What causes test anxiety in students?

Test anxiety isn’t caused by one single thing. It’s more like a chaotic group project made up of pressure, fear of failure, high expectations, and past test trauma. Some students worry they’ll disappoint their parents. Others think one bad score will ruin their entire future. Some just freeze when a timer starts ticking. Add in lack of sleep, too much caffeine, and that one kid who finishes early every time, and you’ve got the perfect storm. Even students who prepare like champs can feel the squeeze. The brain sees the test as a threat, flips on the panic switch, and suddenly, everything you studied is hiding behind a mental curtain. The good news? That curtain can be pulled back.