When I open my workbook, the whole exam comes to mind.

This is a story for anyone who sits down to study on a weekend afternoon, only to see the exam date before the first question.

Scenes

When I open my workbook, the whole exam comes to mind. — It’s three o’clock on Saturday afternoon. Even after sitting at my desk, I think of the exam date before the first question. All I’m holding is my pencil.
It’s not that I was avoiding studying. — I sit down to study, then rewrite my planner and organize my materials. I’ve started, but I still haven’t reached the questions.
My hand stops beside the first question. — It’s three o’clock on Saturday afternoon. The pencil tip circles beside the first question. After reading one line and checking the calendar, I close the workbook again.
The exam slips inside a single question. — When exam anxiety rises, one question grows until it feels like the whole exam. So the organizing keeps growing, while the time spent actually solving problems gets shorter.
Write only what you know beside the first question. — Today, before solving the first question, write down just one line about what you know right now. If you get stuck, you’ll see where you stopped instead of judging your ability.
Start again, even from where you stopped. — Your hand may stop again after writing one line. Even so, once you can see where you started and where you broke off, you can match the next page to your rhythm.