Nerves When Being Tested By People And Over The Age Of 17?

[LeslieAnneSmith]

I have always been quizzed by family members or family friends and I would always get nervous and either answer the question wrong because of my nerves or answer the math question correctly after a few errors or I just end up sounded completely stupid. I m 21 now and because people say I look younger for my age, I think that is why I am still asked these questions. Recently my manager asked me a simple math question. SIMPLE! I was going on break and asked when she wanted me to return. She said come back in thirty minutes. Then she asked me what will the time be in 30 minutes. Now, I am average at math and of course I know that I have to add the minutes together in order to get the answers, but stupid me always gets all nervous and jittery even after all of these years and I literally started to answer the problem all wrong! It was so embarrassing to say the least. I have to go back to work tomorrow and I don t know if I can go back without feeling like a complete idiot. Does anyone have the same " I get nervous when tested out of nowhere" feelings and how do you handle them? Am I just crazy? I would appreciate any advice. Thanks!

[fiction-factory]

Yes, just look at what happened to Dianne Abbot. I'm usually okay but can recall some situations where I got flustered and came out with nonsense- I still remember a meeting now I had with my manager 30 years ago where I failed to explain something properly and he just thought I was numerically incompetent

[waterboatman]

You're not crazy at all.

I get the idea that you are very shy, that would explain it. Is that the case?

[EDDIE51]

Sorry, but in my opinion if you can't work out what the time will be in 1/2 an hour's time off the top of your head you have a problem.
If you can't do a simple addition such as adding 30 minutes you are not 'average' at maths you are well below average. It is something a 7 or 8 year old should be able to do in seconds.

[naomi24]

It’s quite common for minds to go blank in certain situations. How would I handle it? I’d tell whoever you’re going to feel embarrassed at coming face to face with tomorrow, the truth. The moment will pass.

[albaqwerty]

well, Eddie, that was YOUR opinion, what's your advice which is what was for being asked for.

My advice would be take take a few, deep, slow breaths in and out.
Keep telling yourself not to panic (which is really tough)

[waterboatman]

eddie, are you always that insensitive?

[Old_Geezer]

Always take a deep breath before attempting to answer. More if possible. It'll stop you getting into mental turmoil, rushing and saying something not properly thought out.

[aelmpvw]

//Then she asked me what will the time be in 30 minutes//
it couldn't be that you're always late back from your breaks could it?

[albaqwerty]

conversely, she could always be back early and not take the alloted time :-D

[vulcan42]

If anybody asks me what I consider a condescending question, which this is, I would turn it around. In this case I would have said "why are you asking, can you not work it out for yourself?" Of course it depends on how well you know the person but if it's said jokingly they usually accept it and it gives you time to think of the answer if they still want it.

[woofgang]

what an odd question for an employer to ask...and what an odd question for you to ask....I mean its usual to know how long breaks are so you don’t need to ask when you are wanted back. Personally I would be annoyed and offended if an employer said that to me....also your family quiz you? Tell them to go and do one.

[LeslieAnneSmith]

Thank you everyone for advice, it is kindly appreciated. (: @EDDIE51 I am definitely not below average in math. I know how to tell time and add hours as well as minutes. I just get extremely nervous when being asked questions or when being tested out of nowhere. I respect your opinion, though.

[jim360]

Sorry, but in my opinion if you aren't able to work out that sometimes stress makes even the cleverest people unable to work out what 1+3 is in their head then your empathy is well below average and you have a problem...

[Mamyalynne]

One way I handle getting in a flap is to inject a little humour, it lightens the mood - obviously not in serious situations but in this case you could.

[LeslieAnneSmith]

@aelmpvw Haha, no. I'm never late. (:
@albaqwerty Yeah, I'm always early. It's a habit, I guess.:D
@waterboatman I am shy. I think that could be why. (:

[LeslieAnneSmith]

@jim360 I usually can work out math problems( I'm a cashier and sometimes the register won't work so I have to add everything up myself), but whenever someone randomly tests me, I get nervous.

[jim360]

Leslie, just to be clear, I was targeting Eddie's rather mean post with satire. As for your original problem: well, if it's nerves, or stress, they can always get the best of us sometimes. Are there other questions that make you "freeze up"? Have you ever explored ways to try and cope with this? I think there's something to be said for giving yourself a few seconds to calm down before considering the question, but maybe that's too simplistic.

[albaqwerty]

a very difficult thing to do is to try to change your 'mind-set'
Try not to think of the questions as a test.
However, I have no idea how you'd go about that.

Are you confident in other ways?

[tamborine]

Answer stoopid questions with a question ie 'havent you got a watch'

[LeslieAnneSmith]

@jim360 I reread your previous post. My sincerest apologies. I hope my response didn't sound rude as that was not my intent. (: Yes, anytime someone asks me a question I freeze up. I grew up in a very rural area and so I didn't really speak to many people because not many people were not around much. I moved to the more suburban area when I was a teen. It was a real adjustment. My relatives also lived in the suburbs and in the city. Whenever I would visit them they would ask me trivia questions like math and such. I have always been a quiet person and I never really did well with on the spot questions no matter if it was to test my academic skills or just to ask how am I doing that day. I guess I try not to seem "dumb" so I try to answer the questions being asked as quickly and hopefully clearly as possible. I get nervous in interviews as well. So I think it may be nerves which I find to be a bit annoying because it tends to make me look awkward. I will definitely try to give myself more time to think of the question before answering. (: Thanks!