DON’T FREAK OUT. It’s not the end of the world—yet. You still have some time to study for your first midterms of the semester. You can still make flashcards, and rewrite all your notes, and reread each chapter of your textbook, and remember it all verbatim, and attend your professor’s office hours with gifts of chocolates shaped like little models of organic molecules because there is NO way you will ever pass this chem midterm…
Hey now. Seriously, don’t panic—stop searching Amazon for novelty chocolates and put down your notes for a second. Emory midterms are difficult, no doubt, but they are not impossible to pass (or even ace, for that matter).
You just need to know how to study. Fortunately, Her Campus Emory has some fab tips to keep Orgo from stealing your sanity so you can maintain that happy dream of a Grey’s Anatomy-like future. Read on:
Facebook Fever
The most obvious and possibly most difficult tip Her Campus has to offer is AVOID FACEBOOK. OK, you don’t
have the number of so-and-so in your study group but you can check if he’s online, and OH someone uploaded new pics of you, and OH cutie from the soccer team liked your status, and OHMYGOSH THEY BROKE UP?!?!… Alright girlfriend, cut the excuses and log off right now. You’ve got some flash cards to make.
Break Time!
Yes, taking breaks can actually help you score better (just don’t go on Facebook!). Your attention span can only
last for so long (mine actually passes by in a heartbeat—that’s why I stalk OPUS for those 50 minute MWF classes…). If you’ve had your nose to the screen of your laptop for more than an hour, and your eyes are glazed like a Krispy Kreme donut, it’s time for a break. The key is to make your break productive: do 100 jumping jacks, clean as much of your room as you can in five minutes, finally wash your sheets for goodness’ sake. Taking a short break will renew your energy and focus so you can promptly return to furiously typing like you’re on a mission for some carpel tunnel syndrome.
Highlight the Mess Outta Your Book
Halfway through my Anthro survey course last year, after many, many hours of copious note-taking, I
discovered a phenomenal study shortcut: highlighting! Well-constructed paragraphs usually begin and end with the most important information, leaving the middle to elaborate. If you’re looking for the basic concept, head straight to the bookend sentences and highlight away, my friend. This approach does not work for all texts, but often it saves a ton of time!
Coffee Jitters
My name is Allison, and I am addicted to coffee… true story. It takes a lot of java to get me too wired—but it
does happen on occasion. And it is not at all fun. Too much caffeine can actually make you even MORE tired, or prevent you from getting those precious five hours of pre-exam sleep, or majorly dehydrate you, or make you slightly twitchy. Keep it down to a couple cups a day, max—and please, don’t pull anything crazy with a 5-Hour Energy.
Make a Study Plan
I have a slight suspicion that my professors formed a conspiracy to suck as much fun as possible out of the last few hours before my Fall Break plane ride to visit my bestie. Maybe that’s just the stress talking, but it is highly probable considering the amount of work I have due that Friday. This has forced me to make an intense study plan: an hour of review here, thirty minutes of reading there, two hours of writing after that, daily for the next couple weeks. I looked up the number of pages I have to read in preparation and figured an approximation of the amount of time that will take. Now I have a clear idea of what time needs to be put into studying and can plan out my work—so I can leave breaks for a little fun as well!
Don’t Neglect Your Health
It might be hard to fit exercise into your insanely busy study schedule, but running out your stress on the
treadmill can help you focus more afterwards. Likewise, skimping on sleep to cram in extra studying might hurt you more in the long run by decreasing the effectiveness of your study sessions. Try to avoid sugary treats; this will only lead to energy crashes later. Lastly, eat a healthy breakfast the morning of your midterm, and get ready to ace your test!
Check you out: you avoided the allure of Facebook, you highlighted like there was no tomorrow, you color-coded your agenda to fit in all the studying you would possibly need, and you managed to run around the track while discussing molecular structures with your friend. Good job! After your midterms are over, you can finally relax enough to pat yourself on the back, turn on Grey’s Anatomy and snack on some novelty chocolates… oh, and thank Her Campus for the tips, of course. Watch out McSteamy, someone’s applying to Med School