This past week, as you have probably started to notice around campus, many girls are slipping off the colorful sandals, and are now choosing to accessorize their dresses with a pair of tall boots and a long cardigan instead. While the sun is still shining bright over Hawk Hill, gusts of winds are starting to cool the air. While personally, I refer to this time of the year as the beloved “Libra Season” the majority of people starting to prepare for the transition into fall.
With this change in the weather, comes one of the most difficult weeks of the semester: midterms week. This is the week that for some students, it may be their first experience taking midterms; meanwhile for others, it may be one of their lasts in their college careers. Regardless, attention needs to be brought back to academics by everyone. I know first handedly that this can be a difficult task with so many exciting things happening on campus, (including the incredible fact that Pope Francis was not only staying very close to our campus, but made an unexpected stop on Sunday afternoon to bless our newest statue…) Midterms week entails so many different things, that sometimes it can become difficult to manage. From having many exams on information that you were daydreaming for during class when the material was originally taught, and extensive papers about readings that you glanced over back during syllabus week, all of this work can easily seem as though it is coming all down upon you at once. Here, are a few tips and friendly reminds to keep yourself on track and focused as midterms week begins this fall:
1. You Already have Everything that you Need: While absorbing many chapters from your Forging the Modern World textbooks can seem impossible at times, try to remember that the majority of that information was already taught to you in class. First, go back through your notes and refresh your memory on the concepts that were taught. Then reflect on the class conversations that were had the worksheets that you completed with your neighbor just a few short weeks ago. You know a lot more than you think you do by just staring at a 400-page textbook and worrying yourself this week.
2. Plan it Out: Create a schedule for yourself with everything that needs to be finished, and the date that it is due. You didn’t buy that Lilly planner just for it to sit in your bag now, did you? Map it all out and schedule in some breathing room too. Visually explain to yourself that you are capable of getting everything done even under time restraints. Maybe even write yourself little motivational notes each day to remind yourself to relax and smile.
3. Always Study in a Different Place: The worst way to study when you are already feeling stressed out, is to sit alone on the freezing third floor of the Drexel Library and cram in information. While this is a good starting place on campus for your studying, remember to diversify your study environments. Perhaps sit on villager lawn and fly through flashcards while you soak up the final days of the warmth. Maybe study in the comfort of your dorm room or apartment, but possibly open the blinds and let some light in. Use the many beautiful backdrops of our campus to your advantage.
4. Make a Friend: Reach out to a member of your Business Statistics class to form a little study group to review the material that will be on the exam. You are probably stronger in some areas of the chapters than others, and vise versa. Sharing knowledge and teaching others will benefit everyone that is trying to gain a stronger understanding of the material. This also allows for social interaction, and it’s a reminder to yourself that many other students at SJU are in the same position as you, and that you all will get through midterms week together.
5. RELAX: In my opinion, I believe that this is the hardest, yet most important part of studying when many assignments are due at once. Relaxation is the key to success, because too much stress isn’t going to help you. Taking breaks and watching one episode of Greys Anatomy with your roomie isn’t going to cause you to fail an exam, but it might actually help. Studying for hours on end, without a break can cause an overwhelming feeling and ultimately cause more stress. Sign up for a yoga or cardio dance class in O-Pake for a night or two this week. Allow for a little distraction and fun.
6. What’s Next? : Download the Countdown+ app to your smartphone, and schedule something fun for this Saturday. This app will treat you to daily reminders of what is to come. Whether that means heading over to River Palooza with your friends, or even having a girl’s night, a little reminder that there will be time for celebration after this very stressful week is over will become daily motivation to work hard until the weekend arrives.
Midterms week is difficult for every student, but hopefully after following these tips you will feel more in control and excited for what is to come after all of the hard work is finished and the real fun begins!