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As the dreaded end-of-the-world - uh, I mean... "midterms" approaches, the stress levels on campus are rising... unlike our GPAs. As we try to cram in two papers and some last-minute studying before fall break, do you ever wonder if there's a better way to get through midterms?
If you're looking for a good laugh before midterms, check out this: Studying For Midterms As Told By GIFs
If you're looking for some actual tips on how to survive midterms though, look no further! While this time of year can be daunting to even the most seasoned professional, there's no need to fret if you just try your hardest, put in the work and follow some of these helpful tips:
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- BE PREPARED. I know you all immediately thought of Lion King just then, but I'm serious. Don't go into midterms thinking you'll just float on through without doing any real work. Be prepared to get into the nitty-gritty of your classes. Make sure, before you even get to the midterm, you're all caught up on any past assignments, even if they're late. If you can still turn them in for credit, go for it, but even if you can't, maybe ask your professor for feedback so you can still learn from your mistakes.
- OPEN A BOOK. Even though you might've never even cracked the spine on your textbook yet this semester (or any semester, for that matter), if you're struggling with a topic, maybe take a peek. Who knows? Maybe that over-priced stack of papers can do you some good this semester. It can be really beneficial to reinforce tricky concepts sometimes. Or maybe you've been ignoring those assigned readings? At least skimming through the text could save you from a surprise question about something only mentioned in the textbook, not in class.
- MAKE A PLAN. Don't just attack your assignments and study time recklessly. Think through what work you need to get done by when and prioritize your time. Be aware of what deadlines your assignments and papers have and set out a schedule for them so you don't lose focus. If you feel too overwhelmed, just remind yourself to work on one task at a time.
- GET AHEAD OF THE GAME. I know you have a thousand other things on your plate, but try to start study early when you know a big exam is coming up. Don't set yourself up for a night of panic as you try to learn an entire chapter of Calculus in one night. Instead, review a couple topics and concepts each day leading up to the exam. Make flashcards for your Psychology exam. Do some practice problems for Calculus. Explain a tricky concept in Cell & Molec to a friend. Even if this just seems like one more thing on your to-do list, it'll help you feel much more prepared on exam day and you'll hopefully feel less like this at 1 AM the night before:
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- TALK TO YOUR PROFESSORS. If you're really stumped on a problem or can't wrap your head around a concept, there's nothing wrong with stopping by a professor's office hours to get a little more help. Your professors are here to help you learn, but if they don't know your struggling, how can they help? Let a professor know you're really struggling and ask for additional practice or readings to help cement the concept in your head. ANOTHER OPTION: It's never too late to get a tutor in the Learning Commons. Come by the Coe LC and talk to someone about what you can do to stay on top of your coursework. You may be able to have a weekly tutoring session, which is helpful long after midterms!
- FIND A STUDY GROUP. Talk to your friends in your classes. Chances are, you aren't the only one stressed about that big test coming up. See if a few people want to meet up in the library to study. Or maybe work to come up with a study guide together on Google Docs and share it with one another so you can all help fill in the gaps. Having a study group not only gives you someone else to talk to about hard material, but also gives you someone to hold you accountable to studying when you say you will. Don't be shy - reach out!
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- TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. Get some sleep. Eat well. Drink some water. Check in with yourself. It can be really easy to forget sleep until 4 AM because you had to finish that paper, or skip dinner because you zoned out on this really hard problem, but things like this never end well. It's crucial when you're stressed to take care of yourself. Otherwise, you risk being so burned out leading up to midterms that you sleep through your 9 AM exam! Your body needs fuel to get you through those three exams and a paper - "Student cannot survive on caffeine and potato chips alone."
- DON'T STRESS. I know it's easy to freak out and think you'll never make it out of midterms alive, but midterms is really only as stressful as you let it be. Be confident in yourself. You made it this far already - YOU'RE HALFWAY THROUGH THE SEMESTER. You read that right. Just believe in yourself!
Good luck to everyone on any midterms coming up or recently taken - although, after this article you don't need any luck! Let me know in the comments if you have any other great midterms survival tips. Hope you had a fun and safe fall break!
More Information:
Coe College Learning Commons
Coe College Learning Commons
Find a Study group... I wish I had realized how important that was. There was a group of Indonesian students that would study together. When someone had a problem, one of the other members would help them work it out! I should have found a group like that when I was in college!
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