Last Friday marked the end of my midterms; all the projects were submitted, the papers written, and the exams studied for. This marked the first midterm season of my college career, and the first real exam week after months of online schooling. While I consider my midterms to have gone by smoothly, here are some tips that would’ve proved useful from the outset.
- know your schedule
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The thing that took me most by surprise wasn’t the midterms themselves, but rather where they were placed on my course schedule. Of my classes that had midterms, three were due the week after fall break rather than the week leading up to it. This meant that while some students were given leniency to focus on their midterms, I was made to juggle both midterms and regular assignments. Knowing when your midterms actually are and planning accordingly can stop stress before it has the chance to accumulate.
It’s also worth noting that some classes may not even have a traditional midterm exam, or even a midterm at all. I didn’t have a single exam to study for; all of my midterms were lengthy papers or projects. My Intro to Fiction course didn’t have a midterm at all. Keep this in mind when planning and considering your schedule.
- work ahead
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If you’re assigned projects or papers for your midterm, starting as soon as you get the assignment will be nothing but a service to you. I was assigned a four to seven page paper for my honors midterm, and was tasked with analyzing Marjane Satrapi’s The Complete Persepolis. Starting the week before midterm break, I was able to rewatch the film, reread the graphic novel, and gather evidence to use in my paper. Once this evidence was gathered, I was able to write the essay in an hour and a half the week it was due.
Planning ahead and getting a head start on work will not only give you extra time when your workload starts to pile, but will also give you much more time to enjoy your precious break.
- prioritize self care…
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As much as I take my academics seriously, at the end of the day health is lauded over assignments. Obviously this doesn’t mean forgoing schoolwork in the name of self care (as this will cause greater problems later down the line), but striking a balance between the two. A person can adequately prepare for their exams without hunching over a textbook for hours on end.
Remember to take frequent breaks while you work, eat properly, spend some time outdoors, and reward yourself. Allow yourself to spend the night relaxing after a day’s work. Take a trip to the library to get some fresh air, or even study outside. Light some candles, turn on some music, and make midterms as bearable as possible. Whatever sparks happiness and healthiness is something to be regarded with importance, especially during exam week.
- …and your schedule
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It could be argued that a major component of self care is managing your schedule so you don’t become swamped with work hours before the deadline. Keep tabs on your courses, which ones are requiring a midterm, and when they’re ocurring. Plan your schedule accordingly, focusing on one task at a time. Multitasking or trying to complete two assignments at once can only cause confusion, and potentially mix up which information is needed for which class. Work in order of urgency; complete whatever is due first and work your way downwards to the least important.
- Remember to keep your break!
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As mentioned in the beginning of the article, all of my midterms were due after fall break. This meant that I was inevitably going to work some over break at home. This was the first time I had seen my mother, brother, and pets since I left for college, and I would be damned to spend my break doing nothing but work after all that time.
Remember that your break is yours, with or without midterms. Reunite with family, old friends, the hometown you left for Selinsgrove. I spent my days with my family, working on midterms and schoolwork while everyone else was at work and school. I struck a balance between keeping my break and being responsible with schoolwork, and that is the most important message I can bring forward. Find the balance; keep what is yours as yours.
Midterms are universally known as a source of stress for students of all standings. But with a bit of proper planning, self care, and a studious mindset, you can break through your midterms without letting them break you.