We are currently halfway through the first semester of classes, which is crazy to think about! Without a doubt, the year has flown by. We have probably all reached a point where we feel comfortable here at school but are also eager to take a relaxing break at home for Thanksgiving. However, now that we have reached the halfway point, midterms are officially approaching. Some students may have midterms in every class, while others may only have one or two. Either way, it is important to give every test your best effort and to maintain physical and mental stamina to keep pushing through this part of the semester. Here are five ways to maintain a positive outlook amidst the chaos of midterms:
- Get out of your room and study somewhere new and relaxing. While it may be tempting to study alone in your room, finding a new, peaceful study location can help you focus and break the isolation of your home environment. In addition to feeling less lonely when spending the day in your dorm studying, it’s a great way to explore new areas of the campus.
- Make plans to study with friends. Meeting with friends who understand how stressful exams may be is another way to approach the situation positively. This is another way to learn from your friends, who could be able to assist you with a difficult subject. Having people around who can make you feel like you are not alone can also greatly help with test-related stress and feelings of isolation.
- Spend some time exercising or distracting yourself from your worries. On these major tests, the overwhelming feeling of needing to do well can weigh heavily on our minds. It can be challenging to constantly study or worry about the test, but it’s crucial to get away from those thoughts occasionally to clear your head and maintain a positive attitude. The best approach to achieving this is to maintain good physical and mental health. This could be spending a few hours at the gym, going for a walk outside, taking a cycling class, or even doing yoga. These all help to keep your body healthy, which in turn helps to keep your mind healthy.
- Maintain a balanced, healthful diet. Even though it can be challenging for college students with limited access to food options to maintain a healthy, balanced diet, there are still ways for students to figure out what is healthy, whether that is eating more fruit, eating three complete meals each day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), or making sure to have a balance of protein. Whatever the case, there are techniques to ensure that you don’t constantly snack on unhealthy foods and maintain as well-balanced a diet as you can. It can be challenging to focus on your diet while in college, but doing so can keep your mind strong and healthy, which will help you concentrate and do better in school.
5. Consistently follow a sleep routine. It might also be challenging for college students to maintain a regular s sleep routine. However, in order to do well on tests, it is essential to have a good night’s sleep in order to stay focused throughout the day and avoid being tired. Going to bed early does not necessarily entail going to bed early on test day. Perhaps practicing for a week or so might teach your body to consistently get good sleep, which will eventually result in a strong positive mindset and mental health.