This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Binghamton chapter.
October is here and you know what that means. Chilly fall mornings wearing your favorite fall sweater with your pumpkin spice latté in tow. Unfortunately, October also means it is time for midterms. Panic sets in as you think of a midterm in that class that you had no idea what was going on in all semester. But, no need to panic! Here are some great tips to stay sane during midterms.
- Plan ahead: Take some time about a week before midterms to plan a study schedule (especially if you have more than one). Plan out what you will study for every day and keep it organized. That way, you know you will have a good amount of time to study for each exam and this will ease stress.
- Sleep: By planning ahead, you will avoid having to pull those awful all-nighters. It is really important to sleep, especially during midterms, so that you are energized and able to be productive all day. All-nighters will just make you more stressed and irritated. Sleeping well the night before an exam is also important because it is good for retaining and remembering the information on the exam.
- Take breaks: Taking a break every hour or so of studying will make you more productive and focused while studying. Studying for hours and hours straight is not beneficial because your attention and motivation will decrease with time. Taking small study breaks to talk to your friends or have a snack are important for your sanity during midterms.
- Eat properly: Staying in the library all day comes with snacking and eating unhealthy things. As appealing as a bag of chips or candy as a study snack is, eating healthy foods is more beneficial to your studying. Fruits and vegetables are the perfect study snacks. Also, it is very important not to skip meals! You have time to take a break and have a healthy dinner no matter how many midterms you have. Sipping on tea while studying could decrease stress and help you remain calm. Try avoiding Red Bull, energy drinks, and other sources of a lot of caffeine because it could negatively impact your studying.
- Exercise: Working out at the gym is a great way to relieve stress during midterms. Take a study break and go work out and you will come back to studying with a fresh mind and lots of energy. Doing yoga is especially good if you are extremely stressed!