It’s that time of year when everyone begins to invert the natural sleep cycle, guzzle obscene amounts of caffeine, are stressed to the max as they struggle under a giant pile of papers and studying, and possibly take more naps than is productive. You know what I’m talking about: midterms!
I’m particularly lucky in this case. While it’s still a super busy time of year for me, I don’t technically have any midterm exams during this wonderful (read: terrible) time. I get stressed easily, so I’m going to give some of my best tips for staying calm (or at least not freaking out).
Sleep as much as you can without going into the human equivalent of hibernation.
While I wouldn’t go that far, you get the gist of it. If you don’t need a lot of sleep, good for you! But for those who need more than 6 hours to function well, going to sleep early(ish) and taking naps when absolutely necessary can be a great way to keep your productivity going (assuming you don’t procrastinate when you’re awake). That way, you won’t look like this in the middle of your studying/writing/whatever-ing.
Set goals for yourself and keep them on a daily list of reminders.
Yes, it’s a pain in the ass. And I’ll admit usually push back the deadlines constantly by an hour when I take longer to complete a task or get distracted (bad!). Those issues aside, this is a good way to feel like you’re accomplishing things, which is a great morale booster. I mean, come on. Who doesn’t love checking something off a list?
Nobody, that’s who.
Eat regularly.
Whether this means 3 solid meals a day, more smaller meals, or constant snacking, you should be taking care of your body during this stressful period. In addition to this, I will say: stay hydrated. In addition to it being refreshing, it will also help your body fight of sickness. Because the only thing worse than being miserably stressed is being miserably sick and stressed.
See?
Take (timed) breaks.
Whether you use it to nap, or some other hobby of yours, it’s important to schedule non-academic time. If you don’t, you’ll probably go insane and/or become a zombie. And anyone can tell you that neither of those options is a good thing. But don’t forget to time these and stick to those limits or you’ll soon find yourself lost in procrastination land where nothing important ever gets done. And you may never find your way back out.
Finally, have a support system made of friends, family, and maybe advisors, these people have your back and want you to make it through with your sanity in tact.
They love you for your weird quirks and don’t get angry when you moan about your assigned homework (as long as you don’t do it every second). In other words, they’ve got your back.
Don’t forget to return the favor for them, either. Especially your fellow classmates who are having just as rough a time as you are.
And there you have my 5 tips to help you through midterms. Do you have any tips of your own? Comment below.