As a senior entering my last college semester, I have had my fair share of midterms handed back to me. Although not all of them have been received with open arms, my attitude towards even the worst grades has significantly improved. Here are some of my tricks on how to survive getting your midterm grades back.
- Review the Feedback
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Typically, professors give extensive detail on where you can improve or areas to focus on for future exams or papers. Although you may not understand your grade originally, reading through the comments can help you better understand what your professor was looking for and ways to improve in the future. You can also use this feedback as points of conversation during your professor’s office hours, showing them that you are taking their constructive criticism seriously.
- Meet with your professor
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No matter your midterm grade, meeting with your professor is always beneficial for your academic standing. Attending office hours shows your professors that you are serious about your work in their classroom, and you never know—maybe these meetings could lead to a letter of recommendation for graduate school or a job! Ask them what you can do to improve your study habits or review the material that prevented you from getting your desired score. Even if you knocked the midterm out of the park, inquiring what you should do to keep the momentum going is always a smart idea.
- Change your study habits
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Studying with your favorite show in the background or in a loud public space may not help you get the grade that you want. Reconsider the environment you are studying in, and make changes if need be. Maybe you need to take breaks more frequently to not over-exhaust your brain. Taking breaks while you’re studying has been shown to boost retention according to the National Institute of Health.
- Set goals for yourself
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Creating goals for yourself during midterm season is helpful to see how much progress you are making and give yourself credit for your hard work. I personally enjoy the SMART method of goal setting, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. Writing down specifically how much studying you want to do on a certain day or how many pages of your essay you need to write can incentivize you to complete the goal.Â
- Stay positiveÂ
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One grade on a midterm is not going to ruin your life. Although it may seem like the world is crashing down on you after getting an unexpected grade back, you should give yourself credit for completing the work. Use these downfalls as motivation for your next assignment and learn from your previous mistakes.
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Even though getting grades back can be extremely daunting (especially if they are not in your favor), there are plenty of ways to boost yourself back up! Just remember that a grade does not define you or your worth, and you will be all set to go!