Midterms? Already? I’m sure your blood pressure is rising just thinking about all your exams. I promise you, it doesn’t have to be this way. People ask me all the time, how are you so relaxed about this exam?! As a second-year university student, I think I’ve learned quite a few lessons when it comes to exam preparation.
First of all, I study on average six to seven hours each day. To clarify, my definition of “study” includes doing homework, going to professor’s office hours, and rewriting class notes, if necessary. Perhaps that’s nothing compared to you. Or, maybe you think I have absolutely no social life. Do you have to put in that much effort? Of course not; everyone has different study habits because we all learn differently. Personally, I find that if I really want to learn and understand the material I have to put in a lot of time and dedication for each class. If I allocate a couple of hours to each class every day, I don’t have to cram in the days leading up to an exam.
Second, I try to get things done in advance. In my experience, academic success is better achieved from a proactive rather than a reactive standpoint. I am a big advocate of organization and the Day Planner. Whether you use Google Calendar or a physical agenda or planner, it is so helpful to track all assignments, presentations, quizzes, exams, and projects in one place. I go so far as to use my Vera Bradley Day Planner and my iPhone Calendar so I never miss a deadline, and am able to plan ahead. Colored sticky tabs are great to organize my Day Planner, and I always utilize reminders on iCalendar. For exams and papers, I usually need at least two weeks prior for proper preparation, and any other major deadlines I set a week in advance. In addition to making note of assignments and deadlines in my Day Planner, I map out my entire schedule every day. If I have a set “game plan,” I am less likely to find downtime to procrastinate and can more easily keep myself on track.
Third, I have the general belief that the grade I receive is the grade I deserve. There are exceptions to this – for example, I just don’t understand Managerial Accounting. No matter how much blood, sweat, and tears I pour into the class, Managerial Accounting simply doesn’t make sense. So maybe I don’t deserve to get a bad grade in the class, but it’s unrealistic for me to expect an A. More holistically, I would say that I am accepting of any grade I receive as long as I tried my best. Or, if I wait until the last minute to study, then I best expect a lower grade because I didn’t prepare well enough in advance.
At the end of the day, I would say I have a good handle on my priorities. My academic philosophy won’t work best for everyone, because a lot of students don’t want a regimented lifestyle or they place greater value on experiences and social opportunities rather than getting good grades and high academic performance. These are just my methods for how I minimize academic stress. There is no perfect recipe for success, so please take my advice with a grain of salt!