We can all feel it approaching. Campus has grown quieter, students are buried in the pages of their textbooks, and it’s become almost impossible to find a good seat in the library. Midterms are here. We’ve all dealt with them before, but it’s always good to be reminded of the many ways to stay on the right track and ace these midterms. So before you panic and stress yourself out, check out these tips to help make these midterms a breeze.
1) Make a Schedule: With an organized schedule, you’ll be able to balance your study sessions with other extracurriculars easily. Just commit to following it!
2) Review Old Assignments: Many professors pull out midterm questions from previous homework assignments and quizzes. If you didn’t understand something on a prior assignment, make sure you do before going into the midterm!
3) Actually Do the Readings: We all skim over those 30-40 page-reading assignments throughout the semester. But there’s no way the professor would even assign the reading if it had no significance. Be sure to at least highlight the key themes and concepts from these readings.
4) Go to Bed Early: And we don’t just mean get a good sleep the night before the midterm. This is important for all the days leading up to your test; all-nighters negatively affect our brains and bodies for days! Just try to give yourself at least 8 hours of sleep every night of the big week.
5) Eat Breakfast: They don’t call it the most important meal of the day for nothing. Load up on carbs and proteins first thing in the morning and you’ll have enough energy to study the entire day!
6) Don’t Procrastinate: We’ve all been victims of procrastination, but if there’s any time to avoid it, it’s during midterms. Just get the work and studying done. Keep reminding yourself about all the Netflix you get to catch up on after the midterms are over.
7) Work with Classmates: Sometimes, study sessions with friends can be super effective. You can share notes, ask each other questions, and quiz each other on the material. Just avoid getting distracted. And maybe stay away from the first floor of the library (let’s be real, nothing gets done there)
8) Stay Calm: I know this is a stressful time of the year, but no good comes out of freaking yourself out. Just stay focused and relax; I promise you will get the most out of your studying if you’re calm.
9) Go to the Review Sessions: Any time your professor is willing to give to you guys is undoubtedly going to be helpful. They’re usually no longer than an hour, and often the professor will hint at the major topics covered on the test.
10) Be Confident: Don’t panic. You studied so hard for these midterms, and should go into the test with some confidence. Those long days in the library will pay off.