It seems as though we just moved in and started school, but it’s already time for midterms! Midterms are stressful, especially if it’s your first time taking them. Here are some tips to help you ace your midterms.
1. Plan out your studying.
Pulling an all nighter to cram the night before the test is not an effective method of studying because you won’t be well rested and you won’t remember as much of the material. Using your planner to manage your studying ahead of time will help you avoid cramming.
2. Put your phone away.
When it comes to the endless distractions on your phone, “out of sight, out of mind” really applies. Putting your phone on silent and away will help you focus better on the material you need to study, rather than online shopping or Twitter.
3. Schedule yourself study breaks.
It’s not realistic to plan out long chunks of studying with no breaks. You need at least a 15 minute mental break every so often before you can keep going. Pro Tip: after your break, try quizzing yourself to see how well you retained the information.
4. Study with friends.
Studying with friends in your class can help you make sure you aren’t missing any information that could show up on the exam, as long as you all stay on task. Be careful to make sure that your friends are just as studious as you, and will help you rather than distract you.
5. Use Quizlet.
If you are unfamiliar with Quizlet, visit https://quizlet.com/ for virtual flashcards that can be put into tests and matching games for you. The decks you make are public and chances are that someone has already made a set for your class that you can use. The great thing about Quizlet is that if you download the app on your phone, you can also study on-the-go!
6. Know the exam objectives.
Make sure you know what will be on the exam so that you study the right things. Your professor might help you know what to study by giving you objectives or practice tests. Definitely utilize these tools and make sure you can answer questions written based off of the objectives.
7. Ask questions.
It may be scary to go talk to your professor during office hours, but it shows them that you care about your grade and their class. They are the best at answering your questions when you are studying because they write the test and want you to succeed.
8. Keep a positive attitude and reasonable expectations.
One of the best things you can do to reduce stress and do well on the exam is to stay positive. Don’t beat yourself up over the little things and keep your expectations for your grade in reach.
Good luck with midterms everybody, now go start studying!