I've learned something new about 'me'. Apparently, I dissociate during exams. Problematic because I do not dissociate during classes, homework, studying, and practise exams. In other words, the part of me that has a shot at giving the right answers on a test, tunes out during a test.
I'd suggest that all my parts actively study for tests, but I have one part who is not up for that, and even if we all wanted to study for exams, we're still only one body on a clock with no knowledge on how to actively switch without a negative trigger. We don't have the time to learn the material three times.
So that brings us to plan B: don't dissociate during tests.
I know. Tall order, but I guess I need to target the source of my anxiety. If I don't know an answer in a practice test, I don't stress out. It's the moment a grade or pass is tied to it that it becomes stressful. So, current hypothesis is that I'm afraid to fail, despite the fact that I ace practice tests and teachers praise me constantly. I could literally write down the entire theory for this latest exam by heart and somehow I still freaked on the test and fumbled my answers.
Anyone had a similar issue? Got any ideas to combat this?
We'd be eternally grateful!
All best,
~Grey