The dreaded midterm season is once again upon us at Rutgers. Whether your exams are spread out over the course of a few weeks or all consolidated into one, chances are you’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed about all of the work ahead. Here are some tips to consider when preparing for the second round of midterms.
Schedule study time on your phone’s calendar or in a planner. It may feel tedious at the time, but writing down exactly what material needs to studied and when to study it will be beneficial in the long run. Having an organized system listing everything that needs to be done that can be referred to at any time can help you feel composed during an otherwise hectic time. This is especially important if most of your exams all fall within the same week. A detailed schedule will help you make sure that you are putting enough study time for each class without worrying about studying too much for one exam and not enough for another.
Be prepared for the unexpected. Whether a bus shows up to a stop much later than the app on your phone says it will and almost makes you late for an exam, registration for next semester falls right in the middle of all of your midterms and only adds to your stress, or a study guide isn’t released until two days before the exam, the RU Screw will be very real during midterms.
Give yourself breaks – but time them. Some people can read chapter after chapter of a textbook for hours on end and not feel the need to slow down, while others can’t get through one without taking at least two breaks. Taking short breaks during long hours of studying can be helpful if done in small increments to keep yourself from getting too distracted. If you find that that amount time spent taking breaks are becoming longer than the time spent actually studying, try using the timer on your phone to limit a study break to ten or fifteen minutes at a time.
Change up your scenery. Studying in the same place for hours on end can get boring, which can lead to becoming distracted. Rutgers has plenty of libraries spread across all four campuses to go study in and different types of lounges in all of the student centers. If you don’t want to take a bus just to find somewhere quiet to study but can’t stay in your dorm much longer, then use this as an opportunity to find the perfect study spot on your campus.
Know when enough is enough. If you find yourself staring blankly at a laptop screen reading the same passage over and over again without retaining any information, then it might be time to step away from the work for a little while. Take some time off to go get some food, scroll through social media, go for a walk if the weather isn’t too cold out, or do whatever else will help your brain relax for a few minutes until you feel ready to get back to studying.
Sleep as much as you can. Even if it is only for a few hours at a time, getting at least some sleep before a big exam will help you feel more alert when you have to take the test. Pulling an all-nighter might seem unavoidable in some cases, but if you plan out a study schedule ahead of time and stick to it could help you get a few hours of sleep. And if you’re still feeling unsure over the material before heading to bed, wake up a little earlier than usual for some last minute cramming before the exam.
In the wise words of Tom Haverford, treat yo’ self. Congratulations, you’ve made it through midterms! Take some time off to reward yourself for all of the hard work you’ve been doing. Head over to Henry’s for some good diner food (and pay with meal swipes!), catch up with your friends who have been stressing as much as you have over the past few days, and finally start binge-watching shows on Netflix again.