Somehow midterms have already arrived during this chaotic semester. Whether you have already started taking them, are cramming for them in the next week or have no idea when they even are. Despite the chaos there are several ways to take care of yourself and study for midterms.
(1) Schedule out your midterms.
It seems unnecessarily tedious to scroll through every course syllabus to find when your midterms are, but it will help. Figuring out the dates of your midterms will give you a better idea of when to study for your multiple exams. This will give you a lot more time to prepare instead of last-minute cramming for all of your midterms at once.
(2) Is it better to study with others or alone?
Studying with a large group can become easily unproductive so forming a smaller group may be better. Discussing course content with other students can help you figure out what you already know and what you need to study more. After studying with a group, spending more time alone to review the content is essential to ensure comprehension.
(3) Try to study in the least distracting environment.
It may seem boring, locking yourself up in the library alone and studying for hours. However, studying with distractions is extremely unproductive. Not only are you not able to concentrate or retain any important information, but you are also wasting personal time. Everyone has a different level of distractions they are able to handle, so make sure to study in an environment that works best for you.
(4) Review graded assignments.
If professors have assigned and graded quizzes, tests, problem sets, papers or projects in the past, they will most likely base the midterm off some of the graded content. These assignments are usually about important parts of the course, so it would make sense for the professor to have some of this content in the midterm. This will help you know what to focus on in terms of what to study and what work the professor expects you to do. Professors all have different styles of grading, so the more you know before the midterm, the better.
(5) Don’t try to study everything at once.
It’s impossible to cram every single detail of the course. Trying to learn too much information will result in you not being able to grasp the material. Focus your attention and time on the most important big ideas of the course and what your professor recommends to review. It may seem better to know as much as possible before the exam, but it may result in wasted time focused on concepts the midterm didn’t even cover.
(6) Use every opportunity.
If the test is open note, take advantage of it. Organize your notes and course material in the most helpful way when taking the exam. If the professor hands out a study guide with potential essay questions, prepare for it. Format a couple main points for these questions, so when you take the midterm, you only have to focus on writing out your outline. Make sure to attend office hour review sessions. More details will usually be discussed about the exam and it is the perfect opportunity to ask any questions you may have.
(7) Take a break.
Constantly studying will greatly tire you out. Make sure to take breaks. Even if it’s only for an hour or two, doing anything besides sitting and studying will help. Take a walk on campus, rest your eyes or nap, go to the gym to release some stress, or grab coffee or a meal with your friends. Studying too intensely usually results in not being in your best condition when taking the actual midterm so give yourself some time to relax as well.
Just remember, at the end of the day, grades don’t define you! It’s very cliché, but entirely true. Not doing well on an exam is not the end of the world. It may feel like it at first, especially after studying so hard. It’s okay to not always have the best grades. Your courses will be having many more assignments after the midterm that can help improve your average. And if you do end up failing a course, you can always retake it. So try your best during this midterm exam period and if it doesn’t end up exactly how you would like it to be, it’s still going to be okay.