Becoming a university student opens a new chapter in your life. Admittedly, most of us believe we have things figured out until midterms or finals season arrives. We all know that cramming or panicking over our midterms is not very effective in getting us the grades we want.
Luckily, now that the midterm season is finally wrapping up, I got the chance to sit down with Jenna, student club head figure at UTM, and ask her about to reveal the secrets to her midterms survival and academic successes. Jenna is my club supervisor, who is known to have a balanced lifestyle and charms with her lovely personality.
Tell us about yourself.
I’m Jenna, I’m a third year Finance student, and majoring in Economics at UTM. I’m also currently a Teaching Assistant for ECO100. I came to Mississauga nine years ago with my family and my sisters and we have been living here since.
How do you spend your day? Are there any tips to maintaining a balance between your academics and social life?
I am taking six credits this year. Normally, I stay at home or go to the library to study. When I am not studying I would prepare for the presentations and events that I joined.
During the week I’m very busy and don’t have time to relax. So in the weekend I would go downtown and hang out with friends from my club, or spend quality time with my family at home. I also like to sleep in during the weekend.
How did you do on your midterms?
I am doing pretty well on my midterms, so far I have not gotten grades lower than 80.
What is the secret to you consistently doing well?
I just work hard, ever since the very beginning, because my sister who graduated university last year, told me you have to work hard in university, since where I came from in Taiwan, high school performance is considered more intense and rigorous compared to university. During my first year I also thought that university is about finding boyfriends and joining clubs, but that is not the case as my sister told me so I listened to her advice.
What do you believe is the most important when preparing for exams? How do cope with academic stress and stress in general?
I guess I have good time management skills. And I’m not the type of person to get things done last minute. I know people who leave stuff to the last minute, but if I have an essay that is due next week I would start today.
What is your favorite holiday in the year?
Chinese New Year, because I get to receive lucky money from my parents!
What are your next steps, plans at UTM and after graduation?
Next year I will probably continue with my Teaching Assistant job and focus on completing all my courses.
After graduation, I’m thinking about doing a Master’s program at the St. George campus called Master of Financial Economics (MFE). It’s a three semesters program with one semester of doing an internship. It’s pretty hard to get in so I have to work very hard.
Thank you Jenna for the interesting interview!
Here are five midterms survival tips that Jenna left us with after reflecting on her recent academic performances:
1) Expect to work hard in university.
2) Plan ahead and do not leave things to the last minute.
3) Have fixed schedule and stick to your meal routines.
4) Allocate time effectively to relax and sleep (Jenna likes to spend time with her family in the weekend and get more hours of well-deserved sleep!)
5) Make sure your health is in good condition by getting flu shots, and eat healthily to perform well in midterms.