Midterm season isn’t for the weak. The butterflies that were fluttering around in your stomach while you took your exam return when the Canvas notification pops up. When grades are released, you know that the results can go one of two ways: amazing or … not so amazing. You open your grade, expecting the best, and your heart sinks. It was the latter. You did not do as well as you expected. In fact, you were a couple of points off from passing.
Take a deep breath in and exhale. It is okay. You are okay.
The most you can ask of yourself for college-level exams is to give it your all. You studied, putting in the time and effort it takes to succeed. Sometimes it’s harder to see the results we would like. Failing one midterm in the class does not determine what the rest of the semester will look like. There will be another midterm around the corner, and you’ll walk in feeling more confident.
In the meantime, there are some changes that you can implement to your study routine. Now that you know the types of questions your professor likes to ask, you can adapt your study routine. If more multiple-choice questions exist, actively recalling information might be the best route. If there are more open-ended questions, synthesizing class notes and textbook readings could enhance your performance. If you are unsure of what next steps to take, you can always reach out to your professor to walk through the exam. You might see where your mistakes were and immediately ask questions to correct your line of thinking. Teaching assistants are also a great resource for clarification on a topic or asking for tips to succeed in the course.
Failure is not a dead end. It simply means we must change things to have the puzzle pieces fit into one another. If you want to cry, cry. If you want to scream into your pillow, scream into your pillow. Just remember to keep your head held high. This one mark on an exam won’t define you. Good luck!