The air turns bitter, the days grow shorter, and suddenly, midterms sneak into the mix of our daily stressors of winter. As if midterm week wasn’t stressful enough, seasonal depression creeps in, making even the simplest tasks feel overwhelming. If you’ve ever found yourself staring at a blank study guide, feeling drained before you even begin, you’re not alone. Balancing academic success with mental well-being during this time isn’t just possible, it’s essential. Exploring practical strategies for tackling midterms while prioritizing your mental health is crucial, so you can not only survive, but thrive, through the season.
With exams and papers surfacing due dates within the same two weeks, it can be overwhelming and difficult to plan what to work on, and when. Prioritizing and planning are necessities to improve academic-induced anxiety. Investing in either a print or digital planner is pivotal for every college student to have homework assignments, exams, projects, and extracurricular events, all visually seen in one place. A prioritizing strategy some may find helpful is to first work on the subject assignments that are more difficult, and/or are more time consuming. For instance, working on a six-page paper that is worth 15 percent of your final grade can be undertaken two weeks before its due date, vs. a weekly quiz that can be studied for one to two days in advance. Giving more priority on larger assignments over small studies can support a less overwhelming workload when due dates are rapidly approaching.
To grow successful in academics during midterms week also requires physical nourishment to remain healthy and energized. Every college student has suffered nights of cramming work until 2AM, fueled by multiple Celsius drinks. Studying into late hours of the night is proven to be more difficult to permanently retain information. It is not nearly as beneficial as getting seven to eight hours of sleep and waking up early to be productive. An addiction to energy beverages is also not sustainable. A healthier caffeine option, for example, could be a coffee and sandwich from Starbucks or a dining hall; to remain not only energized but also nourished for any daily obstacles that arise.
One of the most important strategies to maintain a good morale in the frigid weeks of midterms is taking time out of your schedule for personal time. Time for yourself could be anything that boosts your confidence and overall mental state, including walks, reading, baking, TV, socializing, or even scrolling on social media. Constantly being glued to the laptop screen can make for a quicker burn out, with little to no motivation later down the road for academics.
By recognizing the challenges of midterms and habits of seasonal depression, taking proactive steps to prioritize your mental well-being and academic responsibilities can make life easier, and more enjoyable, to navigate.