The worst feeling ever is when you leave your classroom right after taking a test and know you just bombed it. For whatever reason, you weren't prepared. Maybe you went out the night before, or maybe it was your third test this week and you really weren't feeling it, or you might have even studied too hard and your brain turned to mush right as you got your test. Whatever it was, it just made you guess on like 10 questions and your stomach feels like it dropped an inch for every question you randomly bubbled in. So how do prevent yourself from going back home and balling your eyes out as you debate whether college is for you?
1. Relax. You just got out of a stressful test. Before attempting to stress yourself out with more work, take some time to settle down and mellow out. Watch a movie, take a nap, play music as loud as you can to drown out your depressing thoughts. Maybe even eat an entire container of ice cream because you deserve it. Watch a couple episodes of your favorite show on Netflix and eat an entire pizza! Whatever makes you feel better, do it. You'll never want to get anything else done in a rotten mood.
2. Vent. Talk to your other friends in the class about how much that test sucked. They will most likely agree with you. Just make sure you're not talking to your genius friend who has a 4.0 and aces every test. After talking to people who feel just as bad as you do, you weirdly start feeling better. Maybe they can even confirm some of the questions you weren't sure on or confirm that they didn't know them either. Just talk it out! Your friends are sometimes the best therapists.
3. Do Other Classes Work. Don't try and work on stuff from the class that you just took the test in the same day (unless you really have to). Give yourself a break from that class. Looking at that subject is just going to stress you out more. Do your homework for your other classes and focus on actually getting good grades in those. Start with your easier assignments and after you get good grades on those you'll feel a little more accomplished and not as dumb.
4. Plan. After you've finally gotten over your test, plan on how you're going to do better on your next one. Remember, this is only one test. As much as you think it sucks, your grade can still be saved. You just may have to work a little harder on your next couple grades in that class! Having a plan will make you feel a little more relaxed and ready to tackle your next test.
5. Don'ts. DON'T try and figure out the answer to a question right after you get out of the test. Chances are you don't want to know. DON'T immediately email your teacher and tell them how unfair that test was and how you deserve another chance; unless they're awesome, they really aren't going to care. DON'T go and immediately drop the class. Who knows, the teacher may curve it or you may find out that it won't be as hard as you thought to bring your grade up.
It isn't the end of the world. Everyone gets a couple bad grades in college. Remind yourself you got this! You got into college for a reason!
