For many students, midterm season can give you a glimpse on how your class is going so far. But what if you got your grade back and it’s not in your usual average? It’s important to use the unexpected grade as a learning experience, and here’s some ways how.
- Check the class average, if possible.
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Don’t beat yourself up over a bad test score–many other students might be in the same boat. If your test was online, D2L’s Brightspace system can show you the mean and median of the class scores, given your instructor has the setting switched on. With this info, you may find that the class average is lower than you expected, and that you’re not the only one who flunked the midterm.
- Switch up your study style.
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Have you been relying on the class slides as your main source of notes? Let’s switch it up! From switching learning styles (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) or trying out a new note-taking method, you may find that you absorb the learning material in a more efficient way.
- Reorganize your space.
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After midterm season, you’re not alone if it looks like a bomb went off near your desk. By using a few minutes of your reading break to put together a desk so aesthetically pleasing you actually want to study, you’ll be on the right track to a productive second half of the semester.
- Put together a final study guide now and add information as you go.
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If you’re like me, you may try to throw together a final study guide a week before the big test, then be unable to complete your guide before the exam. By adding information to your guide as you’re learning the information, it can eliminate lots of that pre-exam stress by being prepared. A little tip: profs usually put the key information in the beginning or end of their powerpoint presentations, and it’s a great starting point for your study guides!
- Don’t beat yourself up!
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With receiving an unpleasant grade, self care after is essential. I’m serious, please don’t skip this step. Take a bubble bath, splurge on some new highlighters – anything that can improve your mood. By overcoming this grade with a pleasant outcome, you’ll likely be out of the negative headspace sooner, rather than sulking about it.
When receiving a bad grade, remember two things. The grade you received on your midterm will not be your final grade, and C’s get degrees!