It’s that time of the semester again where we’re all scrambling around in order to get all of our regular homework done on top of preparing for midterms and keeping up with our self-care. Nobody understands the struggle better than us collegiettes. That is why I want to share with you my tips for a more productive study session to prepare you for upcoming midterms.
1. Break Out The Calendar
The most crucial thing to efficient studying is writing out the dates and times for when any of your assignments and exams are. By doing so you can visually see what is coming up the soonest and will let you know which classes to focus on. Yes, it can be overwhelming once you write everything in but you also feel very accomplished once you strike through your to-do list. If it would help, give yourself a reward after you complete something on your to-do list.
2. Have Plenty Of Snacks And Drinks Ready To Go
Time flies by when you’re studying and working hard to get those good grades. There’s also a good chance that you’ll be up at all hours and are likely to get hungry. Sure you can always take a study break and go get some food, but whenever I try doing so I end becoming distracted and try to procrastinate having to go back to work. My tip is to get a little bit of everything because you don’t know what you’ll want, but just remember caffeine is your best friend during these desperate times.
3. Get Comfortable, But Not Too Comfortable
Getting comfortable is vital for studying because nobody can concentrate on their work and think about how itchy, tight, or annoying their clothes feel on them. I know when I study I tend to move around a lot and it gets really annoying when my clothes feel like they are restricting me. So go find your favorite leggings and sweatshirt and crunch out these study guides! Just make sure you don’t get too comfortable by studying in your bed or somewhere else where you’re likely to wake up realizing you fell asleep on your computer.
4. Study In Groups
I’ve recently learned that I am my own worst enemy when it comes to studying. I end up somewhere comfy or I become distracted and lose myself to Pinterest. If you study with a friend you have someone there to keep you accountable and making sure they don’t fall asleep is a reason to keep you up. Bonus is that if you need them to read over a paper or help you study they’re right there!
5. Have Timed Breaks
Procrastination, we’ve all been there. Who knows maybe you’re procrastinating right now by reading this article. But whatever the case is it gets the best even the best of us. I found that setting timers is a good way to keep you on track while also allowing you some time to decompress just long enough that you don’t lose your grove. You can either set a timer on your phone and rest your eyes or snack but my favorite way to spend my break is to watch one episode of a show on Netflix then go back to work.
Midterms are never fun, they stress you out to the point where you might even consider dropping out. But nothing feels better than when you succeed in a class knowing how much work you put into it. If you barely put any work into a class you probably won’t remember it a few years from now. That feeling of pride that you get once those grades start rolling in is what makes getting your diploma at the end of this so sweet. So follow these tips and you’re guaranteed to have a successful midterm season!