Midterms feel like a huge burden in the middle of the semester. Tests that determine your grade, projects that feel like they take forever, or essays that are way too hard to write. Whatever it is, midterms can feel exhausting, and finding motivation afterward can be difficult for most students.
Here are a few suggestions on how to keep going after midterms and find encouragement to make it through the semester.Â
- Evaluate Your Activities
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My first suggestion is to consider your workload. After midterms, continuing to participate in every club while maintaining a social life and prioritizing academics can feel impossible. So, look at your schedule and see whether an activity adds a burden to your life rather than helping you succeed.
Just because an activity can boost your resume doesn’t mean it is worth academic burnout before the semester ends.Â
- Plan Your Semester
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Next, map out the rest of the semester. Take time to set up a Google Calendar or physical planner that details everything that you can plan for from now until December.
Being able to visualize everything that needs to happen can aid in staying motivated, especially when it feels like all of your energy has been used. This helps make sure you aren’t caught off guard, which can make the rest of the semester feel even less stressful!
- Make Time To Move
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My final suggestion is to move your body in whatever way you can. This can be running, working out, or even just walking to class instead of taking the T or bus. Adding time to ground yourself through physical activity can help ease tension and release hormones that make you more prone to stress.
These moments throughout the day can be school-free, allowing you to focus on creative pursuits, work, or friends. A healthy balance between life, school, and physical health is key to maintaining a routine and staying motivated after midterms.Â
Ultimately, making it through midterms isn’t about surviving to the halfway mark. It’s about learning to pace yourself, setting a routine, and building a healthy balance between school, extracurriculars, and friends. This isn’t to say the second half of the semester will be easy, but maintaining stamina and staying focused will help ease the weight of the challenges you face.Â
Take a deep breath, stay focused, and realize that the end of the semester is closer than you think!
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