Sadly, midterm season has crept up on us once again. As college students, midterm season is the time we dread the most. All we want to do is enjoy fall weather and Halloween, but work starts to pile up as midterm grades are needed by professors. Because of this, all your classes begin to have massive assignments and it becomes difficult deciding what to prioritize. I’m going to give you some tips on how to survive midterm season, while being able to focus on your mental health without feeling the weight of all the dreaded assignments you must do.
- Organize yourself
This begins with ensuring you have a midterms checklist. In your agenda, write out all your major assignments first in order of what due dates are approaching first, and which assignments are worth a large percentage of your final grade. These are the assignments to prioritize. Everything else, such as class readings, need to be put to the side. This is because you need to use all of your energy towards the assignments that are worth a larger percentage of your grade. Make sure that you are taking the time to study, review lecture notes, and meet with professors to check-in before midterm assessments are posted. As you complete each essay or exam, check it off your list. A great way to do this is through google spreadsheets. I love the function where you can check off a box on a spreadsheet. The validation you will feel will help alleviate your stress, and visually you will see that you are down one more assignment to survive midterm season. You need to do your work in manageable chunks, or it will all become too overwhelming. This will give you the best academic success.
- Start work early and stop at a specific time each day
Depending on your schedule, budget your time for when you are going to work on midterm assignments. Then, start the work as soon as possible, such as in the morning. Put your phone and computer on “do not disturb” and complete the assignment. Decide for yourself at what time you will put all your work away and not look at it until the next day. For me, I choose to put all my work away by 9:00 pm. Additionally, I will only do my work at the library to help keep my productive energy up. Once I return to my room, my mind knows it can be at ease. This way I can have an hour to myself to watch a tv show, listen to music, or hang out with my friends before bed, and not have to worry about any work that is still hanging over me. In the long-run, this will preserve your mental health, so that you can continue the work grind the next day.
- Reach out to campus services
Midterm season can be chaotic. This means you should utilize all campus services to be an extra support system. Specifically, Stonehill has Counseling Services, which is an amazing mental health support. If you are feeling stressed, make an appointment or call their 24/7 line to have an in-the-moment meeting. Stonehill also has academic services, such as tutors and academic advising, which are super important to communicate with if you are struggling in any of your classes. Faculty wants to help you, so reach out to these services, and see what they can do to alleviate any of your stress.
- Reach out to your professors
If you need an extension, ask sooner rather than later. Professors do not mind giving extensions, but only if you are respectful and forward about why you need the extension. For me, if I know I have several essays due within a couple of days of each other, I will email my professors as soon as possible to see if I can get an extension. Professors want to see your best work and your intellectual growth, and this will not happen, if you are rushing two essays in one day because they are both due at midnight. If you ask a professor hours before the due date that you need an extension, they will not be as inclined or happy to grant you the extension, or they may just ignore your email. You have to remember that professors have midterm deadlines too, and we need to be mindful of their workload too. Communication is key to surviving midterms and college in general. Also, if you are confused or struggling in a class, set up a one-on-one meeting with your professor. A personal meeting will open communication, and your professor may have extra support you can act on.
- Take time for yourself!
During midterm season, it is necessary to prioritize your mental health by knowing your limits and doing what makes you happy. Read a book, watch tv, listen to music, or go on a study break by walking around campus. Do something that is anything besides your classwork. One of my favorite ways to destress is to do some coloring pages, while I listen to Taylor Swift. It is a relaxing, mindlessly fun activity. I do not have to exert any extra energy, and it helps take my mind off whatever I am stressed about.
- Keep sweet treats on standby!
During the weekend, take a trip to Target or a local grocery store, and buy whatever sweet treat will help you get through midterms. This may be chocolate, donuts, or ice cream. I like to always have some type of sweet treat in my dorm room because they do really help with stress, or when you want a personal reward for getting through a stressful, hard day. Sweet treats are truly a necessity, and they bring happiness during this tiresome academic season.
With these tips, I hope you can do what is best for you to survive midterm season! You got this!