Midterms have officially entered the chat in College Park, and no one asked for it.
One minute you’re romanticizing your biology notes, and the next you’re sweating through a nerve-wracking exam in the hottest room in Tydings Hall.
If there’s one group of people that understand pressure, preparation and performing when it matters the most — it’s Olympians.
While we’re studying for one of the most important exams of our academic career, they are training for one of the most important athletic performances of theirs, and their habits might be exactly what we need right now.
Here are a few things we could learn from them during this stressful time of year.
Practice Makes Perfect
One thing Olympians never fail to do: train until they get it right. Before they take the stage, they ensure no stone is left unturned and that their test runs are perfect.
The same goes for exams. Review before the panic hits. Do the practice problems till the material is second nature. Practice builds confidence.
Sticking to a Routine
Olympic-level athletes thrive on structure and repetition to be successful. Training schedules, nutrition and recovery days contribute to achieving the best performance.
Midterm season is no different. Whatever it takes for you to do your best is the key to success. Whether that’s the same table in McKeldin every day, the same classical music study playlist or the same breakfast spread at the Yahentamitsi Dining Hall every morning.
Sophomore journalism student Amelia Twyman describes her midterm routine much like other student’s, “I do spend a lot of time in the library…I drink a lot of caffeine…and read over [notes] a few times.”
Prioritizing Recovery
The same way an Olympic athlete gets a good night of sleep before every competition, recovery is just as important for success in academics.
In order to perform to your best ability, your body needs an appropriate amount of rest to be at your best. Sleep, food and mental breaks are a requirement to nail every exam that comes your way. In a study published by the National Library of Medicine, researchers found that sleep is a crucial component of memory retention, promoting positive brain cognition.
Charly Franz, a sophomore psychology major shared her experience with burnout during exam season, and how lack of recovery affects her. “I try to make meals at home…going to the gym and just letting my mind wander and focus on stuff not school related and not class related.”
Midterms don’t come with medals but the method of success is similar to that of Olympians: Have resilience, discipline and consistency. Maybe the real gold medal is walking out of that exam knowing you showed up, prepared to the fullest and gave it your all.