Describe a time when you felt nervous before an exam or test

I'd like to talk about my driving test, which I took two years ago. I had been taking lessons for three months, and although I felt reasonably confident in the practice area, I was extremely worried about the real test, because I knew the examiner would be strict, and I'd heard that many people fail on their first attempt.

The night before, I hardly slept. I kept imagining all the things that might go wrong: stalling the car, forgetting to check my mirrors or going the wrong way at a roundabout. On the morning of the test, I had butterflies in my stomach, and I couldn't eat breakfast. My instructor tried to calm me down by telling me jokes in the car on the way to the test centre, which helped a little.

To manage my nerves, I did a few things. I took several deep breaths before I got into the car. I also reminded myself that I knew how to drive and that the examiner wasn't there to trick me. During the first five minutes, my hands were shaking on the wheel, but as I concentrated on the road, the nerves faded.

In the end, I made a couple of small mistakes, like braking too late at a junction, but I passed. When the examiner told me, I almost shouted with joy. I learned that being nervous is normal, and that preparation and calm breathing are the best ways to deal with it. Since then, I use the same techniques before presentations and interviews.