With the first month of college already passed by, those midterms that seemed so distant at the beginning of the school year have begun popping up like the plague—a test here, an essay there. The days seem to get shorter and shorter, and juggling exams, homework assignments, and everything else (e.g. finding time to sleep) seems to get harder and harder. It is a truth universally acknowledged that midterms are going to be a source of stress to all of us, but there doesn’t mean that we begin preparing ourselves, mentally and physically, for this nerve-wracking time of year.
Study. Read. Learn. Review.* And most of all, make sure you comprehend what you’re rereading. Sure, straight-up memorization of those tough physics equations will help on the exam when you’re given a tricky question on Newton’s law of universal gravitational, but if you don’t understand how to apply the concepts you learn in class, knowing all the constants in the world won’t help.
This one is pretty obvious. If you know the material, you aren’t going to be caught by surprise on the midterm.
*Note: I did not include “cram” in the list. That was done on purpose.
Sleep. Even if all your friends are going to that totally amazing, all-night party and they really, really want you to go. Even if a cup of coffee is all you need to be completely awake in the mornings. Nothing is more effective in making sure that you are well-rested and ready than a good night’s sleep, and you really don’t want to start snoring the middle of the exam.
Of course, if that party happens to be taking place in the room across the hall, you might also want to invest in a pair of ear plugs. They’re pretty cheap, especially when you weight them against all the sleep you would lose otherwise.
Smile. Find things that distract you from the looming exams (but not for too long). Talk with friends, and maybe form a study group so that you aren’t alone in the library for the days leading up to midterms. Go outside while it’s still nice out, and just sit on the grass and relax. Or go for a dive in the campus swimming pool. Studying and sleep are important, but making sure that your anxiety is at a manageable level is important too.
And when midterms are (finally) over, stop worrying over them. (Ok, maybe you should reflect a little on how you could improve your study habits for the future, but don’t spend too much time on this!) Whether you did well or not-so-well, you’ve already spent enough time stressing over them—now’s the time to enjoy the brief period of respite before the next wave comes rolling over.
Photo Sources:
http://bryanhgl.wordpress.com/2013/11/13/mid-term-season-stress/
http://www.sodahead.com/living/how-fast-u-can-sleep/question-4306603/