It’s one of the most beautiful times of the year; the leaves are changing, the air is getting crisp, we break out our flannels and boots and the delicious scents of pumpkin and apple dance through our homes. It’s fall, you say? To some, yes. To college students, it’s Midterm Season: That dreaded time of year where we’re flooded with exams, projects and constant studying. Let’s hand it over to our fabulously funny friends, Jess, Cece, Schmidt, Nick and Winston from the Fox TV show New Girl to explain the emotional part of the semester that is Midterm Season:
The calm before the storm.
You’ve seen the syllabi, you’ve marked your calendar and it doesn’t seem too bad. You’ve convinced yourself that you can handle those dreaded exams and fly by them with ease.
The wave of studying hits you.
You think you’re deteriorating into a zombie. You’re afraid your blood is turning into coffee. Your brain has soaked up so much information in the last week you think you’re brain may spontaneously combust from overuse.
You rebound from your distress.
Okay, so you had a moment of weakness where you wanted to run away and drop out and never come back again, but you’re over it. You can totally still do this. You’re confident in your studies and you’re ready to rock your exams. (This confidence may be false and fleeting, but just make it to the test and you’re fine.)
You allow yourself a fun night out.
It’s the weekend and all of your friends are going out to blow off some steam after the long week. Do you deserve it? Absolutely. Do you feel bad about it the ENTIRE time you’re having fun? Absolutely.
It’s the night before your exam and you’re freaking out.
There’s too much you still don’t know and your brain doesn’t function anymore. You’re cramming, screaming, crying and stress eating simultaneously.
You’re taking your exam.
Sometimes, you sit down to take an exam, look down at the test and question whether or not you’re in the right class. What is this? What does this mean? Are these empty bubbles here to mock me? Why don’t I understand what it wants from me? You panic a little, but as the test goes on, you realize you know more than you thought you did. This may just turn out okay.
After the test, you may feel confident…
….or, you may be convinced it was an exam sent to you from your own worst nightmare.
It’s over. You did it!
Whatever the result, you worked hard and hopefully your grade will show it. Either way, you deserve to celebrate and reward yourself, in whichever way you choose.
Though the dreaded Midterm Season is upon us, we’ll get through it without too much harm done in the process.