put in the time and the hard work. Tell yourself often that you can pass this bar exam.

Keep Your Mind in the Game

Keep thinking of your ultimate goal of beating the bar and becoming a lawyer. Visualize yourself as being smart at the bar exam, answering the questions easily. Visualize yourself telling your parents or your loved ones that you passed the bar.

Remember to Believe in Yourself. You Can and You Will Pass the Bar