It’s official, midterms are officially around the corner, and the stress is about to start piling up. Whether you’re a first-year or a fourth-year just wanting to get everything over with, or in between, we all want to do well enough to pass and move on with our lives at the very least. But, how do we achieve conquering what is UVA midterms without feeling like we’re suiting up for a final boss battle?
As a D1 overachiever and president of the stress about absolutely everything club, I am no stranger to feeling overwhelmed when it comes to exams, especially ones worth 30-40 percent of your final grade. However, never fear! There are ways to combat the fog we find ourselves in surrounding the plague that is UVA midterms. Here are some of my tips to not put ourselves through absolute hell.
1. don’t let the percentage scare you
Have you ever looked at the syllabus and immediately sweated bullets at how the midterm is worth 30-40 percent of your grade? To tell the truth, it’s happened to all of us at least once. Seeing that percentage makes the midterm feel like we’re about to go up against Thanos himself, just from thinking about the amount of work that needs to be done to prepare before we even have the study guide. Of course, a small freak-out is fine, but we can’t all be nonchalant, even though some of us aspire to be.
At the end of the day, panicking about the percentage won’t change it. We tend not to do our best when we become too consumed with the specifics. Instead, think of a midterm as a way to gauge how well you engage with the material. I know I sound like some of your professors, but hear me out. If you mess up, generally, you will know what to work on for the first exam.
Also, not knowing everything does not mean that you will automatically fail. I know this from personal experience. I always do worse when I spend more time worrying about how much an exam is worth than when I focus on what I can control. It’s impossible to control the percentage, but you can control how you prepare, how you study, and how you approach the exam. So instead of letting that scary number consume you, focus on doing what you can with the time and knowledge you have.
2. DO WHAT YOU CAN, BUT DO IT WELL
Adding to that, if you do what you can, then there isn’t much to be scared of. This ties in with not letting the percentage scare you. It is absolutely unrealistic to expect to know or remember everything, so make whatever you do remember count. There’s a saying along the lines of being better at one thing than trying to be good at everything. Better yet, think of it as a Would You Rather question: Would you rather know everything, or know one thing but know it really well?
Putting this into the framework of midterms, it is a no-brainer that most, if not all, of us would pick knowing everything. However, as we know, that’s not possible. So the next best thing is to know some things well enough to actually explain them. Alas, it’s at times like these that we envy those with photographic or eidetic memories.
But since most of us aren’t walking around with photographic memories, the goal shouldn’t be to memorize every single thing from the semester. Instead, focus on the topics that you know are important and make sure you actually understand them. If you can explain a concept without immediately reaching for your notes, that’s a pretty good sign that you know it. And if you can’t? That’s what you study next.
3. REWARD YOURSELF
Self-rewarding makes a difference, y’all. When we accomplish something difficult, we deserve to be acknowledged for it. Studying for hours or finally finishing that midterm is an accomplishment, even if it doesn’t always feel like one. So why focus only on what went wrong when you can also appreciate what you did right?
Once you finish that midterm, or even while you’re studying, give yourself a little treat. Get your favorite snack, watch an episode of your favorite show, listen to your favorite music, or do something that makes you happy. It doesn’t have to be anything major. Sometimes, having something to look forward to can make it a little easier to get through the stressful parts.
While you’re at it, give yourself some words of affirmation. You deserve to feel proud of yourself regardless of your grade. Tell yourself, “ I’m proud of myself” or “ I did what I could,” because honestly, that’s all that can be done. Rewarding yourself is a way of recognizing that you showed up, put in the effort, and did what you could.
Midterms are something that all of us have to put up with. They’re inevitable, but not the end of the world. I stress to you, do not completely overwhelm yourself, as you gain nothing but a big vein in your forehead. Don’t let the percentage scare you; focus on what you can actually learn, and remember to reward yourself. And most importantly, give yourself grace. Exams, especially midterms, do not define intelligence. So take deep breaths, grab your study guide, and maybe some coffee, and push through.