How To Overcome The Fear Of Academic Failure

UNITED STATES—Poor performance is shunned in academia. It doesn’t help matters that parents and teachers advocate for academic excellence. This often results in fear of failure, which causes stress, helplessness, and pressure.

However, regardless of the pressure and fear, good grades are key to advancing from one academic level to another and point to a career choice one should pursue. With all the benefits you stand to gain by having good grades, overcoming the fear of academic failure is important. How do you do that? Find out below.

Be Better Prepared

Excellent preparation is key to good academic performance. That is why students should regularly read textbooks, class content, and any material to help them comprehend the course better.

The trick is reading way before exams to understand the content better. Taking time to understand course material instead of cramming it stores the information in long-term memory, and you can recall it even long after exams are over.

Another way students can be better prepared for exams is to buy essay writing at an affordable price and from a subject expert. That way, learners will understand the topic better when they read the academic content. The information gained can also be useful during exams leading to better performance.

Stop Self-Sabotaging

Students often do things that prevent them from getting good academic performance. When they fail assignments or exams more than once, they develop a fear that it can happen again. Because of fear of poor performance, students can also procrastinate in studying, which leads to failure to understand the course content.

For example, a student can wait until a few hours before exams to start studying, which increases the odds of getting low grades. Not attending classes is another self-sabotaging behavior. Knowing that you’ve studied the material, you’ll have less fear in the exam room.

Improve Test Taking Techniques

In rare cases, students who have studied the course material might get low academic performance simply because they have poor test-taking skills. This can include taking too much time on one question resulting in time running out or misunderstanding instructions. In some cases, test anxiety can also cause poor performance, which leads to fear.

The ideal remedy for this problem is to start quizzing yourself more often and use practice questions to improve your test-taking skills. For self-testing, use flashcards or download apps with good testing sessions, particularly those that allow you to progress from one level to another.

Don’t Sell Yourself Short

Fear of academic failure leads to low self-esteem. So if you want to grow your confidence, you must avoid selling yourself short. Remember, you were given a spot in that college because they believe in your abilities and performance. Besides, academic excellence is often rewarded.

Recognize Areas of Improvement

Do you have a specific subject or topic that you struggle to understand? If unsure which areas need improvement, use the exams and practice tests. Check wrong answers or assignments that you got the lowest marks, and it will point you to learning gaps. Once you become a better student, your confidence will improve, and you won’t dread exams or assignments.

Let Go of Past Academic Failures

There is a high chance that your fear of failure stems from an experience. As a result, you’ll be scared that you will have the same results if you try something similar. So forgive yourself for getting average or poor grades, let that be in your past, and focus on improving the present.

Additionally, examine your life and determine if something you’re doing or haven’t done is causing you to have poor academic performance.

Once you identify the root cause, you can take appropriate action. Ultimately, it’s important to learn from mistakes that have caused poor academic performance because they might be why you’re afraid. Another way that failure will not feel scary is if students accept that failing and overcoming it is part of their academic journey.

Say No to Fear of Success

Students who tend to be the best in class are more pressured to maintain good grades. This can lead to fear of success or believing you’re not good enough to excel or as intelligent as people thought.

A student can even feel they don’t deserve success, leading to poor academic performance. The solution is to be honest with yourself. Then examine the previous success and what you did to get there. Remember, you can do it again if you achieve academic excellence even once.