It’s that time of the semester again. A time where many college students across the country look to push forward just one more week until they get a much-needed break. However, this week of midterms can be stressful and often difficult due to the number of exams/projects and the magnitude they can have on your grade. It’s important to focus on midterms yet create a balance, so you don’t feel burnt out by the time you actually take them. Here are three ways you can survive and also thrive while taking this year’s midterms.
- Manage Your Time
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Time management is key yet difficult to actually do while in college. Instead of procrastinating like so many of us do, it’s best to break up studying and divide up projects each day so that they become more manageable. For example, if you have a political science test or a history exam to prepare for, study a different chapter each day, or even half a chapter. By doing this, you increase your focus and lessen the amount of information rather than just cramming it all in the night before and become overwhelmed. The same goes for projects and papers. Work on one smaller part of the assignment each day instead of completing it all at the last second.
This divide also allows you more time to edit your work and increases your productivity. Humans tend to have short attention spans, so if you tell yourself you’re going to work on something for two hours instead of four or five hours, it makes you feel less anxious knowing you aren’t putting it off. This way, you won’t feel bored or tired as much while completing the assignment. It can also be productive to plan your week out before midterms in order to schedule when exactly you’ll have time to prepare. Time management helps with preparation, studying, and acing the exams.
- Stay Motivated
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While it’s easy to put things off or decide to “wing” midterms, it’s much better to prepare and persevere. If you feel overwhelmed or like you can’t do something, just take a few breaths and say to yourself, “I got this.” You have made it this far in the semester, and that’s already an accomplishment in itself. Try not to procrastinate or to do everything the night before. Stay motivated and stick to your plan of preparation. Even if at times you feel overwhelmed and like you might do badly on a midterm, remember to focus on what you have done so far in your class and that you are capable and have the potential to achieve the grade you want.
- Put Things Into Perspective
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Midterms are not the be-all-end-all they might appear to be. While it’s productive to study well and prepare, breaks are needed as well. Watch a new movie one day or read a book to take your mind off of college and studying. You must not burn yourself out from doing too much as it could lead to you actually doing badly on the midterm itself. Be kind to yourself and to your mental health. Even if you end up not doing as well as you wanted, there are other opportunities to bring your grade up and to improve. Your worth and talent are not defined by one exam. Keep your head up high and try your best to schedule some fun in between studying.
Overall, midterm time is stressful and nerve-wracking. Everyone wants to do their best, and students are sometimes fatigued by this time in the semester. However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel in having a nice break right afterward. Do your best to prepare but also take care of yourself and your health. Create a good balance and schedule so you have time for college work but also some enjoyment too.
Good luck and happy studying!