Three Midterm Studying Tips

By Charlotte Carroll on September 25, 2014

Just like that, it’s that time of year again when midterms are a-plenty and students are stressing. As a sophomore, I remember the fear that came with the first big college test. They told you about it in high school and warned it could be a make or break ordeal. So this year, as I hear all the freshmen worry about their first midterm, it got me thinking of all the things that I learned to do to make the test less stressful. While the nerves won’t completely dissappear, it helps to have some strategies to make those first exams go smoothly.

Make a plan

The exam won’t pass itself, so you need a plan in place to ace that test. Most professors give out the dates of big exams weeks, if not months, in advance, so put it on your calendar and keep up with the class work.

It’s easy to ignore the readings when there is no paper assignment to go with it, but it is no fun trying to play catch-up the night before the exam. It also helps to do some hardcore studying a little each night the week before instead of trying to cram. You won’t feel overwhelmed and you will most likely absorb the material better.

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Take study breaks

As easy as studying five straight hours sounds, you will not be able to do it, unless you are Superman (because focusing for that amount of time is a superhuman strength).

Even if you situate yourself in a lonely library cubicle, you will find distractions. From Facebook creeping to Christmas gift shopping to reading the scribbling on the desk, the possibilities are endless.

So, to get work done in a timely fashion, take a break after a certain period of time. It may be to just refill your water bottle or go chat with a friend for ten minutes, but it is important to try not to work such long hours without designed breaks. Your brain and sanity will thank you.

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Reward yourself

You may have to decline an invite to a party or a avoid staying up late with friends, but it’s worth it to put in the time before the test. When the exam is finished, you can run out of the classroom and plan all the things to do with your free time. Before the next exam, that is.

But enjoy the night after a big exam. Reward yourself for the hard work you put in. If you motivate yourself with something to do after the exam, it makes it that much easier to do problem after problem. Even if the reward is as simple as going out to dinner, incentives are a good tactic to use for studying as a college student.

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