It’s that time of year again: midterms, sleepless nights, and scrambling to cram as much information into our brains as possible. The week of midterms is no doubt one of the most stressful and dreaded weeks of the semester. Although the stress of midterms is inevitable, there are ways to reduce the amount of stress and get more out of your studying.
One way to get more from your studying sessions is to have a clean desk. For me, having a clean desk also helps me have a clean mind. This way, I can focus more on my school work and less on the distractions around me. Getting rid of distractions is another key way to get more out of your study sessions. What is the number one distraction that we have all the time? Our phones. If you don’t absolutely need your phone to study, put it on ‘don’t disturb’ and put it away. This way, you can really zone in on your class and focus on what you need to focus on.
When it comes to actual study methods, most involve memorizing the class material. If you are trying to memorize your class material, never try to memorize it on the first try. Think about it like getting to know a new friend. Before you really know someone, you have to spend some time with them. Read through your notebook a few times and try to get to know the material before you have to memorize it. When it comes to actual memorization, I find that flash cards work the best for me. Flash cards are not only an easy way to study, but they are something that you can study anywhere. Read your flashcards on the bus, waiting in line, walking to class, etc.
Although studying is important, so is taking a break. After studying for hours at a time, sometimes you need to take a brain break. I have personally found that studying for 45 minutes and taking a 15-minute break is the perfect amount of time to not overwhelm myself and still be very productive. Being overwhelmed while studying defeats the purpose of studying because I am unable to focus on the material.
Reducing procrastination is also integral in reducing your stress. Start your work early so you have plenty of time to memorize and complete your finals. Something that helps with this is setting up a schedule the week before midterms. Plan out you week to make time for every class or final, but also make sure to include time for breaks and some fun, too.