As the midpoint of the semester approaches, everyone begins bracing themselves for exams. Here are 5 tips to help every student survive midterm’s week.
1. Set aside a specific amount of time for studying. If you have multiple exams approaching, it may seem overwhelming to try to find time to study for all of your tests, which may eventually lead to pushing off studying altogether. Allocating specific amounts of review time for each subject will prevent you from getting overwhelmed or stuck on one subject for too long. Once the study time for that test is up (ex: 30 minutes), move on to the next subject.
2. Try not to mess with your meal/sleep schedule. Of course, you’ve always heard to “get a good night’s sleep” before a big test, but as college students, we often find ourselves up into the early hours of the morning finishing assignments and studying while half-asleep. I’ve personally found it best not to stray too far from my normal meal times and when I normally go to bed. Messing with either of these two important aspects can have negative effects on your body leading up your tests, such as headaches and trouble focusing on/remembering information.
3. Talk to your professors. 90% of the time your professors will be more than willing to answer your questions regarding the midterm exam. Whether it’s a question about content, the format of the exam, or clarifying information, the person with the most knowledge of the test itself will be your professor. Some professors even set up additional office hours before/during midterm week specifically for students to come and ask questions. Your professors want to see you do well on the exam, and they are willing to provide the resources if you ask.
4. Stay organized. As a visual learner, I find I study best by highlighting important information in my notes, rewriting key points, and creating a midterm outline. Staying organized while studying will keep you from becoming overwhelmed and help you avoid trying to commit everything to memory at once.
5. Give yourself breaks. While of course, it is important to study, you also need to make sure you’re allowing yourself time to process the information you’ve studied and give your brain a break from reviewing multiple different subjects. Whether you relax best by taking a nap, browsing social media, or eating dinner with friends, it’s important to give yourself time away from your notes and textbooks. Stay calm and be confident in yourself during midterms week, and it will be the spring semester before you know it.