Preparing for Midterms: 5 Tips

 

Preparing for Midterms

1. Start early

• Check what type of midterm (if there is one) that your classes have (test, project, paper) and put those due dates on your calendar or planner.
• It can be helpful to get into a regular practice of reviewing your notes the evening or next day after a lecture. Through this habit, you'll be regularly studying for exams throughout the semester, so you can be better prepared.
• Check your syllabus for information about the format and weight of the midterm(s).

2. Take notes

• Taking good notes each class period is a key part of studying for midterms. Instead of wasting time searching for information, you can focus on reviewing the notes you've already created. 
• Consider turning your notes into flashcards and studying with a peer. Explaining definitions and concepts to someone else can help you better retain and understand information.

3. Ask questions

• If you don't know the exam format and/or need to clarify the expectations of a midterm project or paper, feel free to ask your professor. It's best to gather as much information as possible, so you fully understand the expectations. 
• Visit your professor's office hours and ask questions about material that you don't fully understand yet.

4. Create a study schedule

• Aim to start studying at least 1-2 weeks before the midterm and set aside times to work on your different classes. For some people, it works better to be super specific about their schedule and durations of time to work on each class. however, other people need more flexibility in their schedule. Try stuff out and see what works best for you.
• Remember to space out your study sessions rather than pulling an all-nighter right before an exam. Breaking up your studying into multiple sessions (i.e. 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, etc.) spread out over the course of 1-2 weeks can help you retain more information.

5.  Make use of academic resources and peer support

• Visit the Writing Center for a midterm paper or project.
• Make an appointment with a tutor or executive function coach. 
• Form a study group with people who can help hold each other accountable.

Setting Goals for the New Semester

Do you run into a pattern of feeling stuck at some point in the semester? Maybe you start to forget why you even chose to take your classes in the first place. In these circumstances, it can be really hard to stay focused and motivated when everything is so overwhelming. In this article, I'll discuss the benefits of goal setting at the start and throughout the semester to help you stay motivated. 

Academic

Learning Goals:

Setting learning goals for each class you're taking at the start of a new semester can give you specific things to focus on and revisit if you're ever losing motivation or feeling stuck. Sometimes, it's helpful to remind ourselves why we're in school and what we hope to learn and gain from our experiences. When writing or simply thinking about your learning goals, try to consider these questions:

• Why is this learning goal personally relevant to you?
• How will achieving this goal help you reach your ultimate academic, career, or personal goals?
• What specific steps do you plan to take to accomplish this goal? 
• What challenges might you face throughout the semester as you work toward this goal?
• What actions could you take to help overcome these challenges?
• What skills/abilities do you already possess that could help you reach this goal?
• What skills/abilities will you gain from accomplishing this goal?

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Mini Goals:

Consider getting into a routine of setting mini goals each week, each day, or even each study session. Don't feel like you have to plan out a specific schedule down to the last minute, but it can be helpful for some people to manage their time and stay on track with coursework by creating goals for what they aim to accomplish by a certain date or time. 

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Personal Goals

Since coursework takes up so much of our time as college students, we often forget how important free time is to work on our personal interests, hobbies, and passions. If you're someone who often gets overwhelmed and over focused on school work alone, it can be helpful to set some goals for your personal growth outside of school. 

Example: I aim to spend more time on my hobby of playing guitar by learning at least five new songs by the end of the semester. 

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Overall, remember to always do what works best for you in terms of goal setting, and if you don't know yet, that's okay too. Some people are very driven toward accomplishing certain things while other people find their motivation and goals along the way. This article is simply a starting point with suggestions and ideas to work on goal setting. Best of luck to everyone starting the new semester!