Midterm Mayhem:
A Couple Reminders
This past week, there is an obvious “under-the-weather” feeling with a lot of students, and not because of there has been a chance of thunderstorms in the forecast the past couple of days. Primary cause? Midterms. Whether you’re a freshman or a senior, stress will never give you a break. Does that mean you shouldn’t take a break? Definitely not. As midterms come around, with finals around the corner, here are a couple of reminders and self-care tips to ensure a healthy wellbeing and to minimize the stress when possible!
REMEMBER TO EAT.
Many students forget to do this amidst finishing up homework, studying for tests, working on projects, going to lectures, participating in your organizations, and while this is a long list of things that we can all relate to, don’t forget that consumption of food is an essential need for life! Make sure you eat enough calories as much as you spend them walking to class, studying for tests, doing homework, and so much more. Get your calories for the day, and if you can, try to keep your meals as balanced as possible. Do you have those days where you’ve only eaten one meal, and it’s afternoon, and you’re feeling weary already? It’s time for a lunch break.
REMEMBER TO SLEEP.
All-nighters, staying up to the early morning hours, it is all too familiar. However, this may not be a great solution in order to make sure you’ve gotten all the material down. Plenty of studies have shown that sleep is beneficial when it comes to raising your test performance and readiness for class. This means that cramming all the material (which is understandable, it happens to us all!) is not exactly the healthiest way to go. If you can’t get the full 8 hours of sleep at night, at least take 20-minute power naps in between studying.
AVOID TEST NERVOUSNESS BY STAYING PREPARED.
A lot of stress and anxiety for a test is understandable, if not even expected for those classes that you haven’t quite figured out. This is something that some people don’t want to hear, but perhaps one of the causes of your nervousness is because you didn’t prepare for the material in time, or if not adequate preparation, maybe you’re studying in a way that could be improved. When you have a test coming up, remember to go through all your lecture material, and if your test includes applied concepts, problems, equations, practice over and over again! I, myself, wish there was a magic formula that you can apply to every class to do well in all of them, but unfortunately, that does not reflect the harsh (but rewarding!) the challenges that our school holds. Therefore, don’t let yourself fall behind, and ensure you’re on top of your game to the best of your ability in your classes to be prepared for your midterms.
DON’T BE SO HARD ON YOURSELF. :)
Sometimes, it will happen that you don’t do as well as you thought. Should you evaluate the material, analyze what you’ve done wrong? Sure. Should you only focus on that? Absolutely not! If you didn’t do as well as you imagined, take a look and see what you might’ve done wrong and what you could do better next time. Chances are, you may not even be the only one having a hard time! Plus, there are plenty of resources out there that can help you out. You can do it! :)
REACH OUT TO FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES.
One of the best remedies is to talk your problems out to your friends and family. Your friends can relate to you the most when it comes to school, working, internships, and more. Don’t be afraid to talk things out with them, because chances are, you’ll feel a whole lot better than keeping problems and worries bottled in. For family back at home, take some time to call and have a chat with them. They’ll keep encouraging you to do your best, no matter what, which will help keep you motivated for the last few weeks of the semester.
TAKE A BREAK.
Take this one as an order, not a suggestion! People either take too many breaks or not enough at all! Multiple studies show that taking 20-30 minute breaks regularly when studying. This enables your brain to relax in order to stay productive and focused when you are actually studying. Watch funny videos on YouTube for a little while, go on a lunch break, have a conversation with friends. As said, some may take a little too many breaks. If this is the case for you, try setting an alarm for the end of the break. Also try fixing a schedule that include breaks so you know you’re getting enough study time.
While it would be nice to have a magical formula where you are as successful as you want to be when it comes to tackling midterms, it is completely okay if there are times where you’re just not sure what to do because there are so many things going on. Don’t forget to take care of yourself; you deserve it! Your health is so important to your ability to perform in classes, in work, and in life in general!